Jjamppong restaurant in Yeongjong, Incheon: Bongga Gyodong Banjeom

Craving a spicy bowl of jjamppong, I visited Bongga Gyodong Banjeom (본가교동반점) in Yeongjong. I compared the Gyodong jjamppong and Chodang soft tofu jjamppong rice, and added jajangmyeon and mini tangsuyuk. The jjamppong rice with soft tofu was especially memorable.

What are the parking and family dining spaces like?

The restaurant is on the first floor at 50-8 Hwarangmok-ro. There was parking in front, which made it convenient to visit by car.

The interior was neatly arranged, and there were many families dining there. There was also group seating farther inside that felt fairly private, so it looked suitable for a group meal.

There was a self-service bar where I could refill what I needed.

The hours listed in the original post were 11:00–19:00 from Monday through Friday and 11:00–15:00 on Sunday. Break time was listed as 15:00–16:00, and the restaurant was listed as closed every Saturday.

What is on the menu and how much does it cost?

A notice said that, instead of using ready-made noodles, the restaurant mixes and ages its dough before making noodles in-house, so I was looking forward to their texture.

The menu included Gyodong jjamppong, spicy meat jjamppong, Chodang soft tofu jjamppong rice, Gyodong jjamppong rice, and spicy meat jjamppong rice. There were also jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce), jajangbap (rice in black bean sauce), tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried pork), and fried dumplings.

• Gyodong jjamppong: ₩10,000
• Chodang soft tofu jjamppong rice: ₩12,000
• Jajangmyeon: ₩8,000
• Mini tangsuyuk: ₩13,000

These were the dishes I ordered that day and their prices. The basic sides were onion, danmuji (pickled yellow radish), and chunjang (black bean paste).

How were the Gyodong jjamppong broth and house-made noodles?

I started with the standard Gyodong jjamppong. The broth had a deep color, and it came with a generous amount of ingredients, including squid and vegetables.

The broth was quite spicy, with savory flavors from seafood and meat. It was rich and full-bodied, so I thought it would work well with rice mixed into it, too.

The noodles I had been looking forward to were springy and chewy without becoming too soft. They went well with the broth, and their texture felt a little different from the noodles I usually have at Chinese restaurants.

How did Chodang soft tofu jjamppong rice differ from Gyodong jjamppong?

The Chodang soft tofu jjamppong rice came with rice served separately. It was a dish of spicy, rich jjamppong broth with soft, nutty sundubu (unpressed soft tofu).

The soft tofu seemed to soften the heat slightly. To me, it tasted less spicy and gentler than the standard Gyodong jjamppong.

Scooping up the tofu soaked in broth gave me something between jjamppong and sundubu-jjigae (soft tofu stew). With the rice, it felt more substantial than noodle jjamppong.

I like spicy jjamppong, but when I do not want something too intense, I thought this would be a good choice. The spicy broth and nutty soft tofu worked better together than I expected, so this is the dish I would recommend to first-time visitors.

Were the jajangmyeon and mini tangsuyuk good additions?

The jajangmyeon was topped with a fried egg. The mildly sweet black bean sauce was paired with the clean flavor of the egg, and the noodles had a springy texture.

I ordered the pork loin tangsuyuk in a mini size. Having a small portion made it easy to add to the meal without feeling like too much.

The tangsuyuk sauce contained one slice of lemon and no vegetables. Eating crispy tangsuyuk alongside the spicy jjamppong, the sweet-and-sour sauce seemed to lightly refresh my mouth.

I liked alternating between the jjamppong and tangsuyuk. The chewy house-made noodles, generous ingredients, and rich broth stood out that day, and I would like to try the spicy meat jjamppong on my next visit.