[Busan] Choryang Milmyeon 초량밀면

That day, we ventured out to Jagalchi Market and had a big seafood brunch at one of the local restaurant there. After which, we had a bout of shopping and coffee break, and then pre-dinner snacks (blame it all to the food basement of the department store) and thus, we weren't exactly hungry till much later. That later, translated to about 9pm.

So, it was more of like a supper that we went out looking and we swore off fried chicken for at least, the next few meals.

What was the top eats in Busan again? Milmyeon was one of it and coincidentally, there was one near Busan Station. About 10 to 15 minutes walk. Arrived at about 915pm and was told that most of the items were sold out. Left only a few bowls of milmyeon so we had to order fast.

menu

tea?

We ordered milmyeon cold soup and dry version. The dry version was actually much tastier. But the cold soup was rather good too! The wheat noodles are actually very very filling. It's not like our mee sua where it is suitable for light eaters.

Once you've ordered, the staff brings out a kettle for you. It looked like a pot of tea but in actual fact, it was a rather tasty beef soup. Served hot and so comforting. Flavorful to the max and we can't stop drinking it. Loved these complimentary stuffs.

물밀면 (cold noodles)

close up view

The mul-milmyeon was rather refreshing and plenty of noodles to chew. The spice level was rather mild too. The thin slice of meat and the egg was more decorative and the star would be the noodles and the soup.

Reasonably priced at ₩4000 per bowl.

Choryang Milmyeon 초량밀면 

Address: 225 Jungang-daero, Choryang 2(i)-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea
Contact: +82 51-462-1575
Business Hours:
Daily: 10am to 10pm

[Busan] Chungmu Hoetjip 충무횟집 Seafood Feast @ Jagalchi Market

Jagalchi Market was one of our go-to places when we planned this trip to Busan. Naturally, we also wanted to try some seafood while at the market. Problem was, we didn't research on which restaurant we would like to go. Initially, the group thought we could just do street-side grill but after enquiring at the seafood stalls, most don't provide the grill. The restaurants too said that they could grill seafood not from their shop but provided those seafood also was not available in their shop. Makes sense as no one would cook something that someone bought elsewhere if they are also selling the same thing.

Hence, we decided on this shop that had called out to us while we were passing by. It was only later after we've finished eating that we enquired on the shopname.

shopfront

This was a tourist friendly place and English menu is available. The staff are kind too. As expected, seafood are pricey but as we were already there, it was worth a try. Ordered ourselves some grilled clams, grilled eel and grilled rockfish. Also tried the seafood pancake and raw marinated crab. So much food for the five of us!

The restaurant was rather big once you entered. There weren't many other patrons as it was only 11+am. This was a place where you have to remove your shoes and sit cross legged on the floor.

interior

menu

The side dishes were aplenty. We got 7 side dishes and a bowl of seaweed soup. The side dishes were edamame, marinated shellfish, salad in mayonaise sauce (like coleslaw), tofu (yummy), salad in black sesame sauce, mashed potato

7 side dishes and a soup

small shellfish in gochujang and salad

edamame

tofu

seafood pancake ₩30000

Loved the plates used. So pretty! Blue just reminds me of the sea.

grilled clams ₩70000

eel ₩50000

The large clams were cooked in their own juices so it had a very mild taste. The eel is not the version that we might be used to. The eel was plainly seasoned with just salt. Fresh eel and has a slightly chewy texture. The staff would come over to grill the clams and eel a little, after which, the patrons can take over. To eat, a sauce dip was provided. But am not sure if that was for the eel or for the clams. Maybe it was a multi-purpose fermented bean sauce.

eel, ready to eat

plum wine in the morning

Loved that we could get mixed grain rice. But with so much food, rice is absolutely unnecessary. Unless, you are eating 간장게장 marinated crabs (ganjang gejang). Rice would come in handy for the lovely umami sauce.

mixed grain rice

간장게장 soy marinated crabs ₩40000

While the marinated soy crabs were not as good as the one at Sinsa-dong Seoul, this was enough to satisfy ganjang gejang cravings.

The best grilled fish, was the grilled rockfish. Fresh fish with tender meat and lightly salted crisp exterior. So good. I'd say this is a must-order here. Different types of fishes are available but we wanted something that we normally couldn't get back home yet one that will not bust our budget.

grilled rockfish ₩60000

It was a good seafood feast and we enjoyed the food and the friendliness of the staff.

two table-full of food

We spent about $53 per pax for the meal.

Chungmu Hoetjip 충무횟집

Address: 27, Jagalchihaean-ro, Jung-gu, Busan
Contact: +82-51-246-8563
Website: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/SI_EN_3_1_1_1.jsp?cid=1369242
Business Hours:
Daily

[Busan] Kyochon 1991 교촌치킨

We chanced upon this Korean fried chicken place after we've had our dinner at Bonjeon Dwaejigukbap. Hmm, to forgo or to eat somemore? This was in addition to the shared burger, chocolate pie and ice-cream from McDonald's after dinner...

Korean fried chicken? Can't say no

Decided to check out the place and it was smallish. All the tables appeared to be taken. There were about 4 tables for dining in. A group of young adults were at the entrance, and it seemed like they were awaiting for their take-away order.

We decided to order some and managed to get ourselves a small table. What did we order? Why, chimaek 치맥  of course! Chimaek is Chikin (chicken) and meaekju (beer) !

half pint of Cass draft beer

The ice-cold beer was refreshing and shared amongst 4 pax. Smallest unit seemed to be half pint. Not expensive. However, we seemed to have underestimated the portion of the chicken. We ended up with a tad too much! Seemed like we had three big chicken for 5 pax. Am sure we could've finished everything, only if we didn't have the earlier food...

original fried chicken

fried chicken overdose!

Loved the pickled radish 치킨무 also known as chicken-mu. Tangy and reduces the oily-ness of the chicken. The chicken were fresh from the oven and tasted so good! Liked the garlic soy and honeyed ones. Didn't try any spicy ones though.

It was the guilt (of too much food) and the oil that prevented us from eating them all. In SG, for the same price, we could only get measly portions of these fried chicken but in South Korea, it came in good generous portions.

Right across this shop, it appeared to be a club? Not too sure but there were pretty girls hanging around outside that shop and occasionally calling out to guys who happened to walk past.

Kyochon 1991 교촌치킨 초량점

Address: 6 Jungang-daero 209beon-gil, Choryang 2(i)-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea
Website: http://www.kyochon.com/menu
Contact: +82 51-441-9994
Business hours:
Daily 12 pm to 2am

[Busan] Bonjeon Dwaejigukbap 본전 돼지국밥

First evening in Busan, and I had arrived from Seoul via KTX while the rest of the gang, were coming in from Jeju. So interesting, right? Keke.

First meal, we agreed to have local food. The top must-eat foods in Busan seemed to be 밀면 milmyeon (wheat noodles), 돼지국밥 pork and rice soup (dwaeji gukbap),  어묵 eomuk (fish cake), and 냉채족발 (naegje jokbal) pork trotters with chilled vegetables. On hindsight, we did 3 out of 4 which was quite a feat, yes?

Let's start with dwaeji gukbap or loosely translated as pork rice soup. Bonjeon Dwaejigukbap was about 5 minutes from the KTX station and within walking distance to McDonalds too. We were hungry and weather was nicely cooling. There was a line outside of the shop by the time we were there at about 7.23pm. Waited for 20 minutes before we got seated.

Busan KTX station

Bonjeon Dwaejigukbap (left) shares the same building as Motel 3.6.9

The place had local tourists plus the foreign tourists like us. The place is casual and no-frills. The ahjumma running the place was rather strict and placed more emphasis on guys. Pretty traditional I'd think.

menu

The menu was rather straightforward too. Reasonably priced and slightly cheaper than Seoul. We ordered almost everything from the food menu.

Once the order had been taken, the staff will bring forth the side dishes. On the table, there was a pot of something that looked like chinchalok, fermented small fish. Tasted extremely salty and not pungent as chinchalok.

Jeotgal 醢

raw green chilies and onions, kimchi and spicy spring onions (back)

The kimchi was refillable, if you wish to have more. The green chilies were rather powerful and I learnt it, the hard way. The burn was strong and stayed for quite a while (about 10 minutes).

super spicy!

Initially thought that the sundae gukbap 순대국밥 would taste funky but it was pretty good. The sundae was cooked till soft and when eaten with the light tasting soup, it warmed our tummies and hearts.

순대국밥 

There was a gukbap with pigs stomach and that tasted really familiar. Much like the pig stomach soup back home. All the soup bases are similar and very mild tasting. One could add the jeotgal to season it a bit.

pig stomach gukbap 섞어탕반

Actually, the ahjumma did share with us on how one should be eating the gukbap. She said, add a bit of the jeotgal to the soup and then throw in a bunch of those seasoned spicy spring onions. Depends on your preference actually. One could do original and then alter the taste with the side-dishes.

돼지국밥 (pork bits rice soup)

For the premium set, the boiled pork belly was sliced thinly but intact while the regular pork rice soup had smaller bits of the pork meat.

pork belly gukbap

porridge and beer?

Good thing about dwaeji gukbap is that you won't end up feeling bloated or very full. The amount of rice in the soup was either half or about two third of a normal bowl.

Bonjeon Dwaejigukbap 본전 돼지국밥

Address: 3-8 Jungang-daero 214beon-gil, Choryang-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea
Phone: +82 51-441-2946
Business Hours:
Daily 830am to 930pm

[Busan] The Plate @ Gamcheon Culture Village 감천문화마을

One day in early Oct 2017, we were at Gamcheon Culture Village and had probably walked a couple of kilometres here and there before we decided to stop for brunch/tea? Whichever it was, we were hungry! Chanced upon this place that looked pretty cool from the outside. It said "Coffee Brunch" and that was enough to propel us inside. That and those other people eyeing this place as well.

throngs of tourist flocking here

I thought I saw a puddy tat. Double blink and I did. It did not care for the crowds and neither did it care when I approached. Meow.

guardian of The Plate

pondering about life, beside an advert for 32cm ice-cream

The shop has a retail area downstairs and it had a bit of souvenir as well as postcards etc.

buy a souvenir postcard?

how about some soju/beer to takeaway?

Order and pay for the food at the cashier downstairs and the staff would send it up towards the second floor. It was a rather steep climb up.

window view

view from the top

watch your head, Ivan

It was actually rather nice to dine there. Comfortable and homey. Sit by the window and slowly watch the world go by.

mocha

The drinks was served in mugs with beautiful flower print on them. That's a nice change from sterile looking containers.

We ordered a couple of items to share. The fish and chips and breakfast plates looked quite fitting to the theme. Very British-like, especially those pale looking chips.

fish and chips

breakfast set

Then, we had some somewhat eclectic items such as pasta and...fried rice? The fried rice with egg was so homely. Surprisingly, it was a taste that we didn't know we missed.

pasta

fried rice with egg

Was hungry, so we tucked in. Enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere, the holiday mood and to plan our next meal. Yes, we are like that.

let's eat!

Special thanks to the travelling homies; Hence and Tracy, Shermaine and Ivan. With you guys, we ate so much more, posted more and blogged so much more. 고마워!

The Plate

Address: South Korea, Busan, Saha-gu, be, i)-dong Gamnae 2(i)-ro, 113(baeksibo Gamcheon 2)
Contact: +82 51-207-7592
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Plate/491324161034565