No-break-time Seocho restaurant for perilla oil makguksu: Seonbawi

A makguksu restaurant near Yangjae Citizens' Forest with no break time: Seonbawi Memil Jangteo

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo (선바위메밀장터) Yangjae Branch runs with no break time, so you can eat here even at awkward hours. After shopping at the Express Bus Terminal, I ended up wanting a slightly late lunch, and when I searched nearby, most places were in their break time. Then I found Memil Jangteo, which doesn't close in between.

It was a bit of a trek, but it felt like a stress-free meal, so I headed to Yangjae Citizens' Forest. Memil Jangteo is a makguksu (buckwheat noodle) restaurant famous for its waits around Seonbawi Station in Gwacheon, and I was glad to see new branches popping up one by one.

• Location: 15-11 Gangnam-daero 18-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
• Hours: daily 9:00–21:00
• Parking available in front of the restaurant

A late lunch, so we walked straight in with no wait

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch usually has a wait, but maybe thanks to the awkward hour, I got in right away with no waiting. Lucky day! haha

The interior was clean and no-frills. It's a space that lets you focus on the food, so I sat down comfortably and ordered.

What I ordered at Memil Jangteo and the side dishes

• Perilla oil makguksu (100% buckwheat)
• Pollack hoe suyuk (spicy raw pollack + bossam radish strips + 170g boiled pork)

The side dishes were dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth and white kimchi.

The pollack hoe suyuk came out first, not long after ordering. The noodles are 100% buckwheat, so they start the dough only once you order, which takes a little time.

What does the pollack hoe suyuk taste like?

Memil Jangteo's pollack hoe suyuk is a samhap-style (three-way) combo of boiled pork, seasoned raw pollack and bossam radish strips, with no other vegetables or sauces served separately. Since it arrived before the makguksu, I started with it.

The red-seasoned pollack and radish strips looked appetizing just sitting there.

Above all, the suyuk was better than I expected. The fat-to-lean ratio was just right, and it was boiled moist, not dry.

Eaten with the pollack, the savory depth came through even more.

Texture and taste of the 100% buckwheat perilla oil makguksu

The perilla oil makguksu had that snappy, break-apart texture that pure buckwheat noodles are known for. It arrived a little after the pollack suyuk.

I personally love this texture, so I enjoyed it a lot.

They say they use perilla oil they press themselves, and the aroma wasn't overpowering, just a gentle nuttiness.

It isn't harsh, so I kept reaching for more. It's a mild flavor that my own family and my in-laws would all like. I don't think opinions would split much.

How to pour in the dongchimi broth

The menu at Memil Jangteo says that after finishing the perilla oil makguksu noodles, you should pour about half a bowl of dongchimi broth over and stir it.

When I first drank the dongchimi broth on its own, it felt blander than I expected, but with the makguksu it was completely different. The tangy dongchimi blended well with the nuttiness of the perilla oil, and the noodles finished off feeling cleaner.

Topping the makguksu with pollack hoe

If you put the pollack from the pollack hoe suyuk on top of the perilla oil makguksu, it naturally becomes pollack hoe makguksu. I usually like pollack hoe naengmyeon (cold noodles), so I tried the pollack on the makguksu, and the combination was really good.

The menu had perilla oil makguksu, pollack hoe makguksu and dongchimi makguksu. Order the perilla oil makguksu with the pollack hoe suyuk and you get all three styles: perilla oil, pollack hoe and dongchimi. I recommend that combo.

After the meal, a cup of the warm buckwheat tea set out at the entrance was a perfect palate cleanser.

A late lunch near Yangjae Citizens' Forest: my verdict on Seonbawi Memil Jangteo

I only ended up at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch because of break times elsewhere, but the meal was more satisfying than I expected. If you're looking for a late lunch near Yangjae Citizens' Forest, it's worth a stop. I especially liked the texture of the pure buckwheat noodles and the gentle nuttiness of the perilla oil, and eating it with the pollack hoe suyuk was satisfying too.

I liked that you can visit without pressure even for a late lunch, and if more branches open, I think I'll be dropping by often.