Kitanachelin Kankoku?

Apparently there is a hit new food show in Japan, Kitanachelin, which recommends restaurants where the decor may be rock-bottom but the food is top notch.

 I reckon anyone who loves Korean food must be sympathetic to this idea. It has always struck me that, in Korea, the crappier the room: the better the food. Not to mention the price!

I always worry folks won't believe me when I come across another graffitti-filled, greasy, hole-in-the-wall dump with a menu full of scrumptious food where there's not an item on the menu that's over 5000 won. But they are about. And not just out in the dingy suburbs. There are fantastic and dirt cheap Korean places everywhere - 2 minutes walk from Haeundae beach for instance.

So don't fret about the wallpaper, the noise and the menus scrawled in terrible korean handwriting, just sit right down on the wonky plastic stool and enjoy some unforgettable food.

Kamustahan Filipino Restaurant, Busan Station area

Venturing into the seedy area around Texas street is not our favourite pastime, but we managed to find perhaps the only non-sleazy place around, Kamustahan, a friendly Filipino place.

We had the Chicken Adobo as recommended by the staff, which was absolutely delicious. It was cooked to perfection with a mouthwatering sauce.

However, I have to say that this place is pretty overpriced. Dishes are modest in size; the chicken was quite scrawny for 10,000 won; and 4,000 for the small bottles of local beer is pushing it in anyone's book. Hopefully we will discover a more reasonably priced alternative
soon enough, but for now, this is it.

Prices: Mains 10,000won, Beers: 4,000 won 

Some English is spoken by some of the staff.

Vegetarian option: Sorry, I didn't see anything on the menu without meat except white rice.

Directions: Just behind Texas Street (Choryang Shopping Area for Foreigners), near Busan Station.

Welcome Pho, PNU

PNU is by and far the epicentre of foreign food in Busan. Basically, if you want some non-Korean fare, this is where you will find it, be it Burgers, Kebabs, Indian Curry, you name it.

So its no surprise that PNU is also a great place to enjoy some Vietnamese style dishes. Welcome Pho is a very stylish and clean restaurant with a great view for people watching. The service is good and prices reasonable.

Most important, of course, is the food - and it is quite good. The spring rolls are perfect and come with a delicious peanut sauce. The pho is not quite up to the standard found in Vietnam itself, but is authentic enough to evoke memories of the gasoline stench from the motorcycle-filled streets of Ho Chi Min City; the sound of boats putt-putting down the Mekong delta, the colours of silk and vegetables in the crowded market...

As usual with Vietnamese food, you'll find more than enough here to sate your appetite. The usual assortment of sauces, spices and sprouts are provided for you to season your own meal. The only real downside to this place is there is no lime to flavour the dishes with, only lemon. For the moment, lime remains out of reach in Korea - even in Vietnamese cusine. Also, some Vietnamese beers would be nice - 333 or Saigon - but Korean beer is a pretty similar style anyway. In any case, they serve Vietnamese style coffee, the perfect accompaniment to a relaxing afternoon.

Prices: Pho/Fried Rice: 6,000+
English Menu: Yes
Vegetarian options: Yes
Directions: It's next door to Kebabistan, on the corner, 2nd floor.