Jeongjitgan (정짓간)
No visit to Busan feels complete without a bowl of dwaeji gukbap, and for many locals, Jeongjitgan (정짓간) is one of the best places to have it.
The restaurant is hugely popular, open 24 hours a day, and has even earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand. In the local Gyeongsang dialect, Jeongjitgan means "kitchen", a fitting name for a place dedicated to one of Busan's most iconic comfort foods.
Each of us ordered their signature pork soup, served piping hot in traditional brass bowls. The broth was exactly what great dwaeji gukbap should be. Rich from hours of simmering pork bones, yet remarkably clean, smooth and only lightly seasoned, allowing diners to adjust the flavour with salted shrimp, chives, garlic and their house chilli paste.
Before the soups arrived, we shared several Busan favourites. The sundae, Korean blood sausage stuffed with glass noodles and vegetables, had a wonderfully soft texture and none of the overpowering flavour some people associate with blood sausage. The sliced pork tripe was tender with just the right amount of bite, while the bossam, boiled pork jowl, was beautifully cooked, with alternating layers of lean meat and silky fat that simply melted in the mouth. Paired with kimchi, raw garlic and green chilli, every bite was satisfying.
It was a simple, honest meal that perfectly showcased why Busan is so proud of its pork soup culture. Warm, comforting and deeply satisfying, it was the perfect lunch before we bid farewell to Busan and continued our journey to Jeonju.
Jeongjitgan
6 Bibong-ro, Saha-gu, Busan, 49419, South Korea
