Mangwon Station noodle shop, ₩49,000 pork belly bossam: Pyeongidambaek

Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch

Today I'm introducing Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch, where the bone kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and suyuk (boiled pork) are really good, and a side of dumplings makes the meal even more satisfying. It's a true Mangwon-dong gem that works for lunch or a hearty dinner. When you crave warm broth in Mangwon, your feet just carry you here. Like the name suggests, the broth is mild yet deep, and that's the biggest charm of this place. Okay, let me skip the preamble and get right into it!

Where is Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch?

Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch is a kalguksu restaurant about a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Mangwon Station. The address is 84 Yanghwa-ro 7-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

The opening hours and menu are posted out front, so have a look, haha.

Atmosphere and seating: good for solo diners and groups?

The inside has a warm, wood-toned interior that makes it a comfortable place to eat. The space is large and has inner seating too, so it's great for group gatherings in Mangwon-dong.

I'd also recommend it for eating alone near Hapjeong, because the space is big enough that you don't feel self-conscious, haha. There's a wait at lunchtime, so keep that in mind :)

I hear it's a Mangwon-dong suyuk spot that won a 2024 Innovative Koreans award~

What's on the menu?

The signature dish here is the tender bossam suyuk (boiled pork, eaten in wraps)! There's also bone kalguksu, and as you'd expect from a kalguksu place, there are so many varieties~

They have bone soup with rice too, so if you don't like noodles, you can have rice instead^^

The country-of-origin notice is posted as well. For the spicy dishes, you have to stir in all of the seasoning paste (dadaegi). Apparently that's how you get the best flavor, haha.

They've also started serving bossam suyuk and kongguksu (cold soybean noodle soup). And nothing beats kongguksu in summer, right~? Haha.

Kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) and kimchi came as the basic side dishes. The kkakdugi and kimchi here are absolutely amazing...!!

₩49,000 bossam suyuk: how are the dried radish and cabbage wraps?

The bossam suyuk at Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch costs ₩49,000. Pork belly is boiled until tender, and it pairs wonderfully with the seasoned radish (mu-saengchae) served alongside~ It comes out in a very generous portion.

Basic side dishes came with the bossam! ❤️ Kimchi / dried radish (mumallaeng) / ssamjang (seasoned dipping paste) / salted shrimp / garlic / chili peppers, neat and varied. And the dried radish is so good 🫢 It was so delicious from the first bite that I couldn't wait for the bossam, haha.

On a piece of sweet cabbage, which I love, I put the mild, chewy, nutty pork belly suyuk, then dried radish, ssamjang and garlic, haha. The juicy suyuk, the tangy-sweet dried radish and the crunchy, sweet cabbage go so well together!! There's no gamy smell at all, and it's chewy yet mild, totally my taste. Maybe it's because I love eating suyuk with leafy wraps, but it was even better for me. You know protein doesn't make you fat, right~~? Haha.

₩12,000 bone kalguksu: how were the broth and noodles?

The bone kalguksu at Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch is ₩12,000 and is the restaurant's signature dish. It has a clear, clean flavor that anyone would like, literally a plain and mild (pyeongidambaek) bone kalguksu.

The kalguksu comes topped with plenty of bones, and the deeply simmered broth and chewy noodles make even one bowl a filling meal~

A dipping sauce for the meat comes too~ Just pick the meat off the bones and dip it, haha.

The deep savoriness that seeps naturally out of the meat lets you enjoy it cleanly down to the last spoonful. The noodles are chewy, soft and springy, and the bone broth is very rich and soaks into them so well, which is why it tastes so good. There are big bones with meat, and tons of it. It was so tasty that I inhaled it 👍🏻

A hot bowl of kalguksu is just perfect on a day like this. I could see why the place has a reputation; the taste totally made sense~ I highly recommend Pyeongidambaek Ppyeo Kalguksu Main Branch as a Mangwon-dong dinner and Seogyo-dong Korean restaurant.