Roe, pollack milt kalguksu and 8-kind savory pancakes: Kkeutjang

Kkeutjang Yeoksam, where we enjoyed spicy jang kalguksu loaded with big chunks of roe and pollack milt alongside a variety of jeon

I went to Kkeutjang Yeoksam with a friend craving warm soup. While looking for a good restaurant near Yeoksam, I liked that this place let us have both kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and jeon (savory pancakes) together. It was an easy walk from Yeoksam Station, and beyond the kalguksu, there was a wide selection of jeon that pairs well with makgeolli (Korean rice wine).

373m from Yeoksam Station Exit 7: location and hours

Kkeutjang Yeoksam is about 373m from Exit 7 of Yeoksam Station. It sits right on the road, and with a big sign reading "Kkeutjang" along with the words jang kalguksu, jeon, boiled pork, and makgeolli, it wasn't hard to find.

Out front there was a standing sign introducing the signature menu—jang kalguksu and various jeon. From the spicy kalguksu to the kind of jeon that makes you think of rainy days, the lineup was easy to take in at a glance.

• Address: 12 Nonhyeon-ro 98-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea (1st floor)
• Transit: 373m from Yeoksam Station Exit 7
• Hours: Monday–Friday 11:00–21:30
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Last order: 14:30, 21:00
• Closed: Every Saturday and Sunday

The vibe inside and tablet ordering

Inside, there were plenty of tables ranging from two-seaters to bigger group tables. The overall atmosphere was clean and comfortable, and it looked like a good spot for solo dining, meals with friends, or an office lunch.

Ordering is done through a tablet at the table, which made it easy to take our time checking the menu and prices. I went with the spicy roe-and-milt jang kalguksu, and my friend ordered the cool clam kalguksu. We also added the assorted jeon platter to share.

• Spicy roe & milt jang kalguksu ₩13,500
• Cool clam kalguksu ₩12,000
• Assorted jeon platter ₩26,000
• Total order ₩51,500

Self-serve barley rice, as much as you like

If you order one menu item per person, you can help yourself to as much barley rice as you like from the self-serve bar. Along with the rice, there's radish salad and seasoning so you can mix it to your taste. A free yogurt is also given per person for dessert.

Before the kalguksu arrived, I mixed the barley rice with the radish salad and seasoning until it was evenly coated. The chewy barley rice paired nicely with the crunchy radish salad, and being able to grab more if we ran out made it feel filling. It's fine to eat on its own, but it also works well mixed into the noodle soup broth later.

What does the cool clam kalguksu taste like?

My friend's clam kalguksu had a clear broth loaded with clams, green onion, zucchini, and other vegetables. Unlike the red, spicy roe-and-milt jang kalguksu, this one was clean and refreshing.

The noodles were wide and thick, with a satisfying chew, and they held the broth well. My friend gave me a taste, and the clean, briny flavor from the clams paired well with the light broth. If you're looking for a mild, non-spicy kalguksu near Yeoksam, this is a good pick.

Spicy roe & milt jang kalguksu: the portion of roe and milt

My roe-and-milt jang kalguksu came with a red broth that looked spicy just from the color, topped generously with seaweed flakes and crown daisy greens. The broth also had soft, gently beaten egg mixed in, which took the edge off the spiciness a bit.

Best of all, the roe and pollack milt were bigger and more generous than expected. Every spoonful gave me the pop of the roe and the soft, nutty flavor of the milt. There was plenty of it, so it was easy to alternate between the fillings and the noodles.

The wide, chewy noodles had soaked up the rich broth well. Adding the seaweed flakes and crown daisy greens brought out even more aroma.

The broth was spicy but soothing in a way that made me keep spooning it up—the kind of kalguksu that hits the spot when you want a hearty, filling meal near Yeoksam.

Once we'd worked through the noodles and fillings, I mixed the leftover broth with the barley rice from the self-serve bar. The spicy broth soaking into the barley rice was a totally different experience from eating it with the noodles. Since you can take as much barley rice as you like, anyone worried about the portion size can eat plenty.

8 kinds of jeon in the ₩26,000 assorted platter

The assorted jeon platter arrived filling a large bamboo tray, with a bigger portion than expected. It included ham jeon, enoki mushroom jeon, zucchini jeon, five-color skewer jeon, meat patty jeon, cabbage jeon, tofu jeon, and kimchi jeon—so many kinds it was hard to decide what to try first.

The ham jeon had a salty, familiar taste that went well with the kalguksu. The enoki mushroom jeon kept the mushroom's chewy texture, making it fun to bite into.

The zucchini jeon was moist and soft on the inside, while the five-color skewer jeon had a mix of ingredients that gave it varied texture and flavor. Dipping them in soy sauce with onion brought out the nutty flavor of the jeon even more.

The meat patty jeon had a thick, hearty filling with a good chew, while the cabbage jeon was soft with the cabbage's own gentle sweetness coming through.

The tofu jeon was mild, which paired well with the spicy jang kalguksu. The kimchi jeon had a bold, spicy flavor, making it a good one to grab in between the other kinds.

With a bowl of kalguksu each plus the assorted jeon, the two of us ended up with a seriously hearty meal. It's a good Yeoksam restaurant for kalguksu, and also a solid spot to enjoy a variety of jeon with makgeolli.

After finishing the meal, we each grabbed one of the free yogurts. Finishing off the spicy jang kalguksu and hearty jeon with a sweet, cool yogurt left our mouths feeling refreshed.

Wrap-up

Kkeutjang Yeoksam let us try everything in one visit—jang kalguksu loaded with big chunks of roe and milt, a cool clam kalguksu, and a wide variety of jeon. It was also nice that ordering one menu item per person gets you unlimited barley rice plus a free yogurt for dessert. If you're looking for a good restaurant near Yeoksam, Kkeutjang Yeoksam is worth considering, whether for a hearty bowl of warm kalguksu or for sharing a spread of jeon with a friend.