Hanam Korean restaurant, kids' kalguksu and cheese fried rice: Appa

A Hanam braised-pollock spot that won me over with staff who debone the fish before you even start eating: Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch.

We were out with family on the weekend and searched for a good kodari (braised pollock) place in Hanam for dinner. We went, and it was so satisfying that I'll confidently say any couple who loves kodari jjim should try it at least once.

Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch: parking, hours and break time

Appa Jjim Main Branch is at 60 Wolho-ro, 1st floor, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, and there's a big parking lot right in front. Parking is always the biggest worry when you're out with kids — here we walked right in without any stress about finding a spot.

• Address: 60 Wolho-ro, 1st floor, Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:50
• Break time: 15:00–15:30
• Last order: 20:50
• Parking: Large parking area available in front of the restaurant
• Amenities: Reservations, takeout, delivery, group dining, Wi-Fi

I looked around online at a few options and picked this one — turned out to be a great choice.

Signature dishes and what the dining room is like

Appa Jjim Main Branch's signature dishes are siraegi kodari jorim, maekbanseok agu jjim (monkfish), tangle algatang (roe soup), and badae haemultang (seafood stew).

The moment we walked in, the interior felt much cleaner and more spacious than I expected. The tables were spaced generously and the walkways were wide, so we could eat without feeling cramped even with the kids.

What we ordered: small mild kodari jorim plus kids' kalguksu

Everything on the menu was exactly my kind of food, so I hesitated over what to pick. In the end we ordered the small siraegi kodari jorim that my husband and I love, fried shrimp and kids' kalguksu for the kids, and finished it off with cheese fried rice.

We ordered through the tablet at the table. The spoons and chopsticks came individually wrapped, which showed they really care about hygiene — that kind of detail quietly makes you want to come back.

The banchan (side dishes) that came out were more varied than I expected — spicy dishes alongside a refreshing cold cucumber soup, cabbage salad, seaweed, bean sprouts — all clearly the kind of side dishes that take real effort to make.

They also gave us plenty of small plates and utensils, so we sipped the cold cucumber soup first while waiting for the main dish.

Staff debone the pollock before you eat

The main dish, siraegi kodari jjim, had big chunks of pollock deeply coated in a spicy-sweet sauce, with a generous pile of siraegi (dried radish greens) on top — great chewy texture. But here's the part that was really impressive.

A staff member came by and deboned the big bones out of the pollock before we even started eating. Worrying about bones is the biggest headache when eating with kids, so having someone take care of that in advance meant we could eat totally at ease ✔.

We chose the mild version for the kids and added extra rice cake, and there was plenty of it — the kids said it was even better than tteokbokki. The spice level was moderate, not sharp at all, so the kids could eat it without any trouble.

Besides the siraegi, the radish and tofu chunks were big too and delicious on their own, and even better wrapped in seaweed with bean sprouts.

Kids' kalguksu, 4,000-won cheese fried rice and fried shrimp

The kids' kalguksu (hand-cut noodle soup) had chewy noodles and a refreshing broth — the kids drank the broth down to the last drop.

The stir-fried cheese rice is another dish you can't skip — salty, savory, and loaded with cheese, enough that even the adults hated to put down their spoons. At ₩4,000 it was a huge portion with plenty of cheese.

The fried shrimp we ordered for our second kid had a thin, crispy batter that the kids really loved. It came with tartar sauce, which was also perfectly suited to kids' tastes.

What we liked about Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch

• Big chunks of pollock with a deep, rich sauce flavor.
• Staff debone the large bones before you eat, making it easy to dine with kids.
• The interior is clean and spacious, so the meal feels comfortable.
• The large parking lot means zero parking stress.
• Individually wrapped utensils feel hygienic.
• Even the finishing cheese fried rice is satisfying.

Drawbacks and tips before you visit

✔ Drawbacks — There wasn't much to complain about. The only thing was that since everything is ordered at once through the tablet, the fried rice and kalguksu came out together with everything else even though I wanted to enjoy them more slowly. It might help to mention that to staff after ordering.

Break time runs from 3:00 to 3:30 pm, so it's best to avoid that window. That said, the break is short enough that it shouldn't be too hard to time your meal around it.

You can also reserve through Naver, and there's a review event that gets you free fried shrimp — definitely worth joining.

Who should eat at Appa Jjim Hanam Main Branch?

I'd recommend this to families out for a day in Hanam with kids, anyone who loves kodari jjim, and people who want a satisfying seafood meal.

On the way out, I noticed a coffee corner and some celebrity autographs — seems like word is already out that this place is good.

The parking lot is great, and it's close to Hanam Starfield too, so it's a good stop for a nearby park outing or shopping trip.

Having eaten there myself, it was a satisfying meal for adults and kids alike. Next time I want to go back and try something different on the menu.