SolSot (솔솥) in Busan offers a modern take on Korean pot rice, or sotbap (솥밥). From steak to eel, their premium ingredients are cooked fresh in individual stone pots. We tried their popular steak sotbap (스테이크 솥밥), where you mix, transfer, and pour broth for the full Korean-style dining experience.
SolSot (솔솥): Where Korean Pot Rice Meets Premium Ingredients
Tucked inside Busan’s modern comfort food scene, SolSot (솔솥) specializes in sotbap (솥밥)—personal stone‑pot rice with nurungji (crispy bottom). What sets it apart is the use of premium meats and seafood, making it both casual and upscale. The space feels warm, neat, and inviting, with wooden tables and ceramic bowls that highlight the food. Yet despite the calm interior, it fills fast at mealtimes.
On the menu are elevated options like steak sotbap (스테이크 솥밥, premium grilled beef steak, 17,000 KRW), domi gwaja sotbap (도미관자 솥밥, sea bream and scallops, 17,000 KRW), gomak sotbap (꼬막 솥밥, cockles, 17,000 KRW), yeoneo sotbap (연어 솥밥, salmon, 17,000 KRW), and hanwoo sotbap (한우 솥밥, premium Korean Hanwoo beef, 25,000 KRW), all served with sides and broth.
For the steak sotbap (스테이크 솥밥), top-quality beef is flash-cooked at high heat so each piece stays juicy and flavorful. Paired with the warm scent of pot rice, it’s a deeply satisfying dish.
SolSot began in Seoul under David Jo, a former film director who used his wife’s 40‑year family recipe to blend tradition with polish . The concept quickly grew into a franchise—now totaling around 70 branches across Korea, including Busan’s Seomyeon and Haeundae locations . The consistent design—wood tones, clay pots, friendly guides—speaks to the brand’s goal: elevate humble rice dishes into memorable experiences .
How to Eat: Mixing, Pouring, and Enjoying the Full Sotbap Experience
At SolSot, eating is part of the fun. Each dish is served in its hot pot, with instructions provided on how to enjoy the meal step-by-step.
When the pot arrives, it’s still sizzling. The staff recommends first mixing the steak, egg yolk, green onions, sesame, and rice together while everything is piping hot. After mixing, transfer the rice into your small personal bowl — this is where the first flavors shine. The beef stays juicy while blending beautifully with the slightly nutty rice.
The seasoning itself is quite mild, letting you adjust the flavor to your liking. A small tray of condiments is provided, including soy-based sauce, wasabi, and other toppings. Depending on your taste, you can add a little sauce for extra saltiness or a small dab of wasabi for a clean, sharp finish.
Once you’ve eaten about two-thirds of your rice, the next step is to pour broth (yuksu, 육수) into the remaining rice left inside the hot pot. This creates a mild rice porridge with crispy nurungji (누룽지) at the bottom, slightly sweetened by the caramelization of starches. In Korean cuisine, this final step is often the most satisfying—a warm, comforting finish that rounds out the meal.
The broth itself is made from mackerel and herring powder, giving it a light seafood flavor without being overpowering. The process of enjoying sotbap this way feels interactive, balanced, and very uniquely Korean.
Why SolSot (솔솥) Is Worth a Visit
Korea has many sotbap restaurants, but SolSot stands out for its quality ingredients, modernized service style, and casual but polished atmosphere. Many traditional sotbap places serve simple vegetable or seafood versions, but SolSot offers more premium selections that you wouldn’t often find at regular diners.
The pricing reflects the quality, but it’s still accessible. At 17,000 KRW for steak sotbap (스테이크 솥밥), it may not be a budget meal, but the taste and experience easily justify the price for anyone looking for something special. It’s great for visitors wanting to explore beyond usual Korean BBQ or hotpot, and also ideal for locals seeking a quality meal without going too fancy.
What I especially loved was the balance: the steak itself was tender, flavorful, and paired perfectly with the lightly seasoned rice. The broth-pouring step at the end truly adds a final comforting touch, highlighting how much attention Korean dining places on both flavor and experience.
SolSot is also a great introduction for foreigners who want to experience Korean-style nurungji (the scorched rice at the bottom) in a more elevated way. The way starch breaks down into natural sugars during high-heat cooking gives nurungji its slight sweetness—a simple but satisfying culinary detail rooted in Korean tradition.
Wonder Point
If you’re visiting Busan and looking for something local yet modern, SolSot (솔솥) delivers a fantastic experience. Their premium steak sotbap (스테이크 솥밥) combines high-quality ingredients with the warm, interactive dining style of Korea’s beloved pot rice. From the moment you mix your rice to the last sip of broth-soaked nurungji, every bite feels intentional and deeply comforting. Highly recommended for anyone wanting to experience elevated Korean sotbap culture — whether it’s your first trip or your hundredth, SolSot is a spot that’s worth adding to your Busan food itinerary.
- SolSot (솔솥)
- Phone: +82 0507-1386-4595
- Open daily from 11:00 AM (closing time not specified)
- 1F, 78 Gwangnam-ro, Suyeong-gu, Busan, South Korea
