Family Chinese dinner in Haeundae, Busan: Songjeong Dol Jjamppong

Last weekend, I went to the Busan National Science Museum with the kids. We had such a fun time trying all sorts of activities that we got hungry, so on the way home we stopped at Songjeong Dol Jjamppong, a popular spot in Songjeong, Busan.

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong is apparently known for Palgongsan Dol Jjamppong, one of Daegu’s 10 great local delicacies. It has already appeared on several TV programs, so I was excited to try it.

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong location and hours

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong is on the first floor at 67 Songjeonggwangeogol-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan. It is about a 10-minute drive from the Busan National Science Museum, so getting there was easy, and it was on our way home too. It is also close to Songjeong Beach, making it a nice spot to pair with a seaside walk or some time by the water.

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a break from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Last orders are at 8 p.m., so if you are coming for dinner, it is best to leave yourself plenty of time.

Parking in front of the building

There was plenty of parking in front of the building housing Songjeong Dol Jjamppong, plus dedicated spaces right in front of the restaurant, so parking was easy.

A restaurant interior that was easy to visit with children

It was a little early for dinner, but so many tables were already occupied when we walked in that it really felt like proof this was a popular place.

They bring out the basic side dishes—green onion kimchi, danmuji (pickled radish), onion, and chunjang (black bean paste)—and there is also a self-service bar if you need more.

There is a microwave for warming baby food, yogurt for dessert, and barley tea as well. High chairs were ready too, which made it a comfortable choice for a family meal in Busan with kids.

Ordering stone-plate jjamppong and jajangmyeon

You can order and pay right away through the table kiosk.

The menu was full of unusual Chinese dishes, from the signature macaron menbosha (shrimp toast) and 24-hour-aged mini tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried pork) to fried dumplings, stone-plate jajangmyeon, stone-plate jjamppong, white jjamppong, and mapo tofu.

The hardest part of choosing was deciding between jajangmyeon and jjamppong. Normally, we order one big main dish and a side, but both sounded so tempting here that we ended up ordering both the scorched-rice stone-plate jjamppong and scorched-rice stone-plate jajangmyeon. We added the 24-hour-aged mini tangsuyuk too.

The menu separates dishes for two people from those for three to four, so I think one advantage of coming as a group is being able to share and try several dishes.

What does the scorched-rice stone-plate jjamppong taste like?

When our order arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was, of course, the hot stone plate. The stone-plate jjamppong is said to be served sizzling on a 250°C plate, and it was still bubbling away when it came out—so appetizing! It stayed warm from the first bite to the last, which definitely made it different from other places.

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong was especially a slightly different style from the Busan jjamppong I have had before. Rather than regular jjamppong with lots of broth, the broth gradually reduces over time, giving it the feel of stir-fried jjamppong. A layer of nurungji (scorched rice) sits beneath the noodles, and they say it is even tastier if you scrape it up with the spatula provided after finishing the noodles.

• Stir-fried jjamppong
• Yaki udon
• Regular jjamppong

It was a unique approach that felt like a mix of all three, and it was fun to try for the first time.

It was packed with seafood like shrimp, squid, and scallops, giving it a clean, refreshing flavor. As time passed, the seasoning soaked more deeply into the noodles, becoming rich and intense, and I could see why it is well known.

Scorched-rice stone-plate jajangmyeon the kids loved

And the dish the kids said was absolutely delicious was the scorched-rice stone-plate jajangmyeon.

The jajangmyeon had so much sauce that it was almost soupy. At first I thought, “Jajang with broth?” But seeing it in person, there was plenty of black bean sauce, and it looked great for mixing rice into after finishing the noodles.

The kids ate it so enthusiastically, practically with their faces in the bowl, that I was really glad I had brought them along.

There was lots of seafood, so it was fun to eat, and the green onion kimchi that came as a side was nicely fermented and truly delicious with it. This dish also has scorched rice at the bottom, perfect for scraping up after the noodles. I recommend mixing rice in after you finish the scorched rice.

24-hour-aged mini tangsuyuk

I thought a meal of noodles alone might feel a little lacking, so we ordered the 24-hour-aged mini tangsuyuk too. Even the name felt a little different from ordinary tangsuyuk, and it was a good match with the noodle dishes. The portion was decent too—hardly “mini” tangsuyuk!

I think it was even tastier because it was made only with lean meat. Having a piece of tangsuyuk between the strongly flavored jjamppong and jajangmyeon was great for changing up the flavors. For a family meal in Busan with kids, sharing a noodle dish and a side like this could be a nice way to go.

A meal course to enjoy with Songjeong Beach

Songjeong has the sea and lots of cafés, so it is such a nice area to look around before or after a meal. Among people looking for good places to eat in Songjeong, Busan, I imagine many come with family, while others may be couples looking for somewhere to eat after walking along Songjeong Beach.

Songjeong Dol Jjamppong would work well as a stop after seeing the sea, or before heading over to the beach after a meal. If you are with children, I would also recommend following our route: visit the Busan National Science Museum first, then eat. We did exactly that this time, and since it was close by, the route was so convenient.