Haeundae European restaurant, Sunday 8pm abalone risotto: Bueokgan

We were playing around in Haeundae and wanted a good Western meal. While searching, I found that Bueokgan (부엌간), which I'd enjoyed before, has a Haeundae branch, so we went to Bueokgan Haeundae Branch. There are underground lots beside and behind the building, plus roadside parking across the street, so it was easy to come by car. It's a Haeundae pasta spot where you eat good Western food in stylish interiors that remind me of a vintage British hotel.

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch: hours, parking and corkage

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is open daily 11:00–21:00, with a break from 15:00 to 16:30 and last order at 20:30. You can park in front of the restaurant and on the roadside opposite, as well as in the lots at Café de Bueokgan (카페 드 부엌), beside the building and behind it.

• Address: 200 Dalmaji-gil 117beon-na-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea (2nd floor)
• Hours: daily 11:00–21:00 (break 15:00–16:30, last order 20:30)
• Parking: in front and roadside opposite / Café de Bueokgan, beside and behind the building
• Corkage allowed (free)
• Groups welcome (up to 100 people)
• Reservations available (Naver Place)
• High chairs available

Getting to Bueokgan Haeundae Branch and the atmosphere inside

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is on the 2nd floor of a freestanding building in front of Haeundae Hillstate Wibe, which you reach by walking up the hill past Haeundae Dongbaek Elementary School. It's a bit far from Jangsan Station, so take a bus, or bring a car since there's parking.

The 1st floor has Bueokgan Bakery and Bueokgan Chinese, while the European restaurant Bueokgan Haeundae Branch takes up a very spacious 2nd floor. It's said to be designed around the concept of a vintage British hotel, and the half-moon tables, stylish chairs and lighting all give off a classic, vintage mood.

The vintage furniture and props are said to be imported directly from England, France and Italy, and maybe that's why you can feel the detail in every light and piece of furniture. It's clean and has a great mood, so I think it would be a good Haeundae date spot, and with tables in various sizes it's also great for group gatherings or family meals.

What's on the menu at Bueokgan Haeundae Branch?

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch has a wide range of Western dishes, from soup and salad to pasta, risotto, pilaf, pizza and steak. The shrimp anchovy oil pasta and carbonara are said to be popular, so pasta is a must here.

Review of Bueokgan Haeundae Branch on a Sunday at 8pm

We played around Haeundae and arrived at Bueokgan Haeundae Branch around 8pm on a Sunday. Even that late in the evening, lots of families were having dinner. High chairs and children's tableware are all provided, and I saw many families with kids, which was really nice to see.

Corkage is free for up to 3 bottles, so I think it works well for couples on a date or a get-together with friends. After much deliberation, we ordered the arugula prosciutto pizza, shrimp rosé pasta and abalone cream risotto.

Arugula prosciutto pizza (₩22,000)

The arugula prosciutto pizza came out after about 10 minutes. It's a mild pizza loaded with prosciutto and arugula, and it costs ₩22,000.

Cheese, prosciutto and arugula sit on a slightly crisp, chewy dough, and the flavors work well together. Prosciutto is a traditional Italian ham, and its soft, salty taste lifts the pizza's flavor.

The fragrant arugula ties everything together, so it tastes mild and clean. When I ate the pepperoni pizza at another Bueokgan branch before, the dough stuck in my memory, and sure enough, the crisp, mild, chewy dough made this one delicious too.

Radish and cucumber pickles are a must when eating Western food. They're fresh and crunchy, and go nicely with the Western dishes.

Shrimp rosé pasta (₩20,000)

True to its reputation as a pasta place, Bueokgan Haeundae Branch has so many pastas that I agonized before ordering the shrimp rosé pasta. It's plated prettily with shrimp and button mushrooms and costs ₩20,000.

When you order shrimp pasta, sometimes the shrimp are tiny or there are hardly any, but the shrimp rosé pasta here had quite a lot of plump shrimp, which I liked. The springy shrimp and the delicious rosé sauce went great together.

The noodles were cooked to a good texture too. The portion is quite generous, so we ate it hearty and full along with the shrimp.

The springy bite and nutty flavor of the button mushrooms, which I kept running into, went surprisingly well with the rosé pasta. The rosé sauce was the style with a slightly strong tomato taste, creamy yet tangy, which suited me.

There was plenty of rosé sauce, so I dipped the crust edges of the pizza we ordered into it. The mild, chewy dough and the creamy rosé sauce go together so well that I kept eating.

Abalone cream risotto, chosen instead of lasagna (₩20,000)

I wanted the lasagna, but it was sold out, so I ordered the best-selling abalone cream risotto instead. It looks creamy just from the sight of it, and it costs ₩20,000.

The abalone cream risotto is topped with fried enoki mushrooms. Fried, they're crunchy and nutty, and the fried enoki was the kicker.

The rich abalone innards sauce meets the cream, so the flavor is deep yet smooth. Pieces of abalone and clam that I bumped into along the way added texture and savoriness, and it was my favorite of the three dishes.

I love rich, heavy food, so the creamy taste kept me reaching for more. It also goes well with the tangy pickles.

Who is Bueokgan Haeundae Branch recommended for?

Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is a Haeundae pasta spot where you can eat a variety of Western dishes in stylish interiors and a clean, spacious restaurant. There are set menus too, and the menu runs from soup and salad to pasta, gnocchi, risotto, pilaf, pizza and steak, so you can choose by taste.

There are lots beside and behind the restaurant, and roadside parking in front and across the street, so it was easy to visit by car without worrying about parking. The space is large with tables in various sizes, so it's good for group gatherings, and with high chairs and tableware ready, I think it's also good for a family meal with a baby.

With its European-feeling interior and great mood, I think Bueokgan Haeundae Branch is a good choice for anyone wondering where to go on a Haeundae date or looking for a Haeundae pasta spot.