Yangjae Citizens' Forest noodle shop open at 9 am: makguksu, Seonbawi

There are so many good restaurants around Seonbawi in Gwacheon that I often make a trip out there just to eat. Then I heard that Memil Jangteo had opened a new branch in Yangjae, my own neighborhood, close enough that I don't even need to drive far! So on a holiday I went out to Maeheon Citizens' Forest with a friend, and in the hot weather we ended up having naengmyeon (cold noodles) and suyuk (boiled pork) for a late lunch. It gave me the same wow I got at the original, and we enjoyed it so much that I want to share this review.

Is Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae good for breakfast? Hours and location

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch (선바위메밀장터 양재점) is a buckwheat makguksu (buckwheat noodles) restaurant right near Exit 2 of Yangjaesiminuisup Station. It is open every day from 9 am to 9 pm with no closing days. That makes it handy for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and since it opens at 9 am, it's a perfect spot for breakfast if you head to Yangjae Citizens' Forest early in the morning.

Is parking free at Memil Jangteo Yangjae?

The space right in front of the restaurant is a 100% private lot, so you can park for free while you eat. As you can see, they use an entire two-story building, which is a pretty classy move. I counted roughly 5 spaces, and since the lot belongs to the restaurant anyway, you could probably fit more with parallel parking.

Waiting list via Tabling

Maybe it's because it hasn't been open long, but while the Seonbawi original always had a wait, the Yangjae branch let us walk right in with no wait so far. There's a Tabling system right at the entrance, so you just enter your phone number and wait comfortably.

It's a regular on TV, on every kind of broadcast channel, and while there are plenty of famous buckwheat makguksu restaurants out in the provinces, this is pretty much the grandfather of them near Seoul.

Inside and seating: is it OK for group gatherings?

The seating is mostly for 2 or 4, they'll join tables for 6, and the second floor has a hall and private rooms, so group gatherings looked possible too. When we walked in, many diners had already come after getting some fresh air at Yangjaecheon stream or the Citizens' Forest, including parents with kids, and the age range was wide. Maybe because they use the whole building, the place felt spacious and pleasant, and since it's newly opened, the interior was bright and clean.

Seats are mainly 2- and 4-person tables, and as you can see, they join tables to make 6-person seating depending on the party size, so a group of four or fewer, or a bigger group, both looked fine.

With two floors, I figured tables would turn over quickly. When I went up one floor, there was a space made up of a hall plus rooms, so if you're planning a company dinner or gathering of 20 to 30 people, you could probably do it easily by asking about a reservation in advance.

The kitchen is open, so guests can see the cooking inside. Open restaurants like this tend to be hygienic and tidy, so I felt it would also be a good place to bring older family members later.

Menu and prices: what did two of us order?

The two of us ordered dongchimi makguksu (makguksu in radish water kimchi broth, ₩11,000), perilla oil makguksu (₩12,000) and, as a side, pollack hoe suyuk (₩23,000). The biggest plus of Memil Jangteo is that the menu isn't cluttered and is nicely fixed, so ordering is easy. There are three chicken dishes served as ssam (wraps), and the main dishes are makguksu made with 100% buckwheat (perilla oil, pollack hoe, dongchimi). For the hot weather we picked the cooling dongchimi makguksu and the best-selling perilla oil makguksu.

• Dongchimi makguksu ₩11,000
• Perilla oil makguksu ₩12,000
• Pollack hoe suyuk ₩23,000

Self-serve buckwheat tea, hygiene aprons and water kimchi

Near the entrance there's a hot buckwheat tea machine you serve yourself from. I grabbed a paper cup and drank it as a pre-meal appetizer, which got my appetite going. Great.

At one side of the restaurant there are disposable hygiene aprons you can take as many as you like. Food can splash on your clothes while eating, so we each put one on.

The side dish is cool water kimchi, which as always is a basic banchan (side dish) that pairs wonderfully with naengmyeon or makguksu.

How is the pollack hoe suyuk (₩23,000)?

The signature of Memil Jangteo's pollack hoe suyuk is that it comes with myeongtae-hoe (seasoned spicy pollack) and bossam radish strips! The suyuk that came out first had a bright red look that made my mouth water.

The tender, well-boiled suyuk passes the looks test too! Wrapping the savory pollack hoe with the soft suyuk made me exclaim out loud. If I hadn't brought my car, I would have wanted to order makgeolli (rice wine) and have a drink.

Perilla oil makguksu (₩12,000) and how to eat the dongchimi broth

I think Memil Jangteo's perilla oil makguksu is absolutely the number one pick for people who love the nutty flavor of perilla oil! What sets it apart from other places is that it's soaked in Memil Jangteo's own toasty ground perilla seed powder, and that nuttiness is on another level.

The dongchimi broth comes alongside. Don't pour it in from the start; finish the noodles, then add about half the broth, stir and eat, and the savory depth is amazing.

The 100% pure buckwheat noodles look healthy just by sight, so they felt right for bringing older family members. Mix them well with the perilla oil and take a bite, and the nutty flavor is beyond words, so you keep eating.

Dongchimi makguksu (₩11,000) as Yangjae Citizens' Forest naengmyeon

The dongchimi makguksu comes with slushy ice floating in it, which makes it the perfect dish for blazing sun and sweaty skin. Next, the dongchimi makguksu, which is like the naengmyeon of Yangjae Citizens' Forest, made its appearance.

As expected, the noodles with the highest buckwheat content felt really healthy, and the cool broth and ground perilla seed powder went together so well.

I scooped up the crunchy radish strips and slushy ice by the spoonful, and the heat vanished. I think you can safely call it the number one choice when you want naengmyeon around Yangjae.

Changing the flavor with vinegar and mustard, and the verdict

Every table at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae has vinegar and mustard sauce, so you can add a little at a time for more depth and enjoy different flavors, which is a plus. Now I can have makguksu comfortably in Yangjae, Seoul, without making a separate trip to Gwacheon. It's a restaurant near Maeheon Citizens' Forest that I'd love to come back to for naengmyeon on another hot day.