Chilly-day lunch at a Dongtan Station pho restaurant: Mibundang

Store info 🍜 🏠 969-2 Osan-dong, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea ⏰ Daily 11:00-21:00 (closed Tuesdays)

Where is Mibundang Dongtan Station, and where do you park?

Mibundang Dongtan Station Branch is on the first floor of the Hayanpungcha Bakery building near Dongtan Station, and parking in the building gets you 1 hour free. As the weather got noticeably chillier, I found myself craving something with a hot broth 🍜 I usually love Mibundang's pho, and since there happened to be one at Dongtan Station too, I stopped by on my lunch break!!

What time should you go to avoid the lunch wait?

If you arrive around 11:45-11:50, you'll just barely avoid the wait at Dongtan Station's Mibundang! We got there close to noon and there were about two parties waiting ahead of us. It seems like a popular light meal option near Dongtan Station, because tables fill up fast during lunch hour.

We ordered brisket-tendon pho (₩12,500), brisket pho (₩10,000), and the assorted fried platter (₩8,500) through the kiosk outside the store.

There's a bench outside, and while we waited they had chilled hutgae tea (Korean raisin tree tea) and parasols ready for us. The owner's thoughtfulness is amazing 🥹 It was my first time seeing a restaurant that even has parasols on hand haha. Since it's a noodle place with fast turnover, we chatted for about 5-10 minutes and our turn came up quickly!

Open kitchen and spoons tucked under the table

Inside, Mibundang Dongtan Station Branch has an open kitchen where you can watch the cooking process right in front of you. Once you sit down, they set up the basics. Don't panic if you don't see chopsticks or a spoon — they're hidden under the table haha. The whole store makes clever use of space, and even the placement of the sauces felt thoughtfully designed haha.

Brisket-tendon pho, ₩12,500 for two cuts of beef in one bowl

When you want both brisket and tendon, the brisket-tendon pho is exactly right!

It's great for enjoying two kinds of meat, half brisket and half tendon. Mixing the two flavors of meat gives a variety of textures and tastes.

Chewy tendon, and brisket meat that's soft and melts as you eat it.

Even the chewy noodles slide right down.

Above all, Mibundang's pho broth, simmered from meat for a long time, really has a deep savory flavor similar to galbitang (short rib soup). I just kept drinking the broth…

Tendon pho and free noodle refills at Mibundang

Next is the tendon pho, and honestly there seemed to be more shredded meat topping than noodles. If you're someone who normally loves meat, this will satisfy you even more!

Crunchy bean sprouts, clean and savory meat, and chewy noodles all came together into a well-rounded bowl. Mibundang offers free noodle refills, and the portion is already bigger than most pho places, so I'd recommend trying it first before adding more!!

If you ask, they'll add cilantro to your liking, so if you love cilantro, feel free to request it.

Assorted fried platter: five sides for ₩8,500

Next up, the assorted fried platter! Great for when it feels like a waste to eat just one kind — you get to enjoy all the sides at once.

• Sweet potato spring rolls
• Scallop spring rolls
• Potato-wrapped shrimp
• Fried dumplings
• Wings

You get sweet, crispy, and spicy all in one go, so I highly recommend making the fried platter a must-order 💕 Whatever gets fried here somehow tastes great,,, all of it is delicious. We came for a light lunch and left having eaten way more than planned 🫠

Bar seats for solo diners, candy and mouthwash by the door

At the entrance of Mibundang Dongtan Station Branch, there was even candy and mouthwash set out. This owner really has great taste, the attention to detail is no joke. With all bar-style seating, it's great for solo dining, and since it's noodles, service is fast too — a solid spot near Dongtan Station. As autumn approaches and you're craving something warm and brothy, why not check out Mibundang at Dongtan Station 🍜