Haeundae Western restaurant: rice-flour sweet potato fries, Bueokgan

What is Bueokgan Haeundae Branch?

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch (부엌간) is a multi-concept F&B space on Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae, with a bakery, a restaurant and a Chinese restaurant all together. The one I visited was the European restaurant Bueokgan on the 2nd floor.

As you head up toward Dalmaji-gil, quiet, upscale places start catching your eye one after another, right? From the outside to the inside, Bueokgan feels like a British vintage hotel, so I felt like I was on a little trip even before the meal.

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is open daily from 11:00 to 21:00, with a break from 15:00 to 16:30 and last order at 20:30. If you're looking for a Western restaurant in Haeundae, it suits dates, family meals and a nice lunch.

What makes Bueokgan Haeundae Branch stand out

• European restaurant with a classic British hotel mood
• Spacious, comfortable hall of around 100 pyeong
• Half-circle tables and pretty window views
• Kids zone with high chairs and children's tableware
• Free corkage for up to 3 bottles
• A complex with a bakery, restaurant and Chinese restaurant

How to get to Bueokgan on Dalmaji-gil and where to park

Walk up the hill past Dongbaek Elementary School and you'll find Bueokgan Haeundae Branch on the 2nd floor, in front of Hillstate Weve, in the former Sansutang spot. Take the stairs on the right side of the building, by Hyeonu Sanho Mansion, and you'll see the restaurant entrance. For parking, you can reportedly use the lot next to Bueokgan Bakery or the underground garage behind the building.

What are the atmosphere and seating like at Bueokgan?

The mood was lovely right from the entrance.

The white exterior, the clean lines of the building and the stairs up to the 2nd floor made it feel like walking into a quiet European restaurant.

Inside, the first things you notice are the big hall, warm lighting and vintage furniture.

The half-circle tables and window seats in particular have an open view outside, so I felt comfortable and never cramped while eating.

With vintage props imported directly from England, France and Italy, plus Czech-style chairs and Vitra chairs, you can feel the care put into details all over the space.

Overall it's upscale without being too heavy, soft like a hazel rose and bright like a sunflower, so it suited a family meal really well.

Among Haeundae Western restaurants, it was a good pick for a day when you want to enjoy both the mood and the sense of space.

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch also has baby high chairs.

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch menu and what we ordered

The menu is neatly organized, so ordering was easy even on a first visit. Visitors reportedly praise the napa cabbage Caesar salad, truffle gnocchi, kung pao pilaf, jambon pizza and the Bueokgan steak.

Today's order was sweet potato fries, lasagna and abalone cream risotto.

The basic table setting at Bueokgan

The pre-meal table setting was tidy too. Plates, cutlery and water glasses were neatly laid out, and the whole thing had a neat, hotel-restaurant feel.

It's a small thing, but a tidy table puts you in a good mood before you even eat, doesn't it?

How are Bueokgan's rice-flour sweet potato fries (8,000 won)?

Bueokgan's sweet potato fries cost ₩8,000 and come with a rice-flour coating for extra crunch.

The first thing I reached for was the sweet potato fries.

Long fried sweet potato sticks come out crisp, and maybe thanks to the rice-flour coating, the outside was light and crunchy.

A gentle sweet potato sweetness comes through, and dipped lightly in the sauce they make an easy starter or side.

How is Bueokgan's abalone cream risotto (20,000 won)?

Bueokgan's abalone cream risotto costs ₩20,000: a risotto with rich abalone-innards sauce, cream, abalone and clams, topped with fried enoki mushrooms.

The abalone cream risotto looked upscale from the first glance. A greenish abalone-innards cream sauce coats the whole risotto, with a generous pile of crispy fried enoki on top.

One bite and the richness of the cream and the deep flavor of the abalone innards spread calmly through your mouth.

With clams and abalone in it, the savory seafood flavor stayed subtly alive, and the fried enoki added texture, so I never got tired of it to the end.

How is Bueokgan's lasagna (21,000 won)?

Bueokgan's lasagna costs ₩21,000 and combines house-simmered ragù sauce, wide lasagna sheets, eggplant and cheese.

With its golden cheese on top, the lasagna looked warm and hearty from the start.

House-simmered ragù, wide lasagna sheets, eggplant and cheese are layered together, so every scoop had a rich flavor.

The tomato sauce wasn't too acidic, and the nuttiness of the cheese flowed smoothly into the depth of the ragù, which made it easy and comfortable to eat.

As a Western meal in Haeundae, the lasagna and risotto combo was quite satisfying.

Is Bueokgan Haeundae Branch worth a visit?

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch blended space, atmosphere and menu calmly and well. The big restaurant makes for a relaxed meal, and the vintage-hotel interior made even an ordinary meal feel a bit more special.

The sweet potato fries were a nice light start, and the abalone cream risotto had an impressive rich flavor. The lasagna was warm and filling, great for sharing.

It's a European restaurant I'd gently recommend for dates, family meals, or anyone looking for a place to eat on Dalmaji-gil in Haeundae.