Char siu ramen and mazesoba to share in Michuhol, Incheon: Menya Seoul

Went to Lotte Department Store Incheon and stopped by Menya Seoul for a meal.

Inside Menya Seoul on basement floor 1 of Lotte Department Store Incheon

Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch is an open-format shop on the basement 1st floor, so you can check out the menu just by walking past. There are seats good for eating alone as well as tables for sitting together. Being inside the department store was also convenient — no need to plan a separate trip for a meal while shopping.

Ramen and mazesoba are the mains, so I stood in front of the menu board for a moment, torn. I wanted the ramen with broth, but the thick, well-mixed mazesoba was tempting too. In the end we ordered one of each, with one of them as a set.

What is on the menu at Menya Seoul

Menu models were displayed in front of the shop, so it was easy to check the composition before ordering.

There were several menu items centered on ramen and mazesoba, and seasonal set menus were listed separately.

You could order a la carte, but there were also sets with a side and drink included, so we ordered one a la carte and one as a set.

Char siu ramen: the pork catches your eye first

When the ramen arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was the char siu.

Thinly sliced char siu and a big, thick chunk of char siu were both on top, and the big piece especially made its presence known.

Egg, bean sprouts, green onion, seaweed and other toppings were added, and thin noodles sat under the milky-white broth.

The soft-boiled egg was essential too. The yolk was cooked to a moist finish and added a smooth touch amid the rich broth.

The noodles were on the thin side, good for slurping along with the broth. Picking up a piece of char siu together with the noodles, you really taste the meat.

Mazesoba topped with a yolk ready to burst

Mazesoba (soupless mixed noodles) is a completely different style from the ramen.

An egg yolk sits on top of the meat sauce, surrounded by chives, seaweed flakes, bonito flakes, and other ingredients.

Before eating, I popped the yolk first and mixed everything together thoroughly.

Mazesoba looks quite different before and after mixing. At first, the meat sauce, chives and seaweed flakes are neatly arranged around the yolk, and once you mix it all together, the seasoning soaks into the noodles. Every time you lift the noodles, minced meat and chives come up along with them, so several ingredients arrive in one bite. As you eat, bits of sauce and meat are left at the bottom of the bowl little by little — I understood why they suggest mixing in rice, just as the menu says.

If you prefer noodles with a strong seasoning over ramen in broth, mazesoba is likely to suit you better.

Ordering one bowl as a set with karaage and a drink

We ordered one of the two dishes as a set, which came with karaage (Japanese fried chicken) and a drink.

The karaage was fried into bite-sized pieces with plenty of sauce drizzled on top — crispy outside, juicy chicken inside.

Picking off pieces between bites of ramen and mazesoba, the plate emptied quickly.

With two mains plus a side, the portion was plenty for two people.

Changing up the mazesoba with lemon kelp vinegar partway through

Lemon kelp vinegar and chili oil (rayu) were also on the table.

The lemon kelp vinegar was described as a sauce for adding about a spoonful to mazesoba or cold ramen.

I ate the mazesoba plain at first, then added a little lemon kelp vinegar around the halfway point.

The rich, thick sauce gained a tangy note and became a lot fresher. Better to try the base flavor first and add it midway rather than pouring it in from the start.

If you need heat, adding rayu does the trick.

Was the meal at Menya Seoul worth it?

In the ramen, the big chunks of char siu had a clear presence, while the mazesoba was centered on the rich flavor of the mixed yolk and meat sauce.

I was torn between ramen and mazesoba, but ordering both turned out to be the answer.

The two of us cleaned every bowl and left.