Savoring Busan's Soul Food: Delicious Pork and Rice Soup (Dwaeji Gukbap) at Suyeon Best Dwaeji Gukbap in Haeundae
Busan means Dwaeji Gukbap (Pork and Rice Soup)!
When I went to Busan this summer, I was really looking forward to trying it.
Luckily, a local recommended a great restaurant, and I had a very satisfying bowl of Gukbap.
Suyeon Best Dwaeji Gukbap in Haeundae: A Gukbap 맛집 (delicious restaurant) that also serves amazing Sundae (Korean sausage)!
Open 24/7, 365 days a year.
Starting from its main branch in Millak-dong, Gwangalli, Suyeon Best Dwaeji Gukbap has expanded throughout Busan, and now there's a branch in Haeundae.
We visited Busan before the peak season, so we were happy that it wasn't too crowded... or so we thought! Everyone seemed to be gathered at Suyeon Best Dwaeji Gukbap. Even on a weekday afternoon, the line was surprisingly long. But Gukbap has a quick turnover, so we only waited about 30 minutes before getting inside.
We registered for the wait using the Tabling machine and waited. Looking at the menu and deciding what to order made the line seem to go by faster than expected.
We were seated on the second floor, and the ceiling was low, so we had to watch our heads!
We easily ordered using a tablet and waited. I debated which kind of Gukbap to get until the very last minute, but I was craving Sundae, so I ordered Sundae-Gogi Gukbap (Pork and Sausage Rice Soup).
Korea is fast! As soon as we sat down, the side dishes were brought to us.
These are essential sides for enjoying Gukbap. There's a self-serve bar nearby, so you can get more. We love adding a lot of Korean chives to our Gukbap, so we refilled them often.
The Sundae-Gogi Gukbap arrived in a steaming earthenware pot (ttukbaegi).
The milky and moderately clear broth looked pretty ordinary at first glance.
When I scooped it with my spoon, I found a generous amount of meat.
I wanted to try it right away, but it looked hot, so I took pictures first to let it cool down.
The Sundae wasn't the chewy type (charsundae) or the traditional blood sausage (pisundae). It was like a pisundae but less rustic and more refined... a big city pisundae, if you will.
Everyone probably eats Gukbap in a similar way, but I like to add a generous amount of Korean chives first and stir it around with my spoon until they wilt.
Then, I add the spicy sauce (dadaegi) sparingly so it doesn't overpower the flavor of the Gukbap.
Finally, I mix about half of my rice into the broth, which has now turned reddish from the dadaegi.
There was so much meat that it came up with every spoonful. Suyeon Best Dwaeji Gukbap in Haeundae, Busan, is simply delicious. Nothing was particularly special or unique about it, but there was nothing off-putting either. I could eat it cleanly from beginning to end without getting tired of it.
The kimchi also went well with the Gukbap, which was great.
And the Sundae...
The Sundae was insane! I put a small shrimp on top of each slice of warm Sundae and ate it, and it was so delicious that my friends and I kept exclaiming how good it was. I don't usually like Sundae that much, but I've been craving it ever since.
I liked the kkakdugi (diced radish kimchi) even more than the kimchi, so I ate a lot of it. Gukbap is a soul food for all Koreans, and there are so many delicious places, so people are picky about it, but this place was delicious, so it must be a real 맛집 (delicious restaurant).
Here are our faces, puffy from eating late the night before haha.
We filled our stomachs at Suyeon Best Dwaeji Gukbap and moved on to our next destination.
Malang-i scraped the bowl clean. Are we getting bigger because we always eat so heartily?
It was delicious, so that's all that matters!
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