Mother-daughter lunch with sashimi set in Suyeong, Busan: Gwanganda

My mom and I decided to have a nice lunch together, part date, part treat-your-parents outing. I'd been craving fresh sashimi, and this was the spot I'd been wanting to try forever — Gwanganda Jjji Gwangalli Main Branch in Minrak-dong, which everyone kept raving about. I heard the dishes, not just the sashimi but all sorts of fresh preparations, come from the hands of an ajumma (auntie) from Tongyeong, so I went in with high expectations.

Location, parking, and hours at Gwanganda Jjji

• Address: 17-20 Gwanganhaebyeon-ro 344beon-gil, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea, 6th floor
• Hours: Closed every Tuesday / Wednesday 16:30–22:50 / Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon 12:00–22:50
• Break time 14:10–16:20, last order 20:30
• Naver Reservation

It's located on the 6th floor of Sanbada Hoetown, right next to the waterfront park's public parking lot. Parking is free if you use the building's 1st floor lot, and there's a discount for the first 2 hours if you park at the waterfront public lot.

We booked on Naver for noon and arrived right on time to grab our seats. Being on the 6th floor with an ocean view, the wide-open scenery instantly felt refreshing.

Seating and private rooms — good for family gatherings and formal meetings too

The tables were set up for about 4 to 8 people, and the interior was spacious enough for group dinners, matching that wide-open view. It seemed like a really nice spot to bring your parents for a treat-your-parents meal. There were separate private rooms set up for gatherings too, which would work well for family get-togethers, meeting your partner's parents (sangyeonrye), or hosting guests. There were about 3 private rooms available, so if you're planning to go, make sure to book ahead.

The menu

Source: Naver. Every single skinship (side dish) served in portions for each person was delicious, and the Tongyeong ajumma really knows how to season things. The ingredients were fresh, and combined with her cooking skill, it was seriously perfect!! You can order extra skinship separately, so there's no need to feel like you're missing out. Personally, the eel was amazing for me. No fishy smell at all, on par with an eel specialty restaurant, and it just melted in my mouth... exactly my style haha. Dachi set, per person (₩55,000).

The basic table spread of skinship

Cheese scallops, soy-marinated crab, eel, spicy mixed sashimi, and California roll made up the basic skinship spread, and finishing a few of these brings out even more dishes. You could get full just from the skinship alone, haha. And there's still the main sashimi, Nagasaki-style soup, and abalone porridge to come!

More skinship arrives, and the live shrimp are still moving

More skinship dishes came in. The savory pancake was crispy, and the cream shrimp was every bit as good as what you'd get at a Chinese restaurant — it's honestly amazing how they make so many different dishes taste this good. Just how fresh is the food at Gwanganda Jjji? The raw shrimp were literally wriggling around lol. They kept moving for quite a while, so I waited until they stopped before eating them, haha, sorry not sorry.

Hahaha... the live octopus was fresh too, and the conch was so tender, not a single tough bite. Every ingredient really was fresh and delicious across the board, and just as I was marveling at how the eel melted in my mouth, the main dish, the assorted sashimi, arrived.

The main assorted sashimi platter — flounder, red sea bream, flatfish, and sea bass

A generous platter of flounder, red sea bream, flatfish, and sea bass. Watching my mom eat piece after piece and say it really felt like a proper meal made me proud, haha. Definitely bring your parents here for a visit!!

Finishing with abalone porridge and Nagasaki-style soup

The last course was thick, savory abalone porridge and Nagasaki-style soup, along with shrimp-and-crab fritters and braised fish. The fritters were freshly fried and crispy, and pairing the mild abalone porridge with the spicy, salty soup and braise was the perfect finish. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could eat a meal this delicious and healthy every single day, haha.

Last time, my mom and I went to a Western-style course restaurant, and it was disappointing — poor value, we didn't even leave full, and the taste wasn't even up to par with a regular restaurant. But Gwanganda Jjji more than made up for that letdown, and it felt like receiving the best, most worthwhile meal as a gift. 🙂🙂 Whenever friends from out of town visiting Busan ask me for a good spot in Gwangalli, this is the seafood restaurant I recommend without hesitation. Definitely worth a visit!