Seongdong ramen set with karaage and tom yum tomato ramen: Menya Pomo

Where Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch is and when it opens

Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch is on the 2nd floor of 28 Seoulsup 4-gil, Seongdong-gu, Seoul. It's open 11:00–20:30, with a break time from 15:30 to 17:00.

I was out at Seoul Forest and trying to decide on dinner, and this time I wanted something a bit different — so I ended up at Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch! A Seoul Forest tomato ramen spot!

I already love ramen, but tomato-based ramen isn't something you see often, so I was pretty curious what it would taste like even before going in!!

I already knew of Menya Pomo! Because after you finish the ramen, you can add rice to the leftover broth and eat it like a risotto! I'd seen it all over Reels and was curious!!

Tablet ordering, free rice and bar seats for solo diners

At Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch you can comfortably order and pay right from the tablet at your table!!

And plain rice at Menya Pomo is free!! Amazing right!! After you finish your ramen, I really recommend adding rice and eating it as a risotto!!

Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch also has a great solo-dining zone!! Lots of people were eating alone!! It's nice that there's a separate bar like this for solo diners!! Everyone can eat comfortably without worrying about each other!

What we ordered: tom yum and tantan tomato ramen sets

We ordered the tom yum tomato ramen and the tantan tomato ramen! Since it's such an unusual menu I couldn't even imagine the flavor, which made me even more curious!!

Each table also had detailed instructions on how to enjoy the dish best!!

Since we ordered the set menu, the drink came out first! It was a nice surprise that they even had zero-sugar apple cider vinegar drink!!

The tom yum tomato ramen and tantan tomato ramen we ordered! Seriously so generous!! I usually eat a lot and I was still completely full..! Sometimes you go to places where guys feel like the portions aren't enough.. but at Menya Pomo... the portions are genuinely huge!

How does the tomato ramen taste? Savory more than tart

At first I thought since it's tomato-based it would taste sharply sour like tomato pasta, but once I actually tried it, it felt much closer to ramen than I expected! The tomato's tartness just seemed to pull out more savory depth!!

There's the tomato's signature tartness, but the broth itself is rich and umami, so it went so well with the noodles! The seasoning soaked right into the noodles too. It's definitely a different feel from a regular tonkotsu or shoyu ramen, so Menya Pomo's tomato ramen felt like something worth trying at least once!!

Tom yum tomato ramen at spice level 3: how hot is it?

I went with the tom yum tomato ramen at spice level 3! You could adjust the spice level too!! By my standard, level 3 wasn't overwhelmingly spicy — it was just the right kind of tasty spicy!

And with a poached egg and Korean beef cutlet on top, it was hearty with protein too!

What comes with the set: fresh salad, karaage and cheese rice

The fresh salad that came with the set!! It seemed to have a sort of mayo-based sauce, and the potato salad on top was delicious too — and just because it's a side that comes with the set menu doesn't mean the portion is small, it's actually huge!!!!

The karaage (Japanese-style fried chicken) had thick, juicy pieces of chicken and was so good!! And served warm

The cheese rice is for turning into risotto after you finish the ramen!!

At first I thought, 'would tomato even work with ramen?' but the combination turned out to be really great!! If you like tomato-based dishes or tomato pasta, this is something you can try without much hesitation! And since the flavor can change depending on the toppings, next time I'd want to try other menu items too!!

The tom yum tomato ramen broth was so good that I was supposed to save some for the risotto.. but I ended up drinking almost all of it..? Haha, couldn't stop myself with that broth..

I didn't burst the poached egg right away — I saved it for near the end and ate it with the rich broth!! That made the broth even smoother!!

Eating the noodles together with the broth, I could taste both the tomato's fresh brightness and the ramen's umami at the same time! The broth is on the thick side, so it clings well to the noodles!

You absolutely have to add the Korean beef cutlet!! It was packed with meat inside and soaked in the tomato ramen broth — so good!!

Finishing the leftover broth as tomato risotto

One fun point about Menya Pomo! Adding rice to the leftover ramen broth to eat it like a risotto!! You just need to leave the broth down to the dotted line!

You add topping rice after eating some of the ramen, then pour the leftover tomato broth over it! It's not just ramen and done — you get to finish it off like a tomato risotto, so even after a full meal I was still completely satisfied!! Since it's a tomato-based broth it goes really well with rice too, and personally, this combination was the most fun part of Menya Pomo!!

Who should try Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch

Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch was a place I think I'll remember for when I'm craving something a bit different from my usual ramen order!!

Since it's tomato-based ramen, it felt a bit unfamiliar at first, but once I tried it, it worked with ramen better than I expected — and above all, being able to finish it off risotto-style with rice was really fun!

If you're looking for somewhere to eat lunch or dinner in Seoul Forest, save this as a Seoul Forest ramen spot where you can try something different! Especially if you like tomato pasta or tomato sauce normally, I'd recommend the tomato ramen too! If you're looking for a different kind of ramen in Seoul Forest, it's Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch!