Pungsan Station braised pollock in Hanam: sealed leftovers, Appa Jjim

Okay so today I've dug up an absolutely amazing spot again. Family dinner, group get-together, doesn't matter — this one place guarantees a round of compliments. A true gem among true gems! Spilling the story on my visit to Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch (아빠찜 하남본점) right now!!!!

Where is Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch, and is there parking?

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch is a braised pollock (kodari-jorim) and seafood stew restaurant at 60 Wolho-ro, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do. Three minutes on foot from Pungsan Station! The accessibility is insane. If you're driving from Seoul, it's on the way toward Hanam Starfield.

Look at how spacious the parking lot is! Nothing drains your energy before you even get to a great restaurant like a tiny parking lot, but Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch actually has a parking attendant on duty!! Just pull in where they point and you're done.

Inside Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch: interior and private rooms

The inside of Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch is bigger and more comfortable than it looks from outside. There's a separate room with large tables all set up, which makes it perfect for a group dinner or a big family gathering.

Menu and lunch set price at Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch

The menu at Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch covers seafood stew, seafood soup, lunch specials and more, but between 11am and 3pm on weekdays, the braised pollock and pot rice set is ₩15,000 per person. The value is insane, right? Definitely one to rush over for at lunchtime.

After much deliberation, we picked the ultimate showstopper: cuttlefish braised pollock!!!! Went with the basic spice level and added the aromatic pot rice too. Done!!

What side dishes come with the braised pollock?

The banchan (side dish) quality, what's this?? You can tell at a glance it's the neat, tidy kind. Crunchy pickled onion, nutty seasoned bok choy, and sautéed mushrooms are all standing by, perfectly suited to the braised pollock.

You can't have a spicy braise without crunchy bean sprouts and crispy dried seaweed, and there's a cucumber-and-seaweed cold soup to cleanse the palate too — not a single miss in the lineup.

The aromatic pot rice turned out really well too.

Cuttlefish braised pollock arrives, deboned at the table

The cuttlefish braised pollock arrives on a cart! The surprising part is that a staff member debones the fish for you!!! I've been to every single kodari place in Guri and Namyangju, and I've never seen a kodari restaurant do this!! This is the dignity of Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch.

The staff member's deboning skills were on another level — cleared the whole thing in a flash. The pale cuttlefish was thick enough, no exaggeration, to pass for steak.

A plate of nothing but appetizing flesh left behind. Time for the food montage! But before that, something feels missing,,? Can't hold back.

R A D I S H G R E E N S A D D E D !

Ta-da. Let's get eating!

How the sauce tastes: eating the cuttlefish braised pollock

My very first bite: dipped white rice lightly in the sauce, plopped half a piece of pollock on top, ate it in one go — and every kodari I've eaten until now wasn't even kodari.,.

It's basically the gap between cafeteria kodari and the real deal at a kodari specialty restaurant. The sauce on the braised pollock at Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch is genuinely insane!!!!

Just a completely distinct, perfect flavor! This deep sweetness balanced with heat is something you can only get here at Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch.

A one-of-a-kind spicy stew, no doubt about it?? Confirmed. A flavor that conquers the entire kodari world with sauce alone. Given the apple shape floating in there, I'm guessing they sweetened it with apple or something — now I get why this place is always packed.

The radish greens are excellent too — nutty with a pleasant bitterness! Eaten with tofu, it's heaven.

And of course the cuttlefish. Genuinely zero toughness — soft, springy, and delicious.

Pile it all onto dried seaweed and eat it in one bite — you literally cannot put your chopsticks down haha. So good.

Even after finishing the rice, there's still sungnyung (scorched rice tea) left, so no worries. Scrape up the hot crispy rice and slurp it down, and the lingering spice washes away, settling your stomach completely.

Sealed takeout for leftovers, and the verdict on Appa Jjim Hanam

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch also lets you request takeout like this! That's why the two of us ordered three portions' worth hahaha.

They packed it into dedicated containers and sealed it up so neatly it looked like a freshly made new dish! My mouth was already watering thinking about drizzling sesame oil over the leftovers and frying up some rice at home.

Spacious parking, a clean interior, and above all, that overwhelming sauce — if you want to taste the real deal of kodari, Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch is the place, no question. So glad I found a restaurant I can brag about as my go-to braised pollock spot!!! Next time I'll bring my friends and get my food-expert reputation confirmed. Hanam's best braised pollock restaurant, Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch — genuinely, highly recommended!!!!