Haeundae pork bone soup, mild vs spicy: Byeolhaebyeol Gamjatang

Craving a hot bowl of soup, I had ppyeo haejangguk (pork bone hangover soup) at Byeolhaebyeol Gamjatang Centum (별해별감자탕 센텀점). Since there was a choice of mild or spicy, we ordered one of each to share. Both had a savory broth at their base, but differed in their clean, spicy kick.

How far is it from Centum Station, and is parking available?

The restaurant is at 70-1 Jaeban-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan, about 700 m from Exit 1 of Centum Station. Its large sign at the front of the building made it easy to find.

There was parking directly in front of the restaurant, which made visiting by car convenient. I could go straight in without circling around to find a space.

The hours listed in the original post are 10:00–21:30 on Monday and Wednesday through Sunday, and 10:00–15:30 on Tuesday. Takeout and delivery are also available.

Are there group seats and a self-service side-dish station?

The interior was neat and comfortable. The tables were arranged in long rows, with seating for several people, so it looked suitable for family meals or office lunches.

The self-service station had basic side dishes including kimchi, kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi), chilies, onion, and garlic. It was convenient to take as much as I needed. A notice said the type of kimchi can vary by season and that it is prepared daily with domestic ingredients.

There was also a coffee machine next to the self-service station. I appreciated being able to have a cup of coffee after the meal.

How much are the pork bone soup and extra menu items?

The main dishes are gamjatang (pork bone stew) and ppyeo haejangguk. The mild and spicy ppyeo haejangguk we ordered were both ₩10,000 per bowl.

Ramyeon noodles were ₩1,500, while glass noodles, udon noodles, and sujebi dough flakes were ₩2,000 each. Fried rice was also ₩2,000, and a children’s meal was available separately for ₩5,000. I thought that for a group, adding noodles to the gamjatang and finishing with fried rice would be nice.

How did the mild and spicy pork bone soup broths differ?

First, basic side dishes arrived: kimchi, kkakdugi, onion, chilies, and garlic. The crisp kkakdugi went well with the ppyeo haejangguk.

The ppyeo haejangguk arrived bubbling in a hot ttukbaegi (earthenware pot). It contained large bones in the broth, topped generously with sliced green onion. There was plenty of ugeoji (dried cabbage greens), so it felt like a filling meal.

The mild version let me enjoy a rich, savory broth without aggressive heat. It was full-bodied without being overly heavy, and went down smoothly. Its savory flavor came through more clearly when mixed with rice, so I thought it would suit people who do not handle spicy food well.

The spicy version had a noticeably stronger clean heat. Rather than tasting only spicy, the heat followed the savory flavor. I liked the lingering kick, so the spicy version suited my taste a little better.

What were the quantity and texture of the meat and ugeoji like?

There was a good amount of meat attached to the large bones. It was cooked until tender, so it was not difficult to pull off with chopsticks, and the meat was soft and moist. The broth had soaked in, so it was well seasoned even on its own. I dipped the meat in the broth or in the sauce served alongside it.

The ugeoji had absorbed the broth and was tender, while still retaining a little bite. In particular, the ugeoji soaked in the spicy broth was both cleanly spicy and savory over rice. After eating it with the meat, I finished by mixing rice into the broth with the ugeoji.

After sharing both, I would choose the mild version when craving a savory, smooth broth and the spicy version when wanting that clean heat as well. The generous meat and ugeoji made for a filling bowl, and I would like to return when I am craving ppyeo haejangguk.