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Finding good Western food in Korea can sometimes be a struggle as many restauranteurs tend to cater to the local palate.
For instance, a simple BLT sandwich can sometimes end up a BLEPHT sandwich with a variety of sauces that have no place being put together for whatever concoction they are trying to present.
Gold Papa, a roastery and casual dining restaurant in Yongho-dong, Nam-gu, takes the time and makes the effort to provide fresh, good-quality sandwiches, burgers, and salads without going too far off the rails by localizing their food.
Located somewhat tucked away just as you would enter St. Mary’s Hospital road and across from Neulbit Church, the restaurant has been open since 2017 and is a local favorite among US and Korean Navy personnel as well as having a strong Korean clientele.
They offer a variety of dishes that are not only easy on the stomach but also on the wallet.
The two-story casual dining establishment provides a relaxing and friendly atmosphere perfect for a simple lunch or dinner with friends and also has a small covered outdoor terrace dining spot in the basement if you’re lucky to grab the table first.
While its menu options are quite limited to about 5 types of burgers and 5 types of sandwiches including a Chicken Club, Philly Cheesesteak, and a Cuban as well as some teriyaki dishes, I find it refreshing that they focus on what they can do best rather than having an over-expansive menu which when restaurants do, they usually lose taste quality.
They also offer around four salads and a variety of soft drinks, shakes, smoothies, and coffees and teas.
We ordered the Chicken Club on a recommendation from a friend and though it did come with some different items on a club that are not usual, like salami, the sandwich itself was lightly toasted and was very tasty along with a plateful of cajun fries.
The Greek Salad, which was not entirely Greek as it didn’t even have black olives or red onions, is more of a medley of vegetables — including cherry tomatoes, cucumber, yellow and red pepper, celery, small pieces of chicken, and avocado with a lightly drizzled olive oil dressing and crumbled feta on top — but was thoroughly enjoyable.
As one who doesn’t like black olives anyways, it was much easier for me to eat without having to pick them out so it wasn’t a game-changer for me.
The prices are also very reasonable with dishes mostly ranging from 8,500 won to 13,000 won so you can expect anything from around 20,000 won to 30,000 won for two with a meal and something to drink.
Overall, it’s a great dining experience and highly worth the trip especially if you are out around the Oryukdo area and are out for a hike.
Restaurant Information Open Monday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Closed Sundays and every fourth Saturday) Address: 268-3 Yongho-ro, Yongho-dong, Nam-gu, Busan Phone: 010-3444-5936
