Shoyu ramen and cold soba to share at Myeonsikdang, Gongju

I was looking for a place in Gongju to eat noodles without any fuss, and this time I visited Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch. The menu ranges from light dishes like ramen and soba to donkatsu and rice bowls, so it's a solid choice even when a group can't agree on just one type of food.

Trying it in person, the prices weren't a burden at all, and ordering several dishes together still felt like a satisfying spread. The flavors were clean too, so this is the kind of Gongju National University restaurant that comes to mind when you want an easy, no-fuss meal.

An easy-to-find noodle restaurant near Gongju National University

As soon as you arrive, the big 'Myeonsikdang (noodle restaurant)' sign catches your eye. The exterior also lists what's on offer — donkatsu, ramen, soba, rice bowls, and pho.

Rather than focusing on just one type of food, I liked that this is a Gongju restaurant where you can pick and choose based on your mood. The lineup also suits students dropping in for a casual lunch or dinner.

From ramen to soba, pho, and katsu: menu and prices

The menu had more options than I expected. For ramen there's tonkotsu ramen, spicy tonkotsu ramen, shoyu ramen, and ebi tonkotsu ramen, and for soba there's maze soba, cold soba, and pan soba.

On top of that there's shabu pho, spicy shabu pho, and several types of donkatsu, so even if everyone in your group wants something different, it's not hard to find a match. Most dishes sit around ₩10,000, making it one of the better value options among Gongju National University restaurants.

Ramen

• Tonkotsu ramen ₩8,400
• Spicy tonkotsu ramen ₩8,900
• Shoyu ramen ₩7,900
• Ebi tonkotsu ramen ₩10,400

Rice bowls

• Large butadong ₩8,500
• Large kimchi butadong ₩8,900
• Maze sobap (rice instead of noodles) ₩8,500

Soba

• Maze soba ₩9,400
• Kaze soba ₩10,000
• Cold soba (seasonal) ₩8,500
• Pan soba ₩8,400
• Kimchi maze soba ₩10,000

Pho

• Shabu pho ₩8,900
• Spicy shabu pho ₩9,500

Katsu

• House pork loin katsu ₩10,500
• Spicy pepper katsu ₩11,500
• Double chicken katsu ₩11,900
• Half-and-half katsu ₩11,900
• Mozzarella cheese katsu ₩12,500
• Spicy curry katsu ₩13,500
• Hire katsu half ₩4,900

※ Menu items and prices are as photographed at the time of the visit and may change afterward.

Tablet ordering at the table and cooking times by menu

Ordering is done through a tablet at the table. You can browse photos of each dish, which made things easy even on a first visit, and there was also a notice explaining that cooking times vary by menu item.

Katsu dishes take about 8 minutes, soba about 4 minutes, and ramen about 2 minutes, and since the cooking methods differ, the order dishes arrive may not match the order they were placed in. Worth keeping in mind if you're ordering several dishes together.

What two of us ordered that day

As the photos show, our spread that day was shoyu ramen, cold soba, mini butadong, and hire katsu half. With two noodle dishes plus a small rice bowl and katsu on the side, it was a great setup for two people to try a bit of everything.

Instead of just ordering one dish, splitting the order across different types really let us appreciate what Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch does well.

Shoyu ramen: an easy, no-fuss style

First, the shoyu ramen came with a clear brown broth topped with noodles, chashu, bean sprouts, egg, scallions, and seaweed. It didn't look heavy at all, and it really did eat light and easy.

If you prefer a clean ramen over a rich, heavy tonkotsu, the shoyu ramen is the way to go. With chashu and egg on top, the bowl felt complete on its own. If you're after Gongju ramen that won't weigh on your wallet, this was a solid pick.

Add the mini butadong for a heartier meal

The mini rice bowl that came alongside the ramen was a nice touch too.

It came with a generous portion of meat over rice, topped with scallions. Taking a big spoonful of rice and meat together made the meal much more filling than noodles alone.

If a bowl of ramen alone feels a little light, pairing it with a mini rice bowl like this is a great move. Rather than simply upsizing one dish, being able to eat small portions of several things is the real strength of Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch.

Crispy hire katsu half

We also had the hire katsu half we ordered as a side.

Even from the photo, the breading looked golden and crisp, and it came pre-cut for easy eating. When noodles alone feel a little plain, adding a meat dish made for a good combo.

Especially between broth- or noodle-centric dishes like ramen and soba, the crispy katsu added a nice change of texture. I also liked that there's a half-order option for when a full plate feels like too much but you still want a taste.

Cold soba is a good call on hot days

The other bowl was a cold soba. Dark noodles came with broth, egg, seaweed flakes, scallions, and radish, and it looked refreshing just from the presentation.

Ordering one ramen and one soba let us alternate between warm broth and cold noodles, which was a great combination. On a hot summer day, or whenever you want something light rather than a hot broth, this is worth picking if you're after a Gongju soba spot.

A good place to enjoy several dishes without breaking the bank

The biggest strength of Myeonsikdang isn't that it excels at just one dish — it's that you can choose from a wide range of noodles, rice bowls, and katsu at fairly reasonable prices. When two of us visited and picked one ramen and one soba plus sides, the table felt much more generous.

You could come alone and just have a bowl of ramen or soba, or visit with a friend and share several dishes — either way works. The shop's notice also mentioned a free bowl of rice with one order per person. If you make sure to grab the rice, the value gets even better.

There was also a notice about an event offering a drink for writing a Naver receipt review. Since events can change, it's best to check with the shop at the time of your visit.

Shop info

• Name: Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch
• Ordering: Tablet ordering at the table
• Takeout/delivery: All menu items available for takeout and delivery
• Rice: Free bowl of rice with one order per person

Final thoughts

Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch is a great fit when you want variety at an affordable price rather than one expensive meal. Being able to choose from warm noodle dishes like shoyu ramen, cool soba, mini rice bowls, and donkatsu all in one place was the biggest draw.

With plenty of choices and prices that never felt like a stretch, the value was solid too. Pairing a bowl of ramen with a mini rice bowl or katsu makes for a satisfying, filling meal. I'd also recommend having two people order different noodles and share.

If you're searching for a Gongju National University restaurant, Gongju ramen, or just an easy, affordable Gongju restaurant, this place is worth a stop. We left satisfied after sampling a good range of the menu.