Dongsam-dong, Gimhae Chinese restaurant: summer cold noodles, Dongbaek

It's a little chilly at dawn these days, but the daytime is still pure summer haha. Still, I'll take anything under 40 degrees. A few days ago I went out to cool off with some cold noodles, and I heard this place had a slightly special version.

Where is Dongbaek, the Chinese restaurant in Dongsam-dong, Gimhae?

Dongbaek is a Chinese restaurant on the 1st floor of 514 Gaya-ro, Gimhae, Gyeongnam, in Dongsam-dong. There's a bus stop right nearby around Hwalcheon-gogae, so it works well whether you drive or take public transit :)

• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (break time 15:30–17:00), last order 20:20
• Parking: on-site lot
• Corkage available (fee), groups welcome, reservations possible
• Separate restrooms, wifi

Parking: Dongbaek's own private lot

This Gimhae Dongsam-dong spot with private rooms, Dongbaek, has its own parking lot, so there's really no need to worry about that. The lot itself was pretty big, too. Walking up the hill next to it, you reach the entrance to Dongbaek.

Dongbaek's atmosphere: a Chinatown-style exterior and private rooms

This Gimhae spot with private rooms, Dongbaek, catches the eye from far away thanks to its exterior — quietly atmospheric but also almost flashy.

It felt like the kind of Chinese restaurant you'd expect to find in Incheon's Chinatown. That sense of having wandered into Chinatown made it all the more memorable.

Once inside, Dongbaek in Gimhae felt even more upscale than the exterior suggested! It's split into a main hall and private rooms, so you can dine privately — this seemed like the perfect place for gatherings or company dinners.

The mood lighting placed throughout added an even more exotic feel~

Dongbaek menu and prices

The set courses are Lunch Course A at ₩20,000 and Lunch Course B at ₩25,000.

• Jjajang/jjamppong/fried rice 🍜 Fresh-meat ganjajang 11,000 / Seafood jjamppong 11,000 / Jjajangmyeon 8,000 / Fried rice 9,000 / Fresh-meat japchae rice 12,000 / Chinese samseon bibim noodles or rice 13,000 / Jungwha naengmyeon 12,000
• Tangsuyuk/lajoyuk 🍤 Fresh loin tangsuyuk Mini 16,000 · Small 22,000 · Medium 28,000 · Large 35,000 / Lajogi·lajoyuk Medium 33,000 · Large 43,000

Before ordering, they set out pickled radish, onion, and chunjang (black bean paste) at the table. There's a self-serve bar too, so you can top up whatever runs low :)

What we ordered 🍴 fresh-meat ganjajang, cold noodles and chilli shrimp

Fresh-meat ganjajang, jungwha naengmyeon, and chilli shrimp.

That's what I ordered — it was my first time trying jungwha naengmyeon, so I wasn't sure what to expect, a mix of excitement and a little worry about whether I'd like it.

Jungwha naengmyeon (₩12,000): cold noodles with shrimp and even abalone

🥢 The jungwha naengmyeon looked nothing like a regular cold noodle dish, and I couldn't wait to try it. Plated with shrimp and abalone, no less :)

Curious about the broth before the noodles, I took a sip first — definitely not your typical cold noodle broth. Nutty peanut flavor layered with a tingling mustard kick made it subtly savory and kind of addictive 👍

It was cold overall, which made it perfect for the sweltering summer heat~ The noodles were nice and chewy too — if you're someone who loves mustard, this comes highly recommended.

Fresh-meat ganjajang (₩11,000): a generous amount of meat

Fresh-meat ganjajang 🥢 arrived, and just from looking at it you could tell the portion of meat was genuinely generous.

With the deep, rich chunjang flavor typical of ganjajang plus the added meat, it brought extra savoriness on top of a good chewy texture.

The chunjang sauce was a touch on the sweet side, so kids would probably love it too 👍 It's a bit thick, though, so I'd recommend mixing it well before eating.

Chilli shrimp: fine even if you can't handle spice

Chilli shrimp 🦐 was the dish I was most looking forward to 😏 The plumpness of the shrimp alone was unreal.. My mouth was watering before I even took a bite, so I dug in right away.

That first bite gave me crispy fried-batter ASMR.. crunchy outside, revealing pale, glossy flesh inside — pure visual satisfaction!!

The chilli shrimp sauce itself wasn't fully spicy — more sweet-and-slightly-spicy. So even people who can't handle spice could enjoy it easily~ There were nuts sprinkled on top too, so it stayed nutty and satisfying to the last bite 💙

Who Dongbaek in Gimhae is for

If you want Chinese food that's a step away from the usual, how about Dongbaek, a Chinese restaurant with private rooms in Gimhae?

• A Gimhae Chinese restaurant with real atmosphere, upscale feel
• A Gimhae jjajangmyeon and jjamppong favorite
• Private rooms mean you can dine without interruption, in comfort
• High-quality tangsuyuk and fried dumplings
• The distinctive charm of the jungwha naengmyeon