BB.Q Chicken Myeongdong Star

Meeting friends who are also in Myeongdong during the same period as me for a BBQ chicken and beer dinner.

BBQ Chicken Myeongdong Star

The interior was kept simple, with an industrial vibe featuring cement floors and walls.

Interior

The cheese balls were a little on the dry side, which made them less enjoyable for me.

Cheese Balls

We went for the two-flavoured plate, featuring Soy Garlic and BBQ Seasoned chicken. Personally, I leaned towards the Soy Garlic, as its savoury profile suited me better.

Fried Chicken

Overall, the place was pretty noisy since it’s in Myeongdong, but I was glad the restaurant had an English ordering system, which made things quick and easy.

BB.Q Chicken Myeongdong Star
Loacation: 2 Myeongdong 4-gil, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea

Yenmat Seoul Bulgogi

We returned to Myeongdong and, after checking in, began searching for a meal. To our surprise, we realised we hadn’t tried Korean Bulgogi yet. Spotting a nearby eatery, we decided it was the perfect time to give it a go.

Yenmat Seoul Bulgogi

Since it was past peak hours, the place was empty except for us. It was spacious, with each table equipped with its own built-in stove.

Environment

I loved how the eatery surprised us with its vibrant banchan spread, tangy kimchi, crisp fresh vegetables, refreshing salad, and earthy wood ear mushrooms, each adding a delightful burst of flavor to the meal.

Banchan

It was my first time enjoying bulgogi cooked from raw on a sizzling hot stove. The marinated meat was placed in the center, surrounded by enoki mushrooms, onions, and springy vermicelli along the pot’s edge. As the beef cooked, its sweet, savory juices flowed into the sides, infusing the accompaniments with rich flavor, every bite was irresistibly delicious.

Bulgogi

The tender meat curled up alongside the sweet, softened onions and fragrant scallions, each mouthful brimming with flavour, a truly satisfying meal.

It's so yummy

Yenmat Seoul Bulgogi
Location: 24-28 Myeong-dong, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea

Dongbaek Restaurant 동백식당

On our last day in Busan, during a morning walk around our accommodation, we spotted Dongbaek Restaurant and decided to give it a try.

Dongbaek Restaurant 동백식당

With an open-concept kitchen, it was fascinating to watch the Azumma skillfully prepare trays of dumplings ready to be steamed.

Open Kitchen Concept

We ordered the mixed dumplings, five original and five kimchi-flavored—and found them quite delicious.

Dumplings - ₩ 6,000

A simple Korean egg rice that somehow makes everything taste better. After so many days in Korea, seeing a sunny-side-up egg brightened my morning. The comforting rice won me over and I’m usually not a fan of rice for breakfast, but this was different.

Gyeran Bap - ₩ 7,000

Dongbaek Restaurant 동백식당
Location: 1205-1 Choryang-dong, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea

Dongducheon Budae Jjigae 동두천부대찌개

Running out of ideas for Korean food, a light bulb moment struck, "How about Army Stew?" I was all for it, especially since I hadn’t seen Budae Jjigae on many menus and was curious if it’s something Koreans actually eat regularly. A quick search led us to a nearby spot that served it. The location was quite unexpected, it turned out to be a basement eatery. 

Dongducheon Budae Jjigae 동두천부대찌개

Menu on Wall

We walked down a flight of stairs into a cozy dining space with no windows, giving it an oddly tucked-away, hidden gem kind of vibe.

Basement Eatery

To complete the meal, we ordered some beer to pair with dinner. While waiting for our Army Stew to be prepared, we were served a few banchan, those classic Korean side dishes that always help set the tone. It was a nice way to ease into the meal and made the wait feel shorter.

Beer & Banchan

Along with the banchan, we were each served a bowl of rice topped with a perfectly fried egg, simple, comforting, and just right to go with the hearty stew that was coming.

Rice with Egg

And yes, finally, the Army Stew! While it didn’t wow us compared to versions back in Singapore, it still had all the essentials: tofu, enoki, tteokbokki, veggies, and noodles. A comforting, no-frills rendition of this Korean classic.

Budae Jigae (9,500 each)

Dongducheon Budae Jjigae
Location: 33-1 BIFF gwangjang-ro, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea

Chai 797

After exploring Shinsegae Busan Centrum City Mall, we decided to settle lunch at their food court. While street food is a common sight in Korea, spotting a large, clean food court in a mall felt a little unique. In contrast, Singapore’s scene is quite the opposite, food courts are everywhere, while true street food is more limited. So in a way, this neat and well-organised food court felt surprisingly familiar to us.

After several days of indulging in Korean cuisine, we decided it was time for a change. Faced with an overwhelming number of choices and wanting to avoid the longer queues, we opted for something different, Chinese cuisine from Chai 797. It was a refreshing shift in flavours and comforting in a familiar way.

Chai 797

Each of us picked our own carb dish,  one went for the Stir-Fried Rice with Local Garlic, while the other chose Black Bean Sauce Noodles with Local Onion and Seafood. Both dishes were comforting in their own way: the fried rice was wonderfully fragrant and addictive, while the noodles packed a savoury punch.

Stir Fried Rice with Selected Local Garlic - 10,500
Black Bean Sauce Noodle with Selected Local Onion & Seafood - 8,800
Sichuan-style sweet & Sour Pork - 29,800

Chai 797 (Shinsaegae Department Store Centum City Food Hall)
Location: 우제2동 Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea

Paris Baguette

There’s a running joke among Singaporeans about this bakery chain, we would cheekily ask, “Want some Paris Bak Kut Teh?” Of course, we’re talking about Paris Baguette, which amusingly hails from Korea, not France. While passing by Busan Train Station, we decided to pop in for a quick breakfast. It was a simple meal of two pastries, one of them being a Kouign-Amann, paired with milk and coffee. A nice way to kickstart the day!

Breakfast

Paris Baguette Busan Station (1F)
Location: 206 Jungang-daero, Dong-gu, Busan, South Korea

 

Busan Raw Fish Restaurant 부산횟집

As the sky gradually darkened and the air grew heavy, it was clear that rain was on its way. Having just finished our walk around the Haeundae Beach area, we quickly picked a spot for dinner, thinking it would be the perfect way to wait out the rain since we didn’t have any umbrellas with us.

We settled down and quickly placed our order, opting for a hotpot for two and a fish dish. Soon, a variety of banchan (Korean side dishes) arrived at our table, many of which we hadn’t encountered elsewhere during our trip. 

Banchan

There was seaweed, octopus, edamame, assorted vegetables, tempura prawn, and a surprisingly tasty cheese corn kernel dish. Too bad I forgot to snap a photo of the cheesy kernels!

Tempura Prawn

Fish is what I had been craving during the trip. It was beautifully deep-fried without being overly browned, slit in half, and topped with pickles.

Fried Fish

The seafood hotpot was stunning. It was filled with scallops, large mussel shells, abalone, crab, bean sprouts, potatoes, spring onions, and more, all simmered in a rich, flavorful broth.

Seafood Hotpot

The staff came to the table and assisted in removing the shells from the seafood, thoughtfully cutting them into smaller pieces for easier enjoyment.

Big Shells Removed

It felt good to be served this way, a thoughtful gesture that kicked off the meal on a warm note. We had a feast, deeply satisfying and comforting. The hearty spread left us with warm, full stomachs, just what we needed for the cold, rainy weather outside.

Abalone

Busan Raw Fish Restaurant 부산횟집 
Location: 28 Dalmaji-gil 62beon-gil, Haeundae-gu, Busan, South Korea

Gamcheon Sagol Somyeon Gomtang 감천사골소머리곰탕

Another spot I marked on my Gamcheon Culture Village map was this eatery, I was drawn in by the grilled beef patties I had seen featured in Google reviews. Plus, their high rating made it even more tempting.

Gamcheon Sagol Somyeon Gomtang

The interior was simply furnished, but the walls were interestingly adorned with plenty of positive feedback left by customers from all over the world.

Interior

The place felt welcoming, with friendly staff and a menu that was easy for foreigners like us to navigate. The ordering chit made it even simpler, as it was in English.

Order

Their menu was also well illustrated with tempting food photos alongside the dishes.

Menu

There was also an introduction page in the menu with a short write-up about the place, explaining that they serve traditional Korean food, not low-quality instant meals. They even had a section highlighting a few dishes based on foreigners’ favourites.

Introduction Page on the Menu

The banchan served included three types: fermented vegetables, green chilli, and cuttlefish.

Banchan

We had dumpling beef soup with rice. The soup was milky and comforting, filled with ingredients like sliced rice cakes and fish cakes. It paired perfectly with the bowl of white rice.

Dumpling Beef Soup - 9,000

Soup

Though simple, the dumplings, a staple in Korean cuisine, were also part of the beef soup we ordered.

Dumpling

The dumplings had a sweet flavour and were filled with noodles inside. Take a look at the fillings!

Dumpling Fillings

Besides the dumplings, I also liked the fish cake that added more depth to the soup.

Fish Cake

Here’s the grilled short beef patties served with rice and a side of mayonnaise. The meal came with five small patties.

Grilled Short Beef Patties - 9,000

The beef patties were evenly grilled, with a glossy, juicy appearance that made them very appetizing.

Look so yummy!

Dipping the grilled short beef patties into the mayonnaise made them even better they really looked and tasted great.”

With Mayonnaise

After the meal, we were served the traditional Korean drink, Sikhye. It was cooling and refreshing, to be honest, I really love this drink in Korean cuisine.

Free Sikhye

I’m really happy to have enjoyed such a satisfying meal before leaving my footprints in Gamcheon Culture Village.

감천사골소머리곰탕
Location: 173 Gamnae 1-ro, Saha-gu, Busan, South Korea

Duf Coffee

I was just reading articles about Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan when I came across a recommended café that’s sparked quite a bit of buzz online for its wild and quirky decor. As I was walking through the village, I hadn’t realised I’d passed it until I noticed the signs leading to Duf Coffee. That’s when it clicked: the unique decorations in front of me were exactly what I’d read about.

DUF Coffee

I was hesitant to visit this so-called popular spot at first, but entry required a drink, so we ended up getting a strawberry milkshake and a cup of coffee.

Our drinks came served in double cups, with the outer cup decorated with their homemade sticker. If you like the stickers, you can even buy them over the counter.

Strawberry Milk Shake & Coffee

At the counter, they also provide little packets of food like anchovies and corn but don’t mistake these for snacks to enjoy with your drink! They’re actually duck feed.

Garden

The entire place was filled with crazy decorations and phrases, to the point where I felt like I was in a second-hand goods market or maybe what some would describe as a fantasy world.

Duck Feeding in the Garden

A little bit insane, with all kinds of rooms you can wander through. You can tell the owner put a lot of effort into piecing everything together. In some corners, you even need to climb or duck down as you explore.

Decorations 

verall, the whole experience was truly unique and left me with one of the most distinctive café memories I’ve ever had.

Children's Area

DUF Coffee
Location: Gamcheon Culture Village, 195 Gamnae 1-ro, Saha-gu, Busan, South Korea

Gamcheon Culture Village Asteroid B612 Cafe 감천문화마을 소행성B612카페

While exploring Gamcheon Culture Village, beyond its fascinating history and the unique way the housing was planned, one can’t help but notice the iconic Little Prince and the Fox statue that everyone stops by.

Wall Paint

The café has a few sections for customers to roam around and enjoy the views from different angles. We chose to sit indoors to shelter ourselves from the sun.

Outdoor Seats

There’s also a small merchandise corner in the café where you can pick up Little Prince souvenirs.

Outdoor

After placing our order, we were given an electronic buzzer. We had a sea salt chocolate bun, a café mocha, and a chestnut latte.

B612 Buzzer

It was a good tea break and a much-needed rest from all the hilly walks and climbs. Nonetheless, the view was truly spectacular.

Our Order

Gamcheon Culture Village Asteroid B612 Cafe 감천문화마을 소행성B612카페
Location: 133 Gamnae 2-ro, Saha-gu, Busan, South Korea