Dongtan cockle jjamppong with shelled clams and jjamppong rice

On a weekday lunch, my husband and I went looking for something to eat near Dongtan Namgwangjang and ended up at Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch. We ordered kkomak jjamppong (cockle jjamppong) 11,000 won and kkomak jjamppong rice 11,000 won, both at spice level 2 — and even for us, who usually handle spicy food well, it was quite spicy.

Where is Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Namgwangjang Branch, and what is it like inside?

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Namgwangjang Branch is on the 1st floor of a building near Dongtan Namgwangjang. We visited during weekday lunch and there were quite a few diners; the interior overall had a bright, clean feel.

By the window there were separate solo seats for eating alone, and each table had a tablet for ordering. It looked like a good spot to come alone for a simple bowl of jjamppong.

Menu and prices at Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong

Besides kkomak jjamppong and kkomak jjamppong rice, the menu also had jjajangmyeon, kids' jjajang, tangsuyuk, fried dumplings, and more.

That day we ordered one kkomak jjamppong 11,000 won and one kkomak jjamppong rice 11,000 won.

Cockle jjamppong: plenty of cockles and clam meat, all out of the shell

This is the kkomak jjamppong I ordered at Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Namgwangjang Branch. As soon as it arrived, the red broth loaded with cockles and various seafood stood out. What impressed me most was how generously they packed in the cockles and clam meat.

I'm usually a bit uncomfortable at places where jjamppong is full of seafood still in the shell, like mussels — but here everything was shelled, just the meat, which made it much easier to eat. I liked not having to pick out each piece of seafood one by one; I could just scoop it up with a spoon and eat right away.

The broth, maybe because it had pork in it, leaned a bit heavy rather than clean and light.

On top of that, the spiciness gave it a strong, sharp kick, and with all the seafood mixed in, the broth flavor was quite rich.

How spicy is Bultina's spice level 2?

Both of us usually handle spicy food fine, so we ordered level 2, but it was spicier than expected. So if you're not great with spice, starting at level 1 seems like a good idea.

Why the cockle jjamppong rice comes with a few noodles in it

My husband ordered the kkomak jjamppong rice. It was a bit different from typical jjamppong rice — even though it's a rice dish, it had a small amount of noodles mixed in.

The menu even noted that a small portion of noodles is added to the jjamppong rice for deeper flavor. I'd assumed jjamppong rice would be rice only, so finding noodles mixed in was a pleasant surprise.

The rich, spicy broth went well with the rice, and we could still enjoy the cockles and other seafood along with it.

If you're torn between jjamppong and jjamppong rice, it probably comes down to whether you prefer noodles or rice.

What's on the self-serve bar

There's a self bar set up in one corner of the restaurant. Onion, danmuji, small plates, and aprons are all laid out, so you can grab as much as you need. With how spicy the jjamppong was, it was handy to be able to grab extra danmuji or onion.

Parking at the Namgwangjang public surface lot

We parked at the Namgwangjang public surface parking lot. Visiting during a weekday lunch, there were plenty of spots available. According to the restaurant's info, 1.5 hours of free parking is provided, which was enough time to eat and get back to the car.

On our weekday lunch visit, parking spots were easy to find, and the Namgwangjang public surface lot offered 1.5 hours of free parking.

Is Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong worth a visit?

The interior was bright and clean, making it comfortable to eat even during lunch hour, and the solo window seats made it a fine option for eating alone. That said, level 2 was quite spicy, so if you're sensitive to spice, ordering level 1 is probably the way to go. What stuck with me most about this Dongtan jjamppong spot was the generous amount of cockles and clam meat, all shelled and easy to eat.

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Namgwangjang Branch: hours, address and details

• Address: 1F, 107-111, 149 Nojak-ro, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Business hours: 10:40–21:00 / Last order 20:20
• Parking: Namgwangjang public surface lot free for 1.5 hours, underground parking available
• Seating: Group seating for 4–40, solo seats, high chairs available
• Payment: Local currency (paper/card/mobile), Zero Pay, easy pay