Family Chinese lunch in Goyang: Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch

My dad has had a little downtime lately, so I’ve been spending more time with my parents~ When I asked what they felt like eating, they said jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce) and jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), so we went together for a delicious lunch at Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch.

A Chinese restaurant near Seooreung for a family lunch

Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch is near Seooreung, so it is easy to get to. If you get hungry after visiting Seooreung, a hearty bowl of spicy jjamppong makes for a filling meal. There are also plenty of nice places nearby for a walk or drive after eating, so it works well as part of a weekend outing.

It is a standalone building, so it is not hard to find and is convenient to visit by car. Parking is always a concern wherever you go, but there is a spacious parking area right in front of and beside the restaurant, which makes driving here easy.

The posted hours are 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. every day, making it good not only for lunch or dinner but also for an early meal.

Spacious seating, a self bar, and after-meal drinks

We arrived around 11, and there were already a few people eating. After 11:30, guests kept trickling in and the seats gradually filled up. Inside, the restaurant was spacious and pleasant. There was plenty of seating, so it would be good for a larger group too. On one side, I spotted signs that famous celebrities had visited.

The self bar was neatly organized. You can take as much of the basic side dishes as you need, and pick up extra tableware, scissors, or tongs if needed. Rice is available too, and mixing it into the jajang sauce or jjamppong broth means you can really fill up. If you are visiting with a little one for a family meal, children’s tableware and high chairs are ready too!!

After the meal, you can have coffee or drinks, which makes it easy to wrap things up comfortably. Chinese food can leave your mouth feeling a little rich afterward, so being able to finish with coffee or a drink was quietly satisfying too.

There are lots of coffee options too~ From Americano to caramel macchiato, café latte, and instant mix coffee, you can choose what suits your taste. There is even hot chocolate and yulmu tea (roasted job’s tears tea), two things you cannot leave out of a vending-machine drink station.

When it is hot like it has been lately, cold drinks are what you want. Omija juice, maesil plum juice, peach iced tea, and blue lemon ade are all available—truly such a varied, customer-tailored selection.

If you came because you were craving jjamppong but did not think through your outfit… that was me!! I wore a light-colored T-shirt and worried about splashes, but they thoughtfully had disposable aprons, which were so useful. For those with long hair~ there are hair ties too, so keep that in mind!

Choosing jjamppong and Chinese dishes on a tablet

Despite the name Jjamppong Jijeon, it is not just jjamppong: there is a wide range of Chinese dishes including jajangmyeon, fried rice, and tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried pork). Along with the signature Jijeon jjamppong, there are cold jjamppong, soft-tofu jjamppong, rice-noodle jjamppong, and sujebi jjamppong with hand-torn dough flakes, so it is easy to pick one to your taste.

Ordering is simple on the tablet at the table. When we went in to order jajang and jjamppong, we could choose from five spice levels. Adding an extra-large portion costs ₩2,500. Jjamppong works the same way!

• Basic: not spicy
• Level 1: 1.5 times Shin Ramyun
• Level 2: intensely spicy
• Level 3: 4 times Shin Ramyun
• Level 4: extremely spicy
• Level 5 or above: call a staff member

There are two kinds of tangsuyuk—glutinous-rice tangsuyuk and Sichuan tangsuyuk—and each comes in small, medium, and large. The country-of-origin notices were also clearly displayed in the restaurant.

Jajang, rice-noodle jjamppong, and tangsuyuk shared by three

We ordered an extra-large Jijeon jajangmyeon for ₩12,000, rice-noodle jjamppong for ₩13,000, and medium glutinous-rice tangsuyuk for ₩24,000. There were so many choices that we debated, then settled on these three: Jijeon jajang, rice-noodle jjamppong, and glutinous-rice tangsuyuk.

First, the basic sides of danmuji pickled radish, jjajangmyeon-style pickled mustard greens, and water arrived. We brought back more kkakdugi cubed radish kimchi, onion and chunjang black bean paste, danmuji, and other sides from the self bar.

Before long, our order appeared!! Everything came out at once without much waiting, perfect for digging in right away. With jajangmyeon, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk for three people, the spread looked quite generous.

When you come as a group, it is nice to add tangsuyuk alongside jajangmyeon and jjamppong instead of ordering only one dish, because you get to taste a variety of things.

Extra-large Jijeon jajang

The jajangmyeon was the first thing I reached for! We ordered the extra-large size for a filling lunch, and there was plenty to share in little portions among several people. We mixed it well so the sauce coated the noodles, then cut them with scissors to make them easier to eat.

The noodles and jajang sauce came together beautifully rather than feeling separate~! Rolling up the noodles, I could really taste the nutty, gently sweet jajang flavor, and it was delicious. There was lots of meat, and the noodles had just the right springiness without being limp or overcooked. Jajangmyeon really is a dish you never get tired of, no matter when you eat it. If you have sauce left, mix in some rice for an even heartier, tasty finish.

Rice-noodle jjamppong

Then came the rice-noodle jjamppong that my dad and I had been looking forward to! Since we had come to a jjamppong specialty restaurant, jjamppong was naturally what we were most excited for first~ One sip of the hot broth was spicy and warming, with that refreshing, distinctive seafood flavor, which I loved.

They also have standard jjamppong noodles, but we ordered rice noodles because my dad was curious, and it made for something a little different. Bean sprouts are a must with rice noodles! Before eating, we added bean sprouts that we had brought from the self bar and mixed everything well. The chewy rice noodles went so well with the spicy jjamppong broth, and it was perfect for lunch.

The jjamppong broth was refreshing and delicious, so it was perfect for mixing with rice. It felt like curing a hangover with a spicy broth! Noodles and rice together made for a truly filling meal.

Medium glutinous-rice tangsuyuk and fried dumplings

Tangsuyuk is another thing you cannot skip at a Chinese restaurant! We ordered the medium glutinous-rice tangsuyuk. The crispy-fried tangsuyuk paired well with the spicy jjamppong and was delicious with the jajangmyeon too. I tried a bite without sauce first: crisp outside, moist inside~!! The signature chewy texture of glutinous rice came through, and it was so good.

Dipped in the sweet-and-tangy sauce, it was even more heavenly~~! The coating was neither too thick nor hard, and it went well with the meat, so I kept reaching for more without feeling weighed down. A piece of tangsuyuk, a spoonful of jjamppong broth, then a chopstickful of jajangmyeon—Chinese food combinations really cannot fail~

Fried dumplings are a great side when jajangmyeon and jjamppong alone feel a little lacking! The dumplings arrived golden and fried, their crisp exterior making my mouth water just looking at them~ Eating them fresh, the outside was crisp and the filling warm, so the contrast in texture came through even more. They had a lightly spicy, smoky wok flavor too, making them feel like a special extra.

After our delicious meal, we enjoyed after-meal coffee and drinks. Before leaving, you can use clothing deodorizer, and there is mouthwash in the restroom if you need it. The owner’s thoughtful touches were visible everywhere ♥︎

From the extra-large jajangmyeon to rice-noodle jjamppong, medium glutinous-rice tangsuyuk, and fried dumplings, ordering several dishes and sharing everything made for an even more generous and fun meal. It was great for eating out because everyone could choose something they wanted and share it together, and I think it was even nicer because I could enjoy a relaxed lunch with my parents.

If you are looking for somewhere to eat with your parents near Seooreung, or for a family dining spot, do stop by Jjamppong Jijeon Seooreung Branch, where you can try a variety of Chinese dishes. Our family had a delicious meal there. 😊