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By Ryan Griffiths, May 9, 2013 6:33 pm

Sandwich lovers rejoice, Jeezle is your saviour!

With all of the new restaurants springing up in Ulsan’s ‘new downtown’ (Samsan-dong), it may become tough to decide where to spend your lunch money. Jeezle is certainly a top contender for your hard earned won, and if you love fresh bread, fresh veggies, and cheese, it may be at the top of your list. Located on Samsan-ro between Hyundai Department Store and the New Core Outlet (though, on the opposite side of the street) it is a very easy place to find. Even more convenient is the bus stop that is literally right outside the front door.

Fresh fruit and bread and the ‘bistro’ look.

Jeezle’s certainly has a sandwich shop feel to it. The interior is decorated with wood and exposed brick and looks more like a sidewalk bistro than it does a restaurant, a look that is topped off by a post-box that is used for dinners to leave their comments. The layout is excellent, with a focus on comfort rather than volume. Each table has ample space for people to sit and enjoy their meal without being crowded and there is even a portion of the restaurant with couch seating for extra comfort. Those interested in a group lunch atmosphere may opt to eat in the conference room that is separated from the rest of the restaurant by glass walls and doors.

Ciabatta with Roast Beef and Gorgonzola cheese.

The best part of Jeezle is certainly the fresh baked breads and high quality ingredients that go into their sandwiches. Walking into the shop you are immediately greeted by a wall of fresh baked bread and stands of fresh fruit. Delicious tomatoes, crispy lettuce and spinach, fresh sliced deli meats, and delicious cheeses set Jeezle apart from other “sandwich” shops in Ulsan. Though the sandwiches are a little light on the meat, they certainly make up for it with cheese that is literally spilling out of the sides. The menu includes options for vegetarians (like the grilled veggies & brie cheese on a ciabatta bun!) as well as chicken, roast beef, ham, and seafood options.

Sandwich prices at Jeezle range from 6,500w to 11,500w. Salad and bread combos are available for 11,500w to 13,000w. Coffee and tea are also available with all flavours and sizes falling in the 3,000w to 4,000w range. Also on the menu are fresh fruit smoothies (4,000w – 5,000w). Additionally, you can buy loaves of fresh baked focaccia bread for 4,000w. Click on the picture of their menu for a larger version and to see everything that they have to offer.

Jeezle’s menu includes sandwiches, salad & bread combos, coffee, tea, and fresh fruit smoothies. Vegetarians will be happy to know that they have many different options on the menu.

To get there:

Finding Jeezle is easy as it’s located right in between Hyundai Department Store and New Core Outlet (on the opposite side of the street), simply head toward Gongeuptop Rotary from the Lotte Hotel and you can’t miss it. The following buses all stop directly out front of Jeezle at the Hyundai Department Store stop. (These buses are coming from the Gongeuptop direction and are headed toward the Lotte Hotel.)

108, 126, 127, 133, 307, 3317, 327, 337, 401, 417, 432, 453, 527, 704, 708, 718, 722, 728, 732, 733, 807, 1104, 1137, 1401, 1404, 1703, 1705, 1713, 1723, 2100, 2300.

Google Maps coordinates: 35.538556,129.334263

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By Philip Brett, April 20, 2013 5:47 pm

‘I’m Burger’ is another establishment in the growing trend of handmade burger joints springing up around Korea. Located in Terrace Park beside Ilsan Beach in Dong-gu, it’s tucked away off the main road behind a Starbucks. There’s access to a car park from the side road down past the Black Yak store.

Set up by local artist Hyunjoo Kim, her creative side adorns the interior. From the hand drawings of food on the chalkboard menu, to her unique paintings on the walls and her self designed logo. Two glass walls let in natural light, making the interior cheerful, open and relaxing. The music volume doesn’t encroach on conversation, although when you find yourself listening to Suede, Smashing Pumpkins or James Blake after some Korean jazz, it may well become the focus of it! On a pleasant day, the view out over Ilsan Beach is favorable, even if it is a little limited due to other buildings. The outdoor seating is highly recommended during the summer!

Yes, that’s the movie Yellow Submarine being projected onto the wall.

Open for just under a year, the staff are friendly and can easily take your order in English. More often than not, there’s only one person working, so if there are a few people you can expect a little delay getting your order. Though ‘I’m Burger’ is a small restaurant  tables have enough space between them to afford some privacy during your meal. It can seat up to 14 people inside (excluding baby chairs which are available), with room for more in outdoor seating.

Hash brown burger

As for the food itself, the burgers are handmade with Australian beef, accompanied by a decent portion of fries (including chilli cheese for a little extra), salads and drinks. The tea selection is quite good, along with sodas, beer and wine. For vegetarians there is the option of ordering the mushroom or hash brown burger without the beef patty, or a selection of salads and fries.

Chili fries

If you’re truly famished, the latest addition to the menu will truly satisfy your hunger. The Ten Dollar Burger consists of a double sized beef patty, crispy bacon, cheese, topped with a fried egg and served with a side of fries. The patty can range from medium to well done and the staff is receptive to individual requests.

Overall, with a burger and drink availabe for under 10,000 won it’s good value for your money! I’m Burger is also available to rent out for parties and events.  You can check their Facebook page for more info. https://www.facebook.com/imburgershop

The Ten dollar burger

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By jasonteale, April 10, 2013 8:42 pm

The other day I trekked through a dark bamboo forest, crossed a river on a bamboo raft to drink a 5,000 won coffee in a rotating coffee shop that sits on a pillar in the middle of a river. This sounds like something out of a fantasy novel and not a cafe in the heart of Ulsan.

Probably one of the more unique places to sip an expensive americano, One’s Coffee is the only “rotating cafe” in Ulsan. Located in the Taehwa River Observatory, this cafe gives a great view of Ulsan that is perfect for a summer evening coffee.

The cafe rotates at a slow but brisk pace that may leave you feeling a bit nauseated at first. It is something that you have to get used in order to enjoy you coffee and the view at the same time.

The issue that I have here is the fact that the coffee is quite expensive. The average choice is around 5,000 won or 6,000 won and the quality is not the greatest. Fact is that, you would enjoy a 2,000 won coffee over this place.

The environment of the cafe has everything that an elegant cafe should have to make a romantic evening for a couple completely magical. Sadly, when I was there, it was full of families using it as a picnic area. It was loud and because the cafe is rather small along with the fact that the restrooms are in the parking lot, it made for an uncomfortable time.

While the rotating cafe is a great idea another issue arises with the location. The ferry is small and a lot of people take it to get across, rather than walking all around to the main walking bridge. Thus, on nice days, there will be a line to get on the small ferry.

Taehwa River Observatory

Other than that this cafe gives a great view of the city and perhaps at night would be a better time to go. I would imagine that the city views during the evening are quite beautiful. If you can get a seat.

To Get There:

Walking:  Route #1: (Depending on ferry schedule) Head through the bamboo forest and go to the walking path along the river. With your back to the walking bridge and the bamboo forest on your right, you should be able to spot the Observatory easily. The little ferry will take you across for free.

Route#2: Cross the river using the walking bridge at Taehwa River Grand Park and head through the tunnels until you reach the Observatory.

Bus: Take Buses 337 and 407 to “태화강전망대” (Taehwa Gahng Jeon Mang Dae) It is between the Lg gas station and the SK LPG station along the Namsan road heading along the river to Mugeo Dong.

Car: Take the Namsan Road from either Sinbok Rotary or Taehwa Rotary and follow the river. It is between the Lg gas station and the SK LPG station.  Parking is next to the GS gas station.

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By jasonteale, April 8, 2013 1:33 am

Korean food reviews on Ulsan Online are a rarity and it is a shame. There are so many great restaurants here that I think, as a foreign community, we are missing out. In an effort to introduce more Korean food to our Ulsan Online readers, I set out to explore the “Gogi (Meat) Street” a wonderful street that follows the Taehwa River, just up from the Taehwa River Grand Park.

Like most things in Ulsan, the names that we use may not always be exactly what is offered. Here, “Gogi Street” or sometimes “Bulgogi Street” is a collection of great restaurants that serve a wide range of food, not just meat. In a effort to prove this to you, I have found the best noodle place in Ulsan.

So-dahm Bibim Guksu is famous for it’s mouth-watering sweet and spicy cold noodle dish. For those who are unfamiliar with this and think that it maybe the noodle version of bibimbap, you are sadly mistaken.

Bibim guksu is a cold noodle dish that is made from Somyeon, a wheat noodle and then mixed with hot pepper paste, garlic, vinegar, and sugar to add a bit of sweetness to the heat. Garnished with some vegetables,  this dish is perfect for those coming warm summer months.

What makes this place special is that they won a competition on SBS’s “Master’s of Life” (생활의 달인)  TV show that looks at people and places that are the best at what they do.  For Koreans and restaurants, this is a great award to achieve.

Bibim Guksu

As for their bibim guksu, it was great. It was also interesting in the that it was more watery than typical bibim Guksu but had a lot more flavour. For 6,000 won the portion size was big enough to share but a hungry person could easily finish it.

Perilla Kal Guksu

The other dish that we tried deserves a mention here is the Perilla Seed Kal Guksu (들깨칼국수). This has to be one of my favorite noodle dishes. Finely ground perilla (often confused with sesame seeds) are added to the broth to give it a nice nutty flavour and a milk-like appearance. The “knife-cut” noodles are handmade wheat noodles and are really delicious. The dish is then mixed with mushrooms then garnished with some carrots.

This was a great dish and probably the best that I have ever had. For those who are looking for something  not spicy at all and without the usual seasoning of   hot pepper paste, you make want to give this a try.

To Get There:

Taxi: Tell the taxi driver “Taehwa-dong Jail Joong hak-kyo ahp” If you are good with directions in Korean, tell him to turn at the Pontus store and head towards the river. Turn right at the river and it is about 100 metres down next to the “3 Pigs” Samgyup sal restaurant. Map link here

Bus: Take Buses  103 104 114 123 133 203 233 317 327 402 413 421 421(지원) 422 426 433 442 704 708 708(지원) 718 728 802 802(지원) 807817

Get out at “Taehwa-dong Jail Joong hak-kyo ahp” turn at the Pontus store (large intersection) and head towards the river. Turn right at the river and it is about 100 metres down next to the “3 Pigs” Samgyup sal restaurant. Map link here

Address in Korean: 울산 중구 태화동 773-8번지

Restaurant number: 38

Phone Number: 052-910-1110

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By Ryan Griffiths, April 6, 2013 9:37 pm

It’s easy to write a restaurant review for a place that only has one thing on the menu, and it’s even easier when that one thing is French Fries. Pommes Frites is the newest restaurant to open in Mugeodong and their simple menu promises one thing. Excellent fries.

The prices at Pommes Frites are more than reasonable, and the portions that they serve are more than adequate. Each order comes with a choice of 10 different sauces including the classics like jalapeño cheddar dipping sauce, sweet chili, and creamy garlic dipping sauce. Additional sauces will set you back just 500 won, so it is worth trying two or three. Prices start at 3,500 won for a small order of fries, a medium costs 4,500 and if you have a big appetite, a large order of fries at 6,000 will probably suffice. You won’t be eating fries that were previously cooked and stored under a heat lamp at Pommes Frites, as the potatoes are freshly cut in the restaurant, and are deep fried after ordering. Fries are served in a paper cone, which makes them easy to carry with you for take-out and fits nicely into tables specially designed to hold them if you decide to stay in the restaurant for a drink or two.

On top of great fries, Pommes Frites has great prices on drinks as well. With Budweiser beer costing just 3,000 won (that’s the same price as apple juice), and a pint of Cass Draught at just 2,000 won you can enjoy a large order of fries and two pints of beer for 10,000 won. Other imported beers are more consistently priced with other places in town, with Heineken and Hoegaarden costing 5,000 won. If you’re looking for a great taste of home without breaking the bank, Pommes Frites is definitely the place to go.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is great; though it is a little small on the inside it’s also warm and welcoming. It’s not the kind of place that you stay for hours, drinking with friends and catching up on the week, but it’s certainly the kind of place where you can enjoy a conversation and a couple of drinks before heading to one of the other drinking establishments Mugeodong has to offer. The employees at Pommes Frites speak great English and were able to explain their whole menu to us including the different options for sizes, drinks and sauces. The music they played was a slightly odd mix of English songs ranging from soul, to folk and even pop music.

Pommes Frites is located in Mugeodong, just across the street from Noodlebox. If you take the bus simply get off at the university bus stop and head away from Shinbok Rotary. Take a left down the street AFTER the street with a Baskin Robbins and you’ll see Pommes Frites on the left hand side. Alternatively, if you can find Beans Bins across the street from the University in Mugeodong, then Pommes Frites is located right behind it.

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By jasonteale, April 4, 2013 7:13 am

When it comes to coffee, I don’t mess around. It has become more of an obsession than an addiction. Part of that obsession is locating good cafes in Ulsan. These are the ones that not only make a great cup of coffee but provide a great experience as well. This is a difficult challenge in Korea, especially in Ulsan.

What sets Cafe In apart from your usual “coffee prince wanna-be cafes” is the fact that this is a gorgeous cafe that serves a really good cup of coffee and is open late.  12 am is late for most cafes with the exception of the chain cafes like Angel-in-us which are starting to open 24 hours a day.

I had driven past this location a number of times and it’s large windows  always drew my attention. It also just looks like a proper cafe and thus, peaked my obsession.

Upon entering the cafe I was impressed with the design. It was comfortable and bright with out that “we bought this all from a catalog” feel or the dreaded “we are trying to be too hip” feel. It just felt nice and there is no other way to put it.

As I ordered I was greeted warmly by the owner and barista, Seo Sang-wook (서상욱) who spoke perfect English. As I got my cup of single origin Ethiopia Yirgacheffe I realized that I could spend hours at this cafe. Sitting by the window I inspected the interesting ceiling arrangement. Warm lights mixed with books hung from the ceiling. My coffee was delicious and came in a good-sized cup. It was around 5,000 won. I know that is pricey but what came next surprised me. They offered a second beverage for free. From the looks of things, this goes for the other (cheaper) beverages as well.

The best way to test a baristas’ worth is to taste their espresso. You are looking for complexity here. I prefer a syrupy body with bright sweet notes. Sang-wook’s (free) espresso blew me away. It was amazing! It was well made and you could taste the quality that he puts into his beans.

All of the beans are roasted regularly in the cafe and are available for purchase. While the prices for his beans is a bit more expensive than other shops, after trying your first cup you’ll probably forgive him as they are that good. I will post a full price list as I don’t have the exact price at this moment but they were about 20,000 won for 250 g. After putting them through my rancilio today, I could immediately taste the difference. He also recommended that I return next week as he is roasting one variety of a “Cup of Excellence” coffee, which is a premium coffee and is exceptionally good. There is also a decent selection of black tea on his menu as well, if you are not a coffee drinker.

All in all, Cafe In has everything that I want in a cafe. The owner’s English will make even the newest resident of Ulsan feel comfortable. His coffee will keep you coming back for more.

To Get There:

Taxi: Tell the taxi driver “Dong-Gang Byeongwan ahp” and get out by the emergency room entrance. The cafe is next door on the second floor.

Bus: Take buses  103  104 114 123 133 203 233 317 327 402 413 421 421(지원) 422 426 433 442 704 708 708(지원) 718 728 802 802(지원) 807 817

and get off at “Dong-Gang byeongwan Ahp” walk past the hospital heading toward Shinae and it is next to the emergency room

Address in Korean: 울산 중구 태화동 110번지 (동강병원 옆)

Phone: 070-4154-3036

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By Jake Corre, February 24, 2013 4:51 am

I’ve always wanted a good Thai restaurant in Ulsan.  Or in Korea, frankly.  There are decent ones in Seoul and Busan, but the Ulsan offerings so far have been limited to Noodle Box and Pattaya, neither of which is any good.  So praise his majesty Bhumibol Adulyadej that we have been delivered.

You may have already noticed this place, as it happens to be just a few doors down the street from JJ’s.  Not only does Sarojin offer the best Thai food I’ve had in Korea, but it has the most convenient location possible!

We entered in a big group and decided to all order something different.  It’s a good way to approach the place for your first time, there’s a wide variety of stuff on offer.  If there is any downside to Sarojin, it’s a little pricy.  Not ridiculously so, but sharing in a big group helps.  Fortunately, the quality matches.

The owner has gotten all her recipes directly from chefs in Thailand, and the head chef is Thai as well.  There is nothing Korean about this place.  No gochujang snuck into sauces, not even a scrap of kimchi or pickle to be seen on the table.

The first dish that came was the papaya salad, Song Tam.  Heavy on fish sauce and pepper, my friends who had been to Thailand said it was exactly the same as there, possibly better.  This is also a great dish to trick your less-worldly friends with as it looks tame, salad and all, but is one of the hottest things in Thai cuisine.  Sarojin doesn’t skimp on that account either–the spice level is Thai, not the reduced spiciness you often find here to cater to Korean preferences.  If the dish is supposed to be hot, it will be.

Koong rad pric, I believe.  Perfectly cooked shrimp in a spicy sauce.  Also nice that here they bother to clean the shrimp, which is something I’ve never seen at a Korean restaurant.  I don’t necessarily mind eating a full shrimp poop chute but given that you can fix that with a knife and five seconds, it’s nice to see it done.

Tom yam koong, which was perfect.  They have both the version with the coconut milk and without.  I don’t even particularly like mushrooms but was all over this.  They also bring it out in a pot with extra bowls, if you prefer not sharing your herpes with your best friends.

This one was kuay teow lod ta lay.  No heat to this dish, if you’re not a spicy fan or just need a break.

The pad thai.

This was the dish that convinced me that Sarojin was something special.  Everything had been good up to now, don’t get me wrong, but this was something else.  I have to make a food snob confession here.  I disdain pad thai.  I think it’s a bland dish that became popular purely because the word thai is in it.  It’s Thai food for people who don’t really like Thai food but want to pretend like they do.  I never order it.

But this pad thai was extraordinary.  It’s probably the best I’ve ever had, since my pretentiousness never let me try it at some of the world-class Thai places I’ve been to before like Lotus of Siam in Vegas.  I will actually go back to Sarojin and intentionally order pad thai for myself.  It completely changed my expectations.  If you’re like me and avoid pad thai, try this one.  This is another of the non-spicy offerings, also.

You can enjoy your horn of ale while eating.  This place is really classy, by the way.  I wouldn’t come in here roaring shitfaced.  Go here first, then go to JJ’s.

Nuea nam man hoy, stir-fried beef.  Also no spice.

And finally we had this cashew chicken dish, kai pad mad mamuang.

Fantastic meal, fantastic place.  A few of the people at the table had been to Thailand and rated this as equal to anything they had there.  It’s the best I’ve had in Korea and among the best anywhere.  Go here.  Make it succeed.

Sarojin is also a spa, massage parlor, and coffee shop?  I think?  It’s like 20 things, the owner has a ton of businesses and this is something of a labor of love for her.  The last page of the menu has massages.  You could probably spend an entire day in here.  The menu is at the end of the post, enjoy the shadows from my hands.

Sarojin is located in Seongnamdong, basically right next to JJ’s.  If you’re standing in front of the alley to go to JJ’s, continue west another three or four doors and you’re there (check the UlsanOnline drinking and dining map for JJ’s location).  They’re open late, the last seating is around midnight.  Stop reading!  Go eat!  Enjoy my blurry menu pictures.

This place is classy so I don’t think happy hour means what you think it does.

Also I hope you appreciate an entire Thai food review without a single Thai pun.

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By Chris Benedict, February 15, 2013 5:11 am

Tragically, many foreign food restaurants and bakeries in Korea at best can only be rated as good for Korea. Not many are good full stop. One place that is good full stop is Ganga, an authentic style Indian restaurant located in Haeundae  and nine other locations in Korea. Mainly they serve Indian cuisine from the Hydrabad region, but they also serve Tandoori, Rawachirhanas, and Kerala styles of Indian cuisine. They have been located in Haeundae since 2003.

Since at the moment I am unemployed and otherwise unoccupied during the week, I took advantage of my rather empty schedule to make a day trip down to Busan to enjoy Ganga’s lunch special. Really, if you do find yourself with a day off during the week that is not a holiday, and if you love Indian food, make the trip down to Ganga for their lunch special. It is well worth it. What do you get if you order the lunch special? You get a section of tandoori chicken, green salad, your choice of one of nine curries, rice or naan (butter or garlic), and drink, soda pop, tea or coffee. Sounds good? It is. How about cost, though? 22,000 won. It used to be listed at 20,000 won, but 10% VAT would be added at the till. So, it is still comes out to the same price. Is it worth it? Totally.
Not having anything better to do today, my wife and I set out for Ganga with great expectations. By the time we had ordered, my mouth had been watering for quite some time. This wasn’t the first time we have capitalized on a work free weekday to go to Ganga and feast on their lunch special. Usually we get the chicken makhni, and the Malbari Mutton Madras, but this time we went for the chicken tikka misala instead of the chicken mahkni. We also ordered one rice and one butter naan.
I am sorry to report that of all the times I have been there, today was the first time some of the food had been less than great. The tandoori chicken was dry and lacked its usual flavour. It was slightly bland, like they didn’t marinate it enough. Usually, the tandoori chicken tastes fantastic, slightly tender and moist, with a bit of heat to it. As this was the first dish we were served, I was apprehensive that the rest of the meal would not be up to Ganga’s usual standards. My fears were soon laid to rest. The rest of the meal was delicious. The mutton curry tasted great, and they gave ample pieces meat. Some places try to skimp on the meat they serve in their curries, but not Ganga. The chicken tikka masala was similarly good. It was spicy enough to give you a little heat, but nowhere over powering. Usually at the end of our meal we still have a bit of curry left so we order some extra naan to soak up the rest of the curry. Today, we ordered some garlic naan to finish off the meal. It was buttery and garlicky, and tasty. When we finished the meal we were completely stuffed.

Malbari Mutton Madras and Chicken Makhni

What if you can’t make it down during the week and need to go on the weekend? Sadly, Ganga is usually quite pricey and it seems they have put up the prices on their regular menu. Keep in mind that the new prices include VAT while their old prices did not. They do offer set menus. They start at 30,000 won for lunch sets and 35,000 won for dinner sets, and go up to 50,000 won and 60,000 won respectively. I took some pictures of the menus and I will include them at the bottom.
How to get there? One way would be to take the bus to Nopo Dong. Either bus 1127 or 1137. Then take the subway to Haeundae (editor’s note – this takes almost 2 hours) There is an intercity bus that goes directly to Haeundae (editor’s note – there is both an express and a slow bus, the express is 45mins, the slow is 1hr30 mins, approximately). Finally, there is the slow train from Taehwa River Station to Haeundae (Munghwa train takes about one hour, the Sameul train takes about 40-45 mins). It is a pleasant train trip, I highly recommend it. *From the Haeundae Train station (which is right by both the bus terminal and the Haeundae subway stop) walk down towards the beach. Ganga is in the same building as the Starbucks, on the basement level.
Ganga has a website, http://www.ganga.co.kr/en/main.html

menu

menu

Sorry the menu pictures are not that good.

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By Aaron Tassano, February 11, 2013 2:26 am

As a longtime patron of Gugugu, I’ve never felt much need to seek out other authentic Chinese restaurants in Ulsan. My wife and I go there at least 3-4 times a year, and it’s even been a go to place for special occasions like Christmas and New Year’s.

When I say “Chinese,” I guess I mostly mean lamb skewers cooked over charcoal and imported Chinese beer. We usually fill things out with side dishes, plus one other menu item — fried pork Tangsuyuk (탕수육), non-Korean style dumplings (만두), or, my favorite, a sauteed pork wrapped in tofu paper with cilantro (건두부 보쌈).

That said, I’m always on the lookout for something new. I’m a cheap date that way. And low-and-behold I’ve found a new Chinese place that might be more than a decent alternative.

Located in an old meat restaurant across the street from city hall (detailed directions below) what jumps out first and foremost about Shinmanwon Jamae (신만원자매) is the space. Note: the Chinese character for Jamae (자매) means “sister,” but the first character, which translates to Shinmanwon (신만원) isn’t used by Koreans.  So I hereby declare this place “Skewer Sister,” in English until someone comes up with the correct Chinese.

This was formerly a gogi house with a large front room that fits 15 tables and runs back to an open kitchen. There are also two rooms on the side that I didn’t get a good look at, but I’m sure would easily fit another 40 people. The point being, you’re never going to be denied a table at Skewer Sisters, which isn’t always the case at Gugugu where there are only three tables in the main room, and most of the side rooms are without the skewer pit.

The second advantage of Skewer Sister are electronic rotating skewers, which allows you to relax and enjoy your side dishes and beer while your meat cooks evenly. This might seem like a small detail at first, but it was actualy quite a revalation for me. My first thought was “this is the best lamb skewer I’ve ever eaten.” By the end I realized it wasn’t the quality of meat so much as method of cooking.

For now, the menu is entirely in Chinese save a single page of items they think Koreans will like translated into Korean. This is often the case at non-Korean ethnic restaurants. Tangsuyuk was one item, of course, but the pork with tofu wrap was not, so we went with a Kung Pao Pork (12,000), which was perfectly fine as a supplementary dish.

The lamb skewers are 20 for 20,000, which is pretty standard for these types of places (there’s actually another such restaurant at Gongaptap/main rotary that I wouldn’t bother with). The beers available were Harbin and Tsingtao. Gugugu typically has three or four brands, but I’ve seen as few as two. I wouldn’t be surprised if this place came up with a few more. Each beer was 4,500 won, and they have a full assortment of other Chinese alcohols.

I don’t want to declare Skewer Sister better than Gugugu. To nitpick, the side dishes and the beer selections at Gugugu are a touch better. Really, it depends on your mood and company. Gugugu is gritty. It’s where local Chinese and Chinese-Korean construction workers go to hang. The patrons sit in close quarters, drink, yell and smoke up a storm. If you want something more on the calm side, where you can sit and talk with a group of friends while your meat cooks evenly as the good lord intended, this is an exciting alternative just on the other side of the street.

Starting at Taewha Rotary going south toward Lotte Mart look for a new Cafe Pascucchi on your left (City Hall would be soon thereafter on your right). Make the left at the Cafe Pascucchi, and then the next immediate left down a side street.

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By Chris Benedict, February 6, 2013 6:21 am

I think this is the third Bella to be reviewed on here, and once again it is an Italian restaurant. There seems to be a rather lot of them in Ulsan these days. I remember back to 2001 when there were only a couple of Italian restaurants to speak of in town. Anyways, this Bella is located on the twelfth floor of Hyundai Department Store in Samsan Dong. Nearby you have Del Monico’s, Bella Di Notte, and Lark Sun, but say you are too lazy, or the weather is too poor for you to venture beyond the confines of the building, yet you crave Italian. Will Bella Citta satisfy your desire for Italian food?
At the entrance to the restaurant there is a menu on display to help build up your appetite and check out the selection and prices. Inside Bella Citta is decorated in earthy tones. There are a lot of browns and grey. There is a wood theme to the interior decoration. The dinner mats have a wood grain pattern to them. To my eyes they looked rather like linoleum floor samples with a wood grain pattern. This pattern continues on the walls, though in grey.  All in all it is a rather pleasant, and even comforting place to dine in.
On the menu there are the usual suspects: minestrone soup, caprese salad, a selection of cream and tomato sauce based pastas, risottos, and, of course, pizza. If you feel so inclined, there is a selection of wines from Europe and South America. I found the menu to be reasonable priced. For the mains the prices ranged from 10,00 to 16,000 won. Since my dining companion, my wife, and I were not feeling overly hungry we settled for having just the mushroom risotto and the diavola pizza.
Once we had ordered, the waiter brought out a small basket with two thin slices of bread and a couple of crackers, along with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. Although, it wasn’t really balsamic vinegar, it was a reduction, so it was thicker, stickier, and sweeter. Personally, I did not mind that. I enjoyed the sweet taste of the dipping sauce. We did not have to wait long for our food to arrive. (Granted we were the first customers of the day, so they weren’t that busy.)

The complimentary bread, minus one slice.

So how was the food? The risotto was tasty and had large pieces of mushrooms in it. The portion size was decent. Not too small, not too large. Considering how fast they were able to make it, and judging from the look, the chef used precooked Korean short grain rice rather than authentic Italian rice. The pizza was fairly good. They do the thin crust style pizza at Bella Citta. The pizza was a bit too heavy on the cheese and too light on the tomato sauce for my liking. Though, seeing as how most places go heavy on the cheese, I might be in the minority with my preferences. The crust was soft and chewy, and tasted quite nice. I think that was the best part of the pizza. The sauce, the bit I could taste at any rate, was good. The pizza had a nice spiciness to it, not too spicy, but not too mild, just enough to let you know it is there. It wasn’t the largest of pizzas. It was, maybe, nine or ten inches across. It was enough for one person. The meal was served with some homemade style pickles. Beware the green chili pepper in the pickle dish. It was quite spicy.

Mushroom Risotto, minus a couple of bites.

I found the service at Bella Citta to be quite good. The staff were friendly and attentive. They kept a close watch on our water glasses. Once our cups neared empty the servers would promptly refill them.
How does Bella Citta compare to some of the other Italian restaurants around town? Fairly well, I would say. Their pizza is a step above what you would find at Pop Factory, Mari’s (which I found to be extremely disappointing), and Primo, the newish Italian restaurant in Ok Dong. I would rate Bella Di Notte’s pizza above Bella Citta’s. The former’s pizza has more sauce, less (but better quality) cheese and more flavour. Risotto wise, Bella Di Notte’s is better, but, sadly, they no longer serve it. As well, Lark Sun’s risotto is better. I have yet to have risotto at any of the other Italian restaurants in town, so I cannot offer a comparison there. I would guess that it would be as good if not better than most places. It was a good risotto, just not an amazingly good one. Service wise, Bella Citta was really good. I never had to struggle to get the attention of one of the servers, unlike at some other places I have been to. Though, the small layout of Bella Citta helps with that a lot.
So what is the answer to the question I posed at the start of this review. Is it worth it to go there? I would say yes. For what you get it is good value. The food is reasonable priced, and it is better than some of the Italian restaurants around town. So, if you are in Hyundai Department store and fancy a bite to eat, just pop into Bella Citta and enjoy your meal.
An apology about the photos. The quality of the photos isn’t that great since they were taken with a smart phone. Also, I kept forgetting that I was reviewing the restaurant and started eating the food before taking the photos. My apologies.