Gijang Chilam Manjang is a famous eel barbecue restaurant located in front of Chilam Sagye, a salt bread bakery, in Gijang, Busan. The restaurant uses the highest grade of domestic freshwater eels and grills them over bamboo charcoal with a special sauce that is brewed for over 10 hours. The restaurant also offers various kinds of nutritious rice dishes cooked in a pot, such as beef brisket, mushroom, pumpkin, and date rice. The restaurant has a main building and an annex, and it is recommended to make a reservation in advance as there is always a long queue of customers.
I visited Gijang Chilam Manjang on a weekday evening, after buying some salt bread from Chilam Sagye. The restaurant was not hard to find, as it was right across the street from the bakery. The restaurant had a spacious parking lot and a nice garden in front of it. The interior of the restaurant was clean and cozy, and I could see the view of Chilam village through the large windows. I was seated on the second floor of the main building, where there were also private rooms for groups of 4 to 6 people.
The menu was simple, consisting of eel barbecue (soy sauce or red pepper sauce) and rice dishes (four kinds). I ordered a special eel barbecue (500g) with soy sauce and a beef brisket rice dish. The eel barbecue came with salad, soup, wasabi, ginger, pickled radish, white kimchi, roasted seaweed, and lettuce, garlic, chili, and soybean paste for wrapping. The rice dish came with mushroom, burdock, pumpkin, and date rice, and a sauce to mix with it.
The food was delicious and satisfying. The eel was tender and juicy, and the soy sauce was savory and sweet. I enjoyed wrapping the eel with lettuce, garlic, chili, and soybean paste, and dipping it in the wasabi and ginger. The rice dish was also tasty and hearty. I scooped out the rice from the pot and mixed it with the sauce, and then ate it with the crispy fried garlic and beef brisket. The rice had a nice chewy texture and a rich flavor. I also poured some hot water into the pot and made some nurungji (scorched rice) for the finish.
The service was also friendly and attentive. The staff refilled the side dishes and water whenever I needed, and also helped me grill the eel on the personal stove. They also gave me some tips on how to eat the rice dish and the nurungji. I was impressed by their professionalism and kindness.
I had a great time at Gijang Chilam Manjang, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves eel barbecue and rice dishes. It is a perfect place to enjoy a hearty and healthy meal with a nice view of Chilam village. If you are looking for a good eel restaurant in Gijang, Busan, don’t miss Gijang Chilam Manjang!
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