Things I learned making, and places I ate.
Uri Pocha main branch: early-season yellowtail with decent fat
A place famous for yellowtail, visited with a friend as the season began. There was no wait, and the long-cut fish was decent. Later should be better.
Dabokjip in Jangjeon: small but tasty Tongyeong oysters and cockles
A Korean restaurant near Pusan National University Station that we entered after spotting oysters. The owner warned they were small and about norovirus.
Kalmat Hoetjip: a 30-minute wait, then mixed sashimi with friends
The first stop of a Saturday with old friends, at a place I had visited four days before. We waited about 30 minutes and began with the regular platter.
Joseph in Gwangalli: my first Yoichi 10 felt new and good
My favorite bar in Gwangalli, where I stopped alone after parting from a younger friend. I knew Yamazaki but not Yoichi, so the recommended 10-year felt new.
Honsul Bar Po in Haeundae: good for a solo beer, just not my taste
A Haeundae bar I tried for the first time with a younger friend after dinner. The mood suits a solo beer, but I do not much like beer, so it was not for me.
Back at Butasinise in Haeundae: bone-in pork belly as good as before
A meat place in Haeundae I revisited after beers near Dongbaek Island. The staff grill everything, and the quality held up, but the music still puzzled me.
Kame in Jeonpo: mackerel bar sushi that was tasty and not fishy
An izakaya in a Jeonpo alley, chosen because a friend wanted mackerel bar sushi. Each dish is small, but the prices are easy, so you can try several things.
Sigol Jangteo in Mandeok: cheap, good ribs over briquettes
A meat place near home that I had long wondered about, finally tried with a friend. The whole table is a grill, and the prices are very low. The ribs won out.
Kalmat Hoetjip: late-season striped jack and grunt, still rich
My favorite sashimi place near Pusan National University, with a friend. The premium set had late-season fish, and a coupon got us rockfish spicy soup.
Haemul Nara Chonggakjip at Amnam Park: seafood with spoon worm
A stall at Amnam Park I visited on a drive with my mother. The small platter had the spoon worm I wanted, and paying cash got us a free crab ramen.
Eunhasu Silbi Sikdang in Bupyeong: mixed sashimi for 15,000 won
A cheap drinking restaurant for our third round. Mixed sashimi at 15,000 won surprised me, and even that and the sides felt like a good restaurant.
Daejeong Yanggopchang Annex in Bupyeong: spicy, tasty seasoned tripe
A tripe place in Bupyeong for our second round. My first seasoned tripe was spicy and tasty, and we fried udon in the sauce at an outdoor table.
Jongno Bindaetteok at Kkangtong Market: a decent meat pancake
A mung bean pancake place near Kkangtong Market where a close younger friend and I began. We sat outside. I am no fan, but this one was decent.
Yongyong Seonsaeng in Dongnae: an easy night of mala and pepper beef
A Chinese-style pub in Dongnae, suggested by a friend who loves mala. The hot pot and pepper beef were tasty. Not special, but fine for a light drink.
Baeksu Nongwon in Suyeong: nothing special, but an easy place to go
Back at Baeksu Nongwon, our usual choice for meat in Suyeong, for pork belly and marinated ribs. It is not a special place, just an easy one.
Dotgabi Jangeo in Mandeok: a long-running eel place with good sides
An eel restaurant in Mandeok that my family often visits, this time for a birthday. The eel is solid for an old place, and the side dishes are tasty.
Back at Namdaepo Hanu in Mandeok: the small mixed cut fell a bit short
I returned to this Mandeok butcher restaurant with another friend. The beef was tasty, but the cut this time was not as good as the one I had before.
Cafe 824 in Gijang: a mango bingsu with very sweet mango
A seaside cafe in Gijang where a friend and I had dessert after sashimi in Ilgwang. The sea opens up in front, and the mango was very sweet.
Dongbaek Hoetjip in Ilgwang: let down by an 80,000-won platter
A sashimi restaurant in Ilgwang I tried after an Instagram post. Every room has a sea view, but the amount and taste did not match the price for me.
Misong Hamo Shabu-shabu in Songdo: a clean, refreshing broth
A conger eel restaurant in Songdo where three of us had dinner. My first conger eel shabu-shabu had a clean broth, and the window looked out to sea.
