Chinese izakaya in Jeonpo, Busan for pork neck subuta: Taising

What is Taising in Jeonpo like?

Taising is a Japanese-style Chinese restaurant in Jeonpo, Busan, where you can enjoy good food with a drink. Jeonpo has so many moody cafés and bars, but I was looking for a place with good food to go with a drink, and that's how I ended up at Taising. I kept seeing it on social media and got curious, and after visiting in person I understood why so many people go. Jeonpo is always buzzing with people, full of energy and youth.

• Address: 48 Jeonpo-daero 210beon-gil, Busanjin-gu, Busan, South Korea (1st floor)
• Hours: Sun-Thu 18:00-01:00 / Fri-Sat 17:00-02:00
• Closed: every Monday
• Japanese-style Chinese restaurant / no parking / plenty of seats
• Good for a second or third round (side dishes available)

What are the interior and seating like at Taising?

Inside, Taising is quiet with soft lighting, a space that mixes modern Chinese style with an izakaya feel. The entrance, though, was a bit hard to find at first glance. It looked a little like the door of a moody café.

I arrived right at 6 p.m. on the dot, and it seemed people start pouring in after 7. For a more comfortable meal, I recommend going early.

There are quite a lot of seats for the size of the space. It holds about 10 parties, and since there is no group seating, it's best for 2 to 4 people.

Water comes in a nostalgic Delmonte bottle. It isn't plain water, but tastes like very, very faint barley tea. The modern Chinese-meets-izakaya space felt fresh.

How was the Suntory draft beer at Taising?

My first glass at Taising was Suntory draft beer (nama biru), and it didn't disappoint. A night out starts with draft beer, after all. I saw rows of Suntory kegs lined up at the front and ordered with confidence. I used to find those gold-looking glasses with thick rims a bit disappointing, but they've switched glasses this time. You can definitely taste the difference the glass makes. If you come to Taising, I strongly recommend starting with Suntory nama biru!

How does Taising's subuta (black vinegar sweet and sour pork) taste?

Taising's subuta (black vinegar sweet and sour pork) is made with pork neck, so the meat has a lively texture and tastes rich and nutty thanks to the right amount of fat. It was the dish I was most curious about after researching beforehand, so I ordered it right away, and I was glad I'd done my homework. At the first bite I felt it wasn't tenderloin or loin, and when I checked the menu again, sure enough, they use pork neck. I'd had sweet and sour pork made with pork belly before, but with pork neck it was so good.

The coriander on top is optional, but I'm not picky, so I asked for it right away. The portion was bigger than I expected, a very satisfying bar snack.

With a snack like this, draft beer alone won't do; nothing beats soju. I meant to have just a little, but I ended up drinking more and more, sob. I heard they give out a keycap with a new bottle these days, so I was secretly hoping for one, hahaha.

When draft kegs are stacked up out front like that, I catch an incurable craving for draft beer, and the Suntory draft I hadn't had in a long time was so good. It was a glass that made me want to go to Japan.

Is Taising in Jeonpo worth going back to?

Taising is a place I want to return to when I'm relaxed and try all the nabe (hot pot) dishes and side dishes. I had other plans that day, so I only had the sweet and sour pork, but the draft beer was great too, and even though I tried just one dish, I'm convinced the others would be good as well. If you want a Japanese-style Chinese izakaya in Jeonpo, I recommend Taising!!