Yeonsan-dong noodle shop: extra-large anchovy kalguksu with kids

I visited Sinseon Myeonga with the kids — a self-made noodle kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) restaurant that kneads its dough and cuts its noodles fresh every single day.

Sinseon Myeonga

Parking at Sinseon Myeonga: call and staff open the barricade

There's a dedicated parking lot for Sinseon Myeonga on the right side of the building. There's a barricade at the entrance, so I wasn't sure how to get in at first, but I called and they opened it right away, so parking was easy.

What the dining room is like at lunchtime

True to its reputation as a kalguksu favorite in Yeonsan-dong, the place was nearly full of customers when we arrived. Luckily one table was just being cleared, so we only waited a moment before sitting down. It really made clear why this Yeonsan Station lunch spot is so popular with locals — packed at lunchtime.

Sinseon Myeonga's menu and kiosk ordering

Ordering was simple through the kiosk at each table. Looking over the menu, besides noodle dishes like anchovy kalguksu, sujebi (hand-torn dough soup), and bibim kalguksu, there were plenty of other options too — bossam, bulgogi bibimbap, octopus bibimbap, pork cutlet, and more. There were also set menus that come with a taste of boiled pork, great for a heartier meal.

The complimentary sundae that starts the meal

After ordering, the complimentary sundae came out first. It looked plump and bouncy, and the chewy sausage skin combined with the sticky texture of glutinous rice gave it a nutty flavor the more you chewed. The filling wasn't dry either — moist and savory, perfect for picking at while waiting for the noodles.

We ordered a large anchovy kalguksu, octopus bibimbap, bulgogi bibimbap, and a taste of boiled pork with each dish.

Extra-large anchovy kalguksu: how do the house-made noodles taste?

We started with the hot anchovy kalguksu. The broth, made from anchovies, was clean and light with a subtle savory depth. It wasn't over-seasoned, but the broth itself had a deep flavor that made me keep spooning it up without hesitation. And since the noodles were made fresh in-house, they had a bouncy, chewy texture. As I slurped them up, the anchovy broth had soaked in nicely, and the combination of the light broth and chewy noodles worked really well together. Ordering the large size meant a generous portion, too.

Octopus bibimbap: add as much octopus as you like

The octopus bibimbap came with bean sprouts, carrots, chives, and seaweed flakes on top of rice, along with a fried egg. You spoon on stir-fried octopus to your own taste and mix it in yourself, so you can control exactly how much octopus you add. We added a moderate amount and mixed everything together with the rice and vegetables. The nutty seaweed flakes, crunchy bean sprouts, and fragrant chives, along with the egg yolk, softened the spiciness of the octopus nicely. The octopus itself was plump and chewy, with a distinct savory flavor that came through the more I chewed, and it wasn't too tough to eat with rice. It was spicy but well-balanced with savory seasoning, and the mix of crunchy vegetables and chewy octopus gave it varied texture — the kind of dish you keep spooning up bite after bite.

The boiled pork taster, eaten with stir-fried octopus and lettuce wraps

The boiled pork (suyuk) came sliced beautifully, glistening and moist just to look at. The meat itself was tender and juicy, with no gamey smell and a clean flavor. It wasn't dry at all, and got nuttier the more you chewed.

I piled kimchi, dried radish strips, garlic, and chili peppers on top and wrapped it all up into a big bundle. The soft, mild pork combined with crunchy kimchi, chewy dried radish, and the kick of garlic and chili brought out the savory flavor beautifully. It also worked surprisingly well wrapped together with the octopus stir-fry — the tender pork, chewy octopus, and spicy seasoning all coming together at once, adding a whole new dimension of savoriness and heat to the mild pork.

Bulgogi bibimbap: gochujang sauce to taste

The bulgogi bibimbap came with a generous helping of savory bulgogi on top of rice, along with vegetables and a fried egg — it looked really appetizing. The bulgogi seemed to be seasoned with soy sauce, giving it a sweet, salty flavor, and I mixed it thoroughly with the gochujang (chili paste) sauce provided, to taste. The sweet bulgogi combined with the gochujang sauce added a spicy-sweet savoriness, and with the crunchy vegetables and soft egg mixed in too, I got to enjoy several flavors and textures at once.

Dessert: sikhye and yakgwa

After the meal, sikhye (sweet rice punch) and yakgwa (honey cookie) were served to cleanse the palate, giving the meal a sweet finish. From kalguksu made with fresh, hand-rolled noodles to bibimbap and boiled pork, the varied menu made Sinseon Myeonga, this kalguksu spot in Yeonsan-dong, a great choice for eating with the kids too.

If you're looking for a good kalguksu restaurant in Yeonsan-dong, give Sinseon Myeonga a try — a Yeonsan Station lunch spot where you can taste fresh, hand-rolled noodles.