Weekday lunch comparing two tteokgalbi sets in Gijang: Dongam

I've been shopping a lot lately at the Lotte Outlet in East Busan, Gijang, and I'm so happy there are so many good restaurants nearby. This time I went with my son to buy some fall clothes, and we had lunch at Dongam Tteokgalbi (동암떡갈비), which sits right in front of the Gijang Lotte Outlet — perfect for a visit before or after outlet shopping.

Location and hours of Dongam Tteokgalbi

• Location: 160 Gijanghaean-ro, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea, 3rd floor
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00
• Weekday break time: 15:00–16:30
• Parking: Dedicated restaurant parking lot available

Even weekday lunch tteokgalbi can sell out

This place is busy on weekdays and weekends alike — as soon as I walked in, I saw a spacious, clean, comfortable-looking waiting area. I went on a weekday and got seated right away with no wait, but the customer behind me had to turn back because the day's tteokgalbi had run out. I felt bad for them, haha ㅠㅠ

Wide sofa seats with a picture window looking out at Lotte World

The interior was huge and spotless, with a big picture window offering a clear view of Lotte World.

Most seats were comfortable sofas with wide tables, which made for a really pleasant meal. It looked like a great spot for gatherings or family dinners with several people.

How many side dishes are at the self-serve corner?

When you order tteokgalbi at Dongam Tteokgalbi, you get access to a self-serve corner with 10 basic side dishes that change daily, plus about 20 more extras like japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), steamed egg, tofu kimchi, and seaweed soup. All the sides are apparently made fresh in-house every day.

A place where the care in every meal stays with you! Dongam Tteokgalbi / A healthy set meal, a table made with a warm heart / Made fresh every morning with fresh ingredients / Hanwoo beef graded 1++ and 9, top 2% nationwide / Rather than lowering quality, we lowered our profit

What we ordered: the 1++ Hanwoo Tteokgalbi Set and the Dongam Tteokgalbi Set

We ordered Dongam Tteokgalbi's signature handmade premium hanwoo tteokgalbi — the 1++ Hanwoo Tteokgalbi Set for 22,000 won — along with the Dongam Tteokgalbi Set for 15,000 won.

We were surprised by the 8 basic side dishes and the tteokgalbi, which looked so good my mouth started watering the second I saw it, and surprised again by how generous the hotpot rice portion was for two people.

All the basic side dishes were delicious, and we also grabbed more variety from the self-bar. Even though it was getting close to weekday break time, the self-bar sides kept getting restocked right away, so we were able to eat really generously. The basic dishes were so plentiful that we didn't end up using the self-bar much, but people with a bigger appetite could definitely eat their fill here without any shortage.

How did the 1++ hanwoo tteokgalbi taste?

Apparently every tteokgalbi at Dongam Tteokgalbi is made with 100% beef. In particular, the 1++ hanwoo tteokgalbi is a premium version made from hanwoo graded 1++9, the highest grade of Korean beef, and it was juicy and so, so tender. It was delicious plain, but even better dipped in the sauce.

The 15,000 won Dongam Tteokgalbi Set

The Dongam Tteokgalbi, which lets you enjoy the flavor of the meat at a reasonable price, is a traditional-style tteokgalbi made through low-temperature aging that brings out the meat's deep flavor. It was also juicy, cooked through nicely, seasoned just right, and solid on all the fundamentals.

The crab doenjang jjigae served at the end

At the end, a doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) arrived, loaded with crab, and the broth was absolutely amazing. Why can't I ever make doenjang jjigae taste this good at home? (˶ˆᗜˆ˵)

Wrap-up

A Korean restaurant where you get to enjoy premium handmade tteokgalbi, freshly cooked hotpot rice, and a variety of side dishes made fresh from daily ingredients. Truly the best. A place you'll get praised for bringing anyone to, or recommending to anyone — saving this as a must-go-back spot!!! 🤩