Hanam Korean restaurant lunch with cuttlefish and pot rice crust: Appa

Location and exterior of Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch is about 8 minutes (roughly 500m) from Exit 1 of Hanam Pungsan Station on Line 5, so it's easy to get to by public transit, haha.

Parking

There's a big parking lot right in front of the restaurant too, so I'd recommend it for family gatherings as well!! haha

How's the interior, and how long is the wait?

Apparently Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch was the first place to try maekbanseok agujjim (monkfish stew cooked on hot stones)! Hahaha so is that why it's so popular? Wow

So right from the start I was told I'd need to wait, so I put in my name and waited. Coming before noon seems less crowded. Or maybe after 1pm??

So many people, right? I heard this place was a hit and came to check it out... and wow, I didn't expect it to be this packed!!

While waiting, I noticed a ton of delivery orders going out too!! This place must be really popular!!

Menu

Once seated, I checked the menu and found that kodari (dried pollock), agujjim (monkfish stew), and algonijjim (pollock roe and milt stew) are their famous dishes!

The crispy seafood pancake is also famous, apparently! And takeout gets a 10% discount, so I'll have to come back for that next time, haha.

What we ordered

After much deliberation, here's what we decided on!

• Siraegi kodari jorim, small (original flavor)
• Hyangmi sotbap (pot rice)
• Extra siraegi (dried radish greens)
• Gapojingeo sukhoe (blanched cuttlefish)

That's what we ordered!! Ugh... why does even the menu board look so delicious? T.T I'm getting hungry.

Chopsticks and wet wipes were neatly set on the table. You could really feel the thoughtfulness, haha.

Basic side dishes

The basic side dishes were really generous too. If you run low, the staff will bring more when you ask, haha. The staff were really kind..! They'd pass by and ask if we needed anything, haha.

Gapojingeo sukhoe (blanched cuttlefish)

Not just regular squid — apparently this is blanched cuttlefish!!

Siraegi kodari jorim (braised pollock with dried radish greens)

It came with two whole fish! And the sauce was drizzled on so appetizingly, with toppings like radish, rice cake, tofu, and siraegi. I was worried eating just siraegi would get boring, but with everything mixed in, the fun of eating doubled, haha.

A staff member used scissors and tongs to remove the big bones for us! They were really kind about deboning it, which made it much easier to eat, haha. It was really nice!!

Hyangmi sotbap and nurungji (pot rice and rice crust)

A pot rice for two came out, haha. It was truly the classic firm-textured rice, delicious!

Once all the rice is scooped out, you pour water from the kettle into the pot and wait for it to become nurungji (scorched rice crust), haha.

How's the lunch value?

The pollock meat was so plump, right? There was a lot to eat, and it was really good value, haha. They also have a lunch set menu at ₩15,000 per person! With this much generosity, there's no reason not to come~~!!

Tofu and radish! Beyond just the pollock, it was fun trying all the other elements too, haha.

I'd highly recommend adding extra siraegi to the pollock! It goes great with the pot rice and pairs perfectly with the pollock too!!

Even the hyangmi sotbap itself was so tasty, and the siraegi and basic side dishes were delicious too, so I wrapped them up with rice, haha. It's a total rice thief!!

The nurungji made from the water poured in earlier, haha. Stir it with the rice paddle and scoop out as much as you want into your bowl, then eat it with the pollock, siraegi, and side dishes — absolutely delicious!!

Review event

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch runs various review events! If you leave a review on Google, Naver, or Instagram, they'll give you a drink or fried shrimp! The food is already such a great deal, but this review event makes it even better!!

On my way out, I noticed they also sell ice cream and various snacks, haha.

A popular restaurant that many celebrities have visited!

The coffee is free too, hahaha.

Restroom

It's a unisex restroom, hahaha.