I left you with Shinsegae's Centumcity in my last post. Today, I'm going to tell you some of the recommended restaurants so that you know exactly where to find them in this huge mall (and the other two below somewhere in Busan as well). Hehe. We spent the rest of the afternoon making fishcakes (and eating them too!) in a store that's been around since 1963! And later on, I had the honor of dining with folks over at the Busan Tourism Organization in a lesser known crab town in this port city of Korea! It was such a wonderful experience just slowing things down and not eating regular tour food. I would gladly advise you to include this to your itinerary and specifically ask your travel agency to arrange this for you on your next trip ;)

It's easy to spend all of your free time getting lost in this place.


You can just head over to their information counter for an English guide book or ask about their latest promotions and coupons.

Go to B1 for the Food Market. Sinbalwon (since 1951) is there and they serve the Choryang Chinatown dumplings.

They have kimchi dumplings!

There are other flavors aside from the already numerous Korean choices - Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Turkish and Western food. Why not try Hamgyeong Myeonok (naengmyeon) cold noodle place and Lee Heung Yong Bakery for dessert.

4th floor houses the Food Park (more on fast-food). They have the more gourmet restaurants on the 9th floor (open from 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.) like Geumsubokguk - serves puffer fish.
Our guide recommended Chilbo Myeonok for some cold noodles. They also serve bossam sets! =)

This next one Goresa Eomuk 고래사어묵 (해운대전 Branch) is near the Haeundae beach. We made the 2nd stick from the left for the workshop!

This is where we had our class. We were going to make fishcakes - those that you eat with tteokpokki!

Our instructor was nice. She can only speak Korean though so it's a very good idea to have a guide there with you who can explain things. Basically, you have to let all the air out of the dough and slap it many times.

It's not that easy but pretty manageable. It made me appreciate this old-time favorite. It's no longer "just" eomuk (fishcakes) for me, esp. if you taste a handmade one right at this shop (instead of the mass-produced).

This place also experiments with different sorts of things to pair with fishcakes. The BLT sauce actually tastes great with a steamed one.

The dough becomes a bit bigger when cooked. It doesn't look cooked but it has the right amount of crunch and flavor. Yummy!

It's best to go in here by groups (they do this regularly) but if you're a group of 2, they said it's possible if you maybe just call ahead and reserve. The price is around 10000 to 12000 won for a 50-60 minute class.

I'm most excited to tell you about one of the best dinners I've had in Busan! I've never heard of this place and I'm so glad that our tour bus just took us to Gukmi Daegae 국미대게 ( Inside 기장시장). There were rows and rows of seafood, mostly big snow crabs and scallops - different from that Jagalchi misadventure I had years ago haha. My first taste of these snow crabs were in Hokkaido, Japan at a crab buffet. I ate like more than 10 bento boxes on my own that time!

Now, I don't have to go all the way there to eat them!!! I heard that Japanese tourists discovered that it wasn't as expensive here then this crab village neighborhood just kinda grew with more shops. It's in an area called Gijang 기장.

They have this crab thing-a-majig that just scrapes the crab meat out clean. I actually looked for one and bought a small crab fork with scraper for 2000 won in Nampodong hehe.

The best way to eat snow crab for me - dip it in this house's special yangnyeom sauce with onions!!!

You have got to save some of that crab for this! When I ate a spoonful, I just died hahaha. The roe on top just works perfectly and blends everything together.

Of course, Korean grapes are in season (click here on how to eat grapes the Korean way) so I munched on those too. Other fruits in season during summer are small yellow melons, watermelons and peaches.
I'd like to thank Asiana Airlines, Korea Tourism Organization Manila, USTravel and the Busan Tourism Organization for taking me to places I haven't been to before! Great food paired with great conversations and a very hands-on experience make it more memorable for me :) Korea is now MERS-free according to KTO and I just went there this August 2015.
Asiana Airlines flies once daily from Manila to Busan (3:30 a.m. to 8 a.m.) on an aircraft Airbus A321. You can book through your favorite travel agencies or at their site.
Details:
Website
Goresa Eomuk 고래사어묵 (해운대전 Branch)
1577-9820
Contact Card Picture above
Website
국미대게 (Snow Crab Restaurant Busan)
275-13 Dongbu-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea
010-3566-7777
+82-51-721-7777
Goresa Eomuk 고래사어묵 (해운대전 Branch)
1577-9820
Contact Card Picture above
Website
국미대게 (Snow Crab Restaurant Busan)
275-13 Dongbu-ri, Gijang-eup, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea
010-3566-7777
+82-51-721-7777
Korea Tourism Organization Manila Office
Asiana Airlines Manila Office
6th Floor The Salcedo Towers
169 H.V. dela Costa St. Makati City
662-8088 / 662-8000 (Reservations)
Busan Food Guide and Unique Eats: Centumcity Recommendations for Lunch, Eat What You Make Fishcake Workshop for Snacks and Unique Crab Town Dinner in Gijang!
Tell me below: If you've been to Busan, where else did you eat that had great food? If you have a soft spot for seafood, what do you crave for or look for even if you're on a trip? If you haven't been, what Busan restaurants and specific food-related activities would you try?
Tell me below: If you've been to Busan, where else did you eat that had great food? If you have a soft spot for seafood, what do you crave for or look for even if you're on a trip? If you haven't been, what Busan restaurants and specific food-related activities would you try?
i read good comments about Kimbabcheongug restaurant, Cheap but they offer yummy foods!
ReplyDeleteWanna go to Gijang 기장. now! As in now! My goodness CRAAAAAB! My favorite (drools) heaven ! Haven't seen a crab just like that big one! I'm starting to crave to that big crabby oh..
ReplyDeleteI want to try their dolsot bibimbap from any kimbap cheonguk and Cheesy kimchijeon from Tony’s I read It’s cheap and comes served with melted mozzarella on top. Plus Tony, the owner, is hilarious and so welcoming.. :3
ReplyDeletei'd love to try ALL of the dumplings
ReplyDeleteI think learning how to make fishcakes will be on my top-of the-list food activity. I always watch koreanovela and they always have fishcakes! It is also very hard to find fishcakes here in the Philippines (But if you know anything, please let me know! ). :)
ReplyDeletei would like to try the big crabs since it is my hubby's favorite to eat we'll going to try this..
ReplyDeleteFISHCAKES. In one Korean Drama that I have watched, Lee Min Ho was eating fishcakes so I really want to try that.
ReplyDeleteIf you've been to Busan, where else did you eat that had great food? If you have a soft spot for seafood, what do you crave for or look for even if you're on a trip? If you haven't been, what Busan restaurants and specific food-related activities would you try?
ReplyDeleteAnswer: I like to try all different dish food in busan restaurant.
I am a chocolate lover so a visit to Bellaluna with friends would be fun.
ReplyDeletelove to try them all.
ReplyDeleteI love Bibimbap
ReplyDeleteif you have a soft spot for seafood, what do you crave for or look for even if you're on a trip? i love to look for local food because usually they are the best
ReplyDeleteI want to try dumplings and big crabs
ReplyDeleteI will surely go to Shabu Maxim Gwangan beacause I love Korean Shabu-Shabu.
ReplyDeletelike to try the big crabs
ReplyDeleteDrooling while reading your post.. I love crabs. I could eat a plate full of crabs. I wish I could try that someday.
ReplyDeleteLove the bibimbap but i want to try them all too :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to Busan, but if someday I'll have the chance i will definitely go to Bella Luna and try their Hot Cocoa.. Hmmmm yummy!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been to busan but I did a little reasearch and based on trip advisory website from their top 10 restaurants "best restau" there..I chose the ANGA a Korean grilled** food looks so yummy! I love grilled foods! barbecue! ^_^
ReplyDeleteI want to try the fishcakes,looks yummy.
ReplyDeleteI would love to eat fishcakes. I haven't been in Busan and it's been my dream to visit this place. Eating fishcakes would definitely be the first in my food bucket list :)
ReplyDeleteI would like to try the fishcake with octopus balls in it.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteI crave for crabs and shrimps!! I would love to visit Gukmi Daega and try their snow crabs! YummY!
i want to try all their food..
ReplyDeletei love all their food in korea ... wooohh .. even the sojo
ReplyDeletemukhang masarap ang foods nila. fave ko ang crad at shrimp. gusto ko rin matikamn ang Duenjangjigae (miso soup)
ReplyDeleteAs a good cook one of my favorite talaga is seafoods pero ang mahal but if i where given a chance i want to eat lots of crabs ^_^ then i want to sing in a karaoke bar para maka experience din ^_^
ReplyDeleteI am the kind of traveller who is a Chiller, Authentic Experiencer. I wanted to visit Dacheon Beach, Yeonginsan, Oeam Folk Village. I love relax and go with the flow with nature.
ReplyDeleteI would love to try the fishcakes, I've seen many of them on korean movies and I wanna try some!
ReplyDeleteMelissa Naomi Legara
misai.legara@yahoo.com