Seocho Chinese restaurant with hand-pulled jajangmyeon: Maeranbang

Come to think of it, my partner and I had never really gone out for a proper Chinese meal before?? So after work, we went to Maeranbang Gyodae Branch (매란방 교대점), known as a great Chinese restaurant near Gyodae Station •ᴗ•

Getting to Maeranbang Gyodae Branch from Gyodae Station

Maeranbang Gyodae Branch is about a two-minute walk from exits 9 and 14 of Gyodae Station. It is right by the station, so it is easy to reach by public transit too :)

Spacious tables and private-room atmosphere

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was just how enormously spacious the restaurant was. It was clean and upscale overall, so I felt like I had stepped into a hotel Chinese restaurant!

Further inside, there are lots of private rooms, accommodating from four people up to a group of 30. It is perfect not only for dates, but also for family gatherings, wedding-meeting dinners, or a slightly formal work get-together.

How can even the walk to the restroom have such a nice atmosphere haha

We visited with a reservation, and even the table for two had so much room. With such a wide table, we could put down lots of dishes and still eat comfortably; my partner and I even said it would be so nice for a wedding-meeting dinner someday!

Maeranbang Gyodae Branch menu and courses

Maeranbang had such a varied menu! There are value-for-money lunch courses in the ₩10,000 range, all the way to a ₩90,000 signature course that suits a formal occasion. There are plenty of individual dishes too, including jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) and tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried pork), so it is great for a casual meal as well.

The signature course in particular lets you enjoy everything from cold appetizers and soup to dim sum and main dishes at once, so it seems like a great choice when you want a generous spread of different dishes :)

How were the handmade xiaolongbao?

The handmade xiaolongbao came out before the mains. They arrived in a steamer, still giving off clouds of steam, and just looking at them made my mouth water,, Three little pieces—so tiny and cute.

Put one on a spoon and gently tear it open, and the juices inside flow out so beautifully, ahh.. I sipped a little of the broth, then topped it with some shredded ginger and soy sauce and ate it in one bite. My eyes lit up. The rich meaty aroma and gentle nuttiness made every bite feel so full♥ If you come here, definitely order the dim sum as a side.

Flat hand-pulled potato jajangmyeon

Unlike typical jajangmyeon noodles, these are flat hand-pulled noodles, almost like kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) noodles! You could tell they would be chewy just by looking at them, and one bite confirmed it: bouncy and wonderfully chewy, totally my style.

The big chunks of potato are the point. Mixed with the black bean sauce, they add a rich, weighty savoriness plus a mild flavor—twice as delicious.. The sauce clung right to the hand-pulled noodles, pairing their springy chew with thick jajang sauce for a nutty, deep flavor. So goodㅠㅠ

The hand-pulled gan-jjajangmyeon I personally liked more

Compared with the potato jajangmyeon, this one has lots more onion, and the sauce is a little less thick too!

It is also generously topped with shrimp, squid, and a fried egg. The onions keep their crisp texture, while the jajang sauce comes together lightly instead of feeling heavy!

Above all, it was less sweet than the potato jajangmyeon, so I personally found the hand-pulled gan-jjajangmyeon more delicious🤍

Old-style tangsuyuk dipped in chili oil

When you come for Chinese food, you cannot skip tangsuyuk~ It is a good amount to share between two or three people. I loved that golden look, as if it had been fried in clean oil... The sauce was the sweet-and-tangy flavor we all know!

Chili oil comes with it, and they told us the tangsuyuk tastes even better dipped in it.

A light dip in the chili oil adds a subtle heat, so I could keep eating without it getting greasy❤ The batter was thin and crisp, while the meat inside was thick and tender—dry when you bite into it? Absolutely not.

Jeju hallabong sherbet from the review event

At the end, we also tried the Jeju hallabong (Jeju citrus) sherbet from the review event🍊 Even the dessert came out so elegantly,, It had a vivid sweet-tart hallabong flavor and a texture that melted away softly! My palate was completely refreshed.

The restaurant was spacious and clean, making it a comfortable place to eat, and I will remember the chewy jajangmyeon noodles and dim sum! I am 100% willing to come back next time for the signature course and enjoy more dishes. If you are looking for an atmospheric Chinese restaurant near Gyodae Station, or a spot for a family gathering, work dinner, or wedding-meeting dinner, I recommend Maeranbang Gyodae Branch!