Jecheon Chinese restaurant for an autumn couples lunch: Nangman

My husband and I took a fall trip together to Jecheon, Chungbuk. After touring Uirimji, Jecheon's signature lake, we headed to a nearby restaurant that locals rave about. It opened in Seoul's Nowon-gu in 2010 and moved to Jecheon in 2014 — the original cream tangsuyuk place! This is Nangman Jjajang (낭만짜장) in Jecheon. Here's my honest review.

Where is Nangman Jjajang, and how close is it to Uirimji Lake?

Nangman Jjajang sits right behind the large parking lot at Uirimji Lake. It's down an alley right next to Mosang-dong Somang Church, so it was easy to find by car.

There's a private yard right in front of the restaurant that fits about 15 cars, and roadside parking nearby fits about 10 more. The Uirimji public lot, a 3-minute walk away, has over 100 spots, so even nervous drivers can park easily.

The exterior and the wait at an early weekday lunch

The building's easy to spot — the restaurant occupies the 1st floor with what looks like a private home above on the 2nd.

There was a waitlist board right by the entrance — a clear sign this is a real Jecheon local favorite! Since we went during an early weekday lunch, we walked straight in with no line. Apparently on weekend lunch peaks this Uirimji-area restaurant does get crowded and a wait does form. If you're heading here on a weekend, I'd recommend going early.

Inside Nangman Jjajang: can a group sit together?

The hall was quite spacious, and every table was a clean, standing-height table. They start as 4-tops but can be pushed together into long rows, so groups would be comfortable here too.

Extra side dishes and small plates were easy to grab from the self-serve corner.

On one wall hung a 1-star certificate from a program called Siksin (식신) received in 2024. It really had the feel of a place locals in Jecheon come back to again and again.

The restroom was indoors too, which was convenient. Right in front of it were kids' chairs and bibs.

Jecheon local currency is accepted here too, so be sure to use it and save a little!

The Nangman Jjajang menu and ordering at the table kiosk

We ordered and paid simply through the kiosk set up at each table. Looking at the noodle dishes, jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles), the Chinese restaurant staple, came in several forms — regular, spicy pepper jjajang, and tray jjajang — plus jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) in regular and chilled versions. There were also three types of tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork): crispy cream, garlic, and Jecheon-style, so there was plenty to choose from to suit any taste. There was even a dish called "Nangman Geujapchae" on the menu, which made my husband and I laugh as we read through it.

Soy sauce, vinegar, chili powder, and a utensil holder were already set on the table, and after ordering a staff member brought us cold water.

What the couple ordered: tenderloin cream tangsuyuk and tray jjajang

We ordered the restaurant's signature dishes — crispy cream tangsuyuk and tray jjajang.

Tenderloin cream tangsuyuk for two, 25,000 won

The crispy cream tangsuyuk arrives generously topped with a pale, house-made cream sauce. Made with domestic pork tenderloin, there was zero gamey smell and the meat was incredibly tender. Unlike regular tangsuyuk, there were no hard or chewy bits, and the batter had a chewy texture like kkwabaegi-style fried pork — exactly my kind of texture. The sauce was so savory that my husband and I scraped the plate clean.

Tray jjajang for two, 25,000 won

The tray jjajang comes in a two-person portion made with fresh noodles that the restaurant kneads and cuts by hand every morning, apparently. It's loaded with a variety of seafood — baby octopus, squid, shrimp — along with pork. Underneath the noodles was a pool of red chili oil, giving off a rich, spicy, smoky aroma. The spice level is approachable enough that even people who can't handle spicy food could enjoy it, so it seemed like a flavor anyone, any age, would like. Both dishes came in seriously generous portions, and the two of us walked out completely full.

A walk around Uirimji Lake after lunch

After eating we headed straight to Uirimji next door for a walk. Just the sound of the waterfall alone was refreshing, and paired with the beautiful pine-lined path, it was the perfect walk to help digest. If you're touring Uirimji and want a different kind of Chinese food, stop by Nangman Jjajang.