Yeonsan-dong Korean restaurant, tuna bibimbap shared: Sinseon Myeonga

Looking for lunch around Yeonsan-dong, this time I went to Sinseon Myeonga (신선면가), a place where you can have kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and rice together.

Sinseon Myeonga's menu: a kalguksu house that also serves bibimbap

When you hear "kalguksu shop" you usually picture going for just one bowl of noodles, but looking at the menu here there were several kinds of kalguksu plus bibimbap, so I spent a while deciding what to order.

What especially caught my eye was a set where you can get tasting bossam (boiled pork wraps) along with the kalguksu — good for when you want to try a bit of everything. This time I ordered anchovy kalguksu + tasting bossam, tuna bibimbap + tasting bossam, and bibim kalguksu as well.

Rather than sticking to one menu item, I ordered like this so we could split several dishes and share.

Side dishes at Sinseon Myeonga: kimchi and sundae

While waiting for the food, I tried the basic side dishes too, and true to a kalguksu shop, the kimchi went really well. Kimchi is essential with kalguksu, and eating it alongside the noodles really woke up my appetite.

Even without a lot of extra side dishes, kimchi alone paired nicely with the kalguksu.

It was also a little unusual that Sinseon Myeonga serves sundae (Korean blood sausage) as a basic side. Sundae isn't a common pairing at a kalguksu shop, so it was a bit surprising at first, but it was nice to pick at before the meal.

Anchovy kalguksu with tasting bossam, 11,900 won

Anchovy kalguksu + tasting bossam, ₩11,900

First up was the anchovy kalguksu and tasting bossam set.

The broth was made from simmered anchovies, so it was clean but had a subtle depth to it.

Rather than being intensely rich, it was a warm, comforting broth that was easy to finish a whole bowl of.

They say the noodles are house-made fresh noodles too, and eating them, the noodles definitely had more chew than typical ones.

Slurped together with the broth, the noodle texture was pretty great.

And then the tasting bossam that came with it.

This was better than I expected.

Instead of eating bossam as the main dish, having a little bit alongside kalguksu actually felt lighter and less heavy.

A spoonful of warm kalguksu, a piece of bossam, and some kimchi together — the combination worked really well.

I thought that if kalguksu alone feels a little lacking, adding tasting bossam would be a good move.

Tuna bibimbap with tasting bossam, 14,400 won

Tuna bibimbap + tasting bossam, ₩14,400

Second was the tuna bibimbap and tasting bossam.

I tried ordering bibimbap at a kalguksu shop, and it worked out better than I expected.

With tuna mixed in with the rice and various toppings, it had a totally different feel from the kalguksu.

If you'd rather eat rice than noodles, this dish would be a good pick.

Sinseon Myeonga doesn't just have noodle dishes but also bibimbap options, so it's a good spot for a group where everyone can order according to their own taste.

Having the tuna bibimbap together with tasting bossam made for a pretty filling meal. It's a good setup for when ordering a whole bossam separately feels like too much but you still want a taste of it. 👏

Bibim kalguksu, 8,000 won

Bibim kalguksu, ₩8,000

And I also ordered the bibim kalguksu (spicy mixed noodles) I'd personally been curious about.

With its red seasoning, it looked appetizing right off the bat.

If anchovy kalguksu is on the warm, light side, bibim kalguksu is mixed with seasoning, so it's a totally different experience.

The noodles themselves were chewy, so mixed with the seasoning the texture was great. Thanks to the tangy, spicy sauce, my chopsticks kept going back for more.

I went in only thinking of warm broth kalguksu, but after trying the bibim kalguksu too, I realized there were quite a lot of menu options here.

Noodles and rice at one table in Yeonsan-dong

After trying several menu items this time, what I noticed was that Sinseon Myeonga isn't just a place to go for kalguksu alone — it's also worth seeking out as a solid restaurant to eat at in Yeonsan-dong.

If you're craving kalguksu, you can order the anchovy kalguksu or bibim kalguksu, and if you want rice, you can go for a rice dish like the tuna bibimbap — so even if the people you're with want different things, it's easy to match everyone up.

Especially if you're visiting alone, trying one of the set menus that includes tasting bossam seems like a good option.

The advantage was being able to eat a little of many things rather than just one dish. After finishing everything, they even brought out yakgwa and bit-flavored rice punch as dessert — a spot I really want to recommend.

Getting there: walk from Yeonsan Station, park behind the restaurant

The location is within walking distance of Yeonsan Station, so it's easy to get to when you're looking for a restaurant near Yeonsan Station. There's also a parking space behind the store, so parking was convenient too!

Is Sinseon Myeonga worth a visit?

This time I tried three dishes — anchovy kalguksu, tuna bibimbap, and bibim kalguksu — and since each one has a different style, it seems like it'd be even more fun visiting with several people to share. A good place to go on days you're craving kalguksu with broth in Yeonsan-dong, or on days you want rice, or when you just can't decide between the two. Next time I'd like to try the other kalguksu menu items I didn't get to this time.