Big Bite

UPDATE: 6/20/2012

Although Big Bite has been around for a while, this sandwich shop /  snack bar and pub has gone through some major changes. Owner MiRa Lee is still in charge, but she now has her sister, Mia working in the kitchen and dining area. For those of you who have been in Ulsan for a while, you might remember Mia from her days in the Korea Union cafe’  in the Bangeojin Foreigner’s compound. Back in the day, 2004 to be precise, (Ulsan Pear Archives)  the Korea Union was voted Best in Ulsan in the western food category. With Mia now working at Big Bite, it’s a safe bet you can get your fill of western food.

And fill is definitely the operative word here. The sandwiches are large and stuffed full of fresh meats and vegetables. There is no Korean spin to this restaurant. You won’t find any Korean sweet sauce on the sandwich, nor will it be slathered with mayonnaise as some shops do . It is truly an American/British style  shop. The bread rolls are hearty, and full-bodied and are truly a mouthful. Hence the restaurant’s name.

The standard hoagie style fare served daily is Roast Beef, Barbeque Chicken, Ham, Ham and Bacon and Ham and Egg style hoagie sandwiches. Small sandwiches are 6 inches long  on a seasoned hoagie roll and range in price from 7 – 8k won.  The big sandwiches are double the size, but not double the price. No sandwich is over 14,000 won. But beware they have no sides like homemade pickles or potato chips, so bring one or all of those things along with you to make your Hoagie experience complete.

Hamburgers and hotdogs are also now on the menu. The hotdog is a double weiner in an extra long bun and comes with a side of french fries. The hamburger, at 10,000원, comes with a fried and a side of french fries.  Not on the printed menu, but available in a small size sandwich is the meatball sandwich. While on my most recent visit, I sampled the BBQ Chicken, the Roast Beef and Ham and Bacon sandwiches.  The chicken was especially delicious with a curry-flavored spice. The Ham and Bacon was wonderful strips of American bacon, sliced ham, cheese, tomatos, pickles, peppers, lettuce and mayo and this sandwich was another fine choice.  But the roast beef was exquisite: large slabs of roasted prime rib/ribeye stacked with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and    green pepper made this a hit.

And if roast beef in a sandwich sounds good, then come on down on Sunday and get a plate of it. On Sundays the restaurant features both a roast beef and roast lamb plate. Each comes with a pile of roasted meat, Yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes, gravy, brocolli, and other fresh veggies.  Each plate is 25k won. With Mia in the kitchen, you know you’re getting an authentic western style roast dinner. Mia’s British husband has done a fine job in ensuring she knows just the right way to please any European or North American tastebuds.

The drink section is more extensive than the sandwich selection. They have the usual variety of beers, coffee and tea. The beer is the standard selection of Korean and American beers and joining them on the list is the variety of Korean style coffees and English style teas.

 

The decor is tasteful and reminiscent of an old time pub. The tables are both of the tall variety with high back bar stools and regular restaurant tables. And the ambiance of the low lighting allows you to either escape in anonymity or engage in a debate of the merits of game play in teaching English as a second language. And the walls are lined with the  dark wood paneling and decorated with assorted knick knacks including the obligatory New York license plates. And what self-respecting pub would not have a pool table?  Pool is free of charge.

Big Bite is located near Hyundai Beach Town Apartments and next to MunHyun Elementary school.  To get there you can take bus numbers 104, 401, 103, 122 and 127 Big Bites is on the right hand side as you head east. They are on the last stop before the east bus terminal. Their hours are Mon-Sat 10:30am to 2:00pm and 5:30pm to Midnight. On Sundays, they are open 10:00am to Midnight. And after you order you can take out your sandwiches to Beach Town beach.