Bokdae-dong ramen spot with window bar seats in Cheongju: Myeonsikdang

Today I had a solo meal at Myeonsikdang, a well-known spot in Jiwel City, Cheongju! >_<

I ordered the tonkotsu ramen with fire-flavor mini butadon (grilled pork rice bowl) set, and added two pieces of mozzarella cheese katsu on top!! Some days, even eating alone, you just want everything you want.. >_< I came home absolutely stuffed!!

When I visited, there were several other people eating solo too, and quiet music was playing, so it was easy to relax and eat.

And one nice thing about eating alone.. not having to give up my favorite soft-boiled egg to anyone... ♥

Myeonsikdang Jiwel City hours, parking and amenities

Myeonsikdang Jiwel City is open daily from 10:30 to 21:30, with last order at 20:50.

Amenities include Wi-Fi, reservations, delivery, separate men's/women's restrooms, takeout, and parking.

How to get to Myeonsikdang Jiwel City in Bokdae-dong

By road name, the address is A-dong 101-ho, 39 Daenong-ro, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea; by lot number, it's Bokdae-dong 288-124, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju, Chungbuk, South Korea.

Window bar seats made for solo dining

Inside, there are 2-top tables and 4-top tables,

and there's also a bar-style table lined up along the window where you can sit side by side! When you're eating alone, spotting a seat like this is such a relief haha. You can also look outside while you eat~

The restaurant had quiet, mellow music playing~ It was easy listening while eating, so the atmosphere was nice too~ There were quite a few solo diners, so it didn't feel awkward~ The first time you eat alone, you can't help but glance around, right lol. Here, eating alone looked so natural that even a first-timer would feel less self-conscious!

What's on the Myeonsikdang menu

What I ordered and what it cost

• Tonkotsu ramen + fire-flavor mini butadon set: ₩12,200
• Spicy ramen upgrade: +₩500
• Mozzarella cheese katsu, 2 pieces: ₩5,900

Switching the tonkotsu ramen set to spicy makes it ₩12,700, and the cheese katsu is a separate add-on item!

Spicy tonkotsu ramen: how hot is it?

The tonkotsu ramen broth was orange, so I let my guard down thinking "this probably won't be that spicy" lol, but once I tasted it, it was savory with just a bit of spice! For my palate, the savory flavor really came through, and the more I ate, the more refreshing the broth felt.

At first the color of the broth caught my eye, but as I kept eating, the taste of the broth is what stuck with me.

The noodles are on the thin side. They were well seasoned too, which I liked. I eat really slowly, but that day the noodles didn't go soft easily while I was eating :) I think this would be good for slow eaters too.

There's one big piece of meat on top of the ramen! No gamey smell at all, and the ratio of lean meat to fat was exactly to my taste!

There were also finely chopped green onions and bean sprouts in it, which I ate together with the noodles~~

And the egg! When I eat with other people, I always say "oh, I don't really like eggs~" and let them have it. But honestly, I love soft-boiled eggs..I love them..I'm just being generous, okay!!!! ㅠㅠlol The life of an oldest daughter.. sigh.. My younger sibling probably has no idea how I feel ㅠㅠlol!!!!!! But today I came alone, so this one's mine! ♥

The egg wasn't runny enough for the yolk to spill out, more like a light soft-boil! The color reminded me a bit of jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) eggs! It seemed like the egg had a slight seasoning too! Not sure if it was seasoned from the start or if it just soaked up the broth, but I ate it thinking, wow, this is good haha. Maybe it tastes even better because I didn't have to share it, haha.

Fire-grilled mini butadon (pork rice bowl)

The fire-flavor mini butadon that came with the tonkotsu ramen set!!! It's hot, so you have to be careful!!! (the staff explained this to me, hehe)

🔥 The bowl is very hot, so be careful when you pick it up!!!!🔥

Since it was hot, I didn't dig in right away and let it cool a bit first,, I'm not great with hot food, hehe (but I love that fire flavor a lot…)

The meat was tender and the fire flavor really came through! No off-putting gamey smell while eating either!!! (I'm very sensitive to that kind of smell 😤😤)

The seasoning is on the slightly salty side, but it went really well with the rice. The meat was tender, so it paired nicely with rice. I think my kid would like this dish too!! (thinking of my son even now.. I guess I really am a mom.. 🥹)

Mozzarella cheese katsu, 2 pieces

I also ordered two pieces of mozzarella cheese katsu as a side ~! It was absolutely packed with cheese inside.. the ultimate visual...

When you cut into it, the cheese pulls and stretches, and it was fun even eating alone ㅠㅠlol Cheese katsu really is best eaten while it's still warm ✨

I dipped it into the sauce that came with it and finished every last bit ✨

Is Myeonsikdang Jiwel City good for eating alone in Cheongju?

If you're looking for a good place to eat in Jiwel City, Cheongju, and wondering whether it's okay to go alone, I think Myeonsikdang is worth a visit :) ✨ Listening to quiet, mellow music and taking my time over a meal like this — what a nice day..