Dongtan Chinese spot: mild cold jjamppong, crispy dumplings, Bultina

If you're hunting for a cold jjamppong place in Dongtan, Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch (불티나꼬막짬뽕 동탄남광장점) is worth a look. Cold jjamppong that's easy to enjoy even in hot weather goes really well with crispy gunmandu (pan-fried dumplings).

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch: location, hours, parking

The restaurant is at 149 Nojak-ro, 1st floor, units 107-111, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, South Korea (Bansong-dong 106-2). It's open daily from 11:00 to 03:00, with last order at 02:00. You can park in the Dongtan Namgwangjang public parking lot right in front, and 1 hour 30 minutes of free parking is supported, so it's convenient by car.

• Ordered: cold jjamppong, gunmandu
• Good for: solo meals, lunch, family outings, dinner
• Highlight: cold jjamppong, perfect for summer
• Highlight: crispy fried gunmandu
• Highlight: spacious, clean interior, comfortable from solo meals to family dinners
• Highlight: Namgwangjang public parking lot available

Exterior

The hotter it gets, the more you crave something cold instead of a steaming broth. Naengmyeon (cold noodles) and makguksu (buckwheat noodles) are great, but sometimes you want something different. This time I visited Bultina in Dongtan, famous for its cold jjamppong, for a cooling meal.

Bultina Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch is open all year, every day from 11 AM, and closes at 3 AM! Last order is at 2 AM, so you can go even when a tropical night keeps you from sleeping~

Is Bultina's Dongtan atmosphere OK for eating alone?

The inside is tidy and the tables are nicely spaced, so eating alone is comfortable. It felt relaxed no matter how many people came, and plenty of families and friends were dining there too.

At lunchtime, diners kept coming in steadily, so it felt like a place many people in Dongtan already know.

The restaurant was kept clean, and the staff quickly took care of whatever we needed, so nothing was inconvenient during the meal. Food came out at a reasonable pace too, so even in the busy lunch rush it seems you can eat without a wait 😋

What I ordered at Bultina Dongtan: cold jjamppong and gunmandu

Bultina's signature dish is of course the kkomak (cockle) jjamppong! But today I went for the cold jjamppong you can only get in summer, plus gunmandu to go with it~ In weather this hot my appetite drops, and cold jjamppong is refreshing yet filling enough for a proper meal. If you want something different from the usual naengmyeon, it's worth trying once!

Receipt review gunmandu event

At Bultina Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch, you get free gunmandu if you write a receipt review~ So generous.

How were Bultina's gunmandu?

The gunmandu came out freshly fried, crispy outside and juicy inside, and the portion was quite big. I didn't get them through the event, I ordered them separately, and it was a very good choice. One bite is savory and hot, and with a spoonful of the cold jjamppong broth, each brings out the best in the other.

Crispy gunmandu with cold jjamppong matched better than I expected, and it makes the meal feel richer than ordering just one dish.

Is Bultina's cold jjamppong spicy?

The cold jjamppong has a red broth, so at a glance it looks spicy, but it's actually refreshing and not spicy. Slush ice floats on top, so it feels cool just looking at it, and from the first bite the heat was almost forgotten. It tastes different from regular naengmyeon.

The whole octopus in the cold jjamppong especially gives me a surge of energy just seeing it~ They also give you scissors and tongs so you can cut it yourself.

They also gave me mustard sauce, but the seasoning was just right so I didn't add it. What I felt while eating is that the food isn't over the top overall.

Bultina's cold jjamppong is the kind you enjoy cold at first, and the savory depth builds the more you eat. People who don't usually like salty or strong flavors should find it easy to enjoy.

Cold jjamppong noodles

The noodles have a nice springiness, and scooped up with the broth they're even more refreshing. They didn't seem to go soggy as time passed, so the broth and noodles worked well together to the very end.

If you're stuck on a lunch choice in Dongtan or looking for a different Chinese dish, how about a bowl of Bultina's cold jjamppong, which especially suits the hot season?