Gwangju Suwan pizza restaurant, crust dipped in cream cheese: Bueokgan

I recently visited Bueokgan Suwan Branch in the Suwan district. I usually love Western food like pasta and pizza, so I was searching for good spots in Suwan when I came across this place — and it was bigger and had a nicer atmosphere than I expected, so I really liked it.

It seemed like a great spot for a date or for catching up with a friend you haven't seen in a while over good food.

Where is Bueokgan Suwan Branch, and what does it look like?

Bueokgan Suwan Branch is located on the 1st floor at 22-1 Suwan-ro 9beon-gil, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, South Korea.

It's in the cluster of popular restaurants in Suwan, so it wasn't hard to find.

The exterior has a red-brick look that gave off a European-restaurant kind of vibe. On a nice day, eating on the outdoor terrace seats seemed like it would be great too.

There's a table-ring waiting system set up at the entrance, so even if there's a wait, you can wait comfortably.

The interior has a classic yet warm feel, so it was good for photos too.

Inside Bueokgan Suwan Branch: a roomy dining hall

Once inside, Bueokgan Suwan Branch was actually quite spacious. The tables weren't packed tightly together — I liked that there was plenty of room between seats.

Maybe because of the calm atmosphere, it seemed like a great match for a date, and also fine for a blind date or a group gathering. It wasn't too loud or crowded, so it was easy to chat while eating.

Pemanong Jambon Pizza: what does 'Pemanong' mean?

What I ordered this time was one of Bueokgan's signature dishes, the Pemanong Jambon Pizza. The name sounded unfamiliar at first, but once I tasted it, I understood why it's a signature menu item haha.

This was the dish I was most looking forward to that day — the Pemanong Jambon Pizza! At first I wondered what 'Pemanong' meant, and it turns out it's a Jeju dialect word for green onion.

The house-made pickles were delicious

And the hot sauce too

It's a pizza made by spreading a savory chive spread on the base, topping it with salty jambon, baking it in a wood-fired oven, then finishing it with sweet honey and fresh chives. Just hearing the description, the combination of green onion and jambon sounded a bit unusual, but once I tried it, it worked much better than I expected.

The pizza came out nicely browned with a generous amount of jambon on top, plus big dollops of cream cheese scattered around, so it looked really appetizing.

Salty jambon, honey and chives on one slice

I cut off a slice and tasted it — the first flavor you get is the saltiness of the jambon, followed by a hint of sweetness from the honey.

On top of that, the fragrant, slightly sharp taste of the chives comes through, and the combination worked out better than I expected.

The saltiness, sweetness, and chive aroma all come in together, balancing each other out, so I kept reaching for more. And personally, the part I enjoyed most was the cream cheese.

The soft, cloud-like cream cheese on top of the pizza was smooth and savory, and it paired really well with the jambon.

Eating it with the honey and cream cheese together was much more delicious than just eating the pizza on its own.

Dipping the leftover crust ends in cream cheese

And here's a combination I really want you to try. Don't just eat the crust ends plain — dip them generously into the cream cheese on top.

Adding the cream cheese to the plain, chewy crust let me enjoy the pizza deliciously all the way to the last bite.

Adding the cream cheese to the plain, chewy crust let me enjoy the pizza deliciously all the way to the last bite.

Is Bueokgan Suwan Branch good for a date or a group meal?

Overall, I really liked the atmosphere at Bueokgan Suwan Branch and enjoyed the food. If you want to try something a bit different from the usual pizza, the Pemanong Jambon Pizza is a good option.

The place is spacious with a nice atmosphere, so it's the kind of spot I'd think of when looking for somewhere to have a date or meet up with friends in Suwan. If you like Western food such as pasta and pizza, it's worth a visit at least once. Next time I go, I'd like to try some of their other pasta dishes. :)