Sejong Lake Park pho shop worth a return trip: bun cha at Mekong Thai

• Mekong Thai, which I came back to after a long lunch wait made me run my errands first
• Bun cha and brisket pho shared with a friend
• Bun cha ₩16,900, brisket pho ₩12,900
• Tender brisket and appetite-boosting sweet-and-sour bun cha
• A neat set of side dishes and jasmine tea made it a happy meal

Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch: hours and break times

Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch is at 91 Doum 8-ro, Sejong, Sejong Machi Unit 302. It is open every day from 10:30 to 21:00 (last order 20:40). Break time is 15:00–17:00 Tuesday to Thursday and 16:00–17:00 on Sundays.

• Address: 91 Doum 8-ro, Sejong, Sejong Machi Unit 302
• Hours: open every day, regular hours 10:30–21:00
• Last order: 20:40
• Break time: Tue–Thu 15:00–17:00 / Sunday 16:00–17:00
• Holiday notice: Oct 3, 5 and 9 are 10:00–21:00, break time 16:00–17:00
• Amenities: takeout, group seating, reservations, Wi-Fi, separate men's and women's restrooms
• Website: http://www.mekongthai.co.kr/

When I first went at lunchtime, the wait was long. Leave plenty of time for your meal, and if you come back after running other errands, check the break times too.

Why I went back to Mekong Thai despite the lunch wait

I turned back once because of the lunchtime wait at Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch, then came back after my errands and ate here. Even with the wait, it was a place I wanted to return to.

I visited Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch with a friend not long ago. We went for lunch at first, but the wait was huge. Eating right away didn't look possible, so we took care of other errands first and came back a while later.

After turning back once, you'd think we might eat somewhere else, but that day I really wanted pho and bun cha, so we went back. Since it took two trips, I was even more excited, and after eating I thought, yes, glad we came back.

What we ordered for two, and the prices

At Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch, my friend and I ordered bun cha (₩16,900) and brisket pho (₩12,900), ₩29,800 in total. Pairing a warm soup dish with sweet-and-sour bun cha made it fun to alternate between them.

I liked this combo because you get two different flavors instead of two similar dishes. When I eat with a friend I love picking different dishes and tasting them together, and that day I thought it would have been a bit of a shame with just one.

Mekong Thai brisket pho: tender meat

What I liked most about the Mekong Thai brisket pho (₩12,900) was the texture of the brisket. It was so tender that I could eat it comfortably without chewing for ages.

What I love about pho is the comforting taste of warm broth and noodles together. Take a bite of noodles, follow it with broth, and it flows smoothly through your mouth, so you naturally reach for the next spoonful.

Picking up noodles and meat together added a savory note to the soft noodles and made each bite even better. When meat is tough it can feel separate from the noodles, but that day it blended in nicely. I also liked that the same bowl tastes a little different from bite to bite depending on whether you add a piece of meat.

If you like dishes with warm broth or prefer tender meat, the brisket pho should suit you well.

Mekong Thai bun cha: sweet and sour, so you keep reaching for more

The Mekong Thai bun cha (₩16,900) wakes up your appetite with sourness first, followed by sweetness. It had a different charm from the brisket pho.

The sourness spreads through your mouth first and perks up your appetite, then the sweetness joins in, so even after one bite you want another. With sour and sweet together, the flavor stayed lively the whole way through.

I also liked how the noodles, dipped in the sauce, came out moist and clingy. Unlike plain noodles, the sweet-and-sour taste made my mouth feel much fresher.

After eating warm pho, a bite of bun cha changed the flavor and woke my appetite again, and after bun cha I found myself craving the pho broth. Alternating the two, I enjoyed it right to the end. I liked this combination so much that I'd order the bun cha again if I come back with a friend.

Simple but neat side dishes

The side dishes at Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch weren't many and came out simple, but they were neatly prepared. They were nice to have between bites of the main dishes.

I liked the tidy look of the table too. Even without many varieties, I felt a set that goes well with the meal is enough. Focusing on the pho and bun cha and adding the sides now and then let us enjoy a calm meal.

Finishing fresh with jasmine tea

Jasmine tea was served with the meal at Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch, and that stuck with me too. The jasmine tea after enjoying the sweet-and-sour bun cha was especially good.

After a good meal, a sip of tea spread a subtle fragrance and felt like it neatly cleaned up my mouth. Even after a filling meal, my mouth felt fresh at the end, which I was happy about. It's not just the dishes; small touches like this stay in my memory of a meal.

A meal worth going back for

The long wait on my first visit was a letdown, but the meal at Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch, after I ran my errands and returned, was satisfying. Pho with tender brisket and sweet-and-sour bun cha, plus jasmine tea at the end, wrapped up the meal on a happy note.

If you're looking for a good place near Sejong Lake Park and you're craving pho and bun cha, Mekong Thai Sejong Lake Park Branch is worth keeping in mind. Just note that the lunch wait was long on the day I visited, so if you go at lunchtime, it's best to leave plenty of time. Hope that helps!