Omokgyo Chinese restaurant with smoky fried rice: Yugwanjang Banjeom

Two of us ate at Yugwanjang Banjeom Omokgyo Station Branch near Omokgyo Station. We ordered one jjajangmyeon and one fried rice, along with mini tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour pork), for a total of ₩30,000. I usually do not care much for fried rice, but the smoky flavor of this one made an impression on me.

How do you get there from Omokgyo Station, and where can you park?

It is in the building directly behind Exit 2 of Omokgyo Station. The address is 256 Mokdongdong-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, and the restaurant is on the second floor. The exterior was clean and easy to spot, so it was not difficult to find from a distance.

The restaurant occupied the entire second floor of the building. Building parking was available, and the notice said that paid parking could be used at Mokdong Public Parking Lot if the building lot was full.

If it is open 24 hours, does it have a break?

The hours listed when the original post was written were 24 hours. However, there was a regular break every week from 9:00 p.m. Monday to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

What is the atmosphere like, and are there group seats?

The interior was clean and tidy. It was already busy with customers from lunchtime, and I liked that there was a TV showing sports games while we ate.

There was group seating at the back, separated like a private room. It was a space worth considering if you are looking for somewhere to eat with several people.

How much does it cost for two meals and tangsuyuk?

The menu included several dishes and baijiu in addition to the meal dishes. Any jjampong menu item could be changed to jjampongbap (rice served with jjampong soup).

• Jjajangmyeon: ₩8,000
• Fried rice: ₩9,000
• Mini tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour pork): ₩13,000
• Total order: ₩30,000

Because mini tangsuyuk was available, the two of us could each choose a meal dish and order the pork as well.

What comes with the meal, and what is at the self-service station?

Vinegar, soy sauce, red pepper powder, and seasoned salt were already placed on the table.

After we ordered, they brought danmuji (pickled radish) and jjacha (preserved mustard greens) as the basic side dishes.

Onions and kimchi were at the self-service station, and we could bring over more side dishes ourselves if needed. Small plates, tongs, scissors, ladles, and other tableware were also generously stocked.

How was the jjampong soup served with the fried rice?

The fried rice arrived first. Since I usually do not like fried rice, I took a bite without high expectations, but it had a smoky flavor and was not greasy. The jjajang sauce served with it also suited my taste, so I kept reaching for more.

The jjampong soup that came with the fried rice was also delicious. After tasting the soup, I regretted not ordering jjampong separately.

How were the jjajangmyeon noodles and sauce?

The jjajangmyeon noodles were springy. The sauce was not simply salty; the sweetness and saltiness were balanced in a way that suited my taste.

How were the coating and meat texture of the mini tangsuyuk?

The mini tangsuyuk we ordered with the meals had a coating that was both crisp and chewy.

The pieces were full inside, and the meat was springy yet tender. I also liked the tangsuyuk sauce, and it was good dipped in soy sauce mixed with vinegar and red pepper powder.

Eating the jjajangmyeon with danmuji and tangsuyuk, followed by the jjampong soup, left me satisfied. Of the three dishes we tried, the smoky flavor of the fried rice—sampled without much expectation—was especially memorable.