Sunae-dong Korean restaurant with pollock hoe naengmyeon: Myeongyeok

I'd saved Myeongyeok on Instagram ages ago because it looked so good, and I finally got the chance to visit a few days ago.

Where is Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae, and what are the hours and parking?

Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae is at the far left end of the Hyundai Pantheon officetel building!

It's open daily 11:00–21:00. Break time is 16:00–17:00 (or 15:00–17:00), last order at 14:30 (or 15:30) and 20:30. One thing to note — the break time varies by day of the week! As of writing, only Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday have the 15:00–17:00 break time.

As for parking, the building gives you 2 hours free, then it's ₩500 per 30 minutes after that. You can register your car yourself at the tablet on your way out.

What to order at Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae

Meat bomb naengmyeon + chicken tenderloin katsu (2 pieces), 16,900 won

The meat bomb naengmyeon (cold noodles) + chicken tenderloin katsu (2pc) set is ₩16,900 (naengmyeon alone is ₩12,900).

There was so much meat on it I could barely finish. The flavor isn't overpowering at all, and I highly recommend getting the chicken katsu set no matter what. Eating cold naengmyeon and then taking a bite of crispy chicken katsu was so good.

But next time I want to try the meat bomb bibim naengmyeon (spicy mixed version). It's originally more of a mul naengmyeon (cold soup noodle) place, but I feel like the meat would go even better with the bibim style.

This is the chicken katsu that comes with the set — morning bread rolls, salad, and chicken katsu. My dad doesn't eat chicken dishes normally, but he enjoyed this katsu. He said it just tastes like eating tonkatsu haha. The sauce is excellent too, and I'd really recommend stuffing salad and a piece of katsu between the bread rolls to eat it like a burger.

Half-chicken kalguksu + chicken tenderloin katsu (2 pieces), 13,900 won

The half-chicken kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) + chicken tenderloin katsu (2pc) set is ₩13,900.

The chicken is deboned really well, and there's zero gamey smell — just clean-tasting chicken kalguksu. It's great for warming up on a cold winter day, and the dipping sauce for the chicken is perilla oil sauce, which was nutty and delicious.

Even when I crave dakhanmari kalguksu (whole chicken noodle soup) in summer, I tend to avoid it because most places have you cook it yourself at the table. Here it comes already cooked and the portion is manageable for eating alone, so I think I'll be coming back often.

I ordered the kalguksu as a katsu set too, and going back and forth between the clean broth flavor and the bolder katsu flavor made each one taste even better. I'd recommend getting the kalguksu as a set too!

Pollock hoe naengmyeon, 11,900 won

The pollock hoe naengmyeon (raw pollock cold noodles) is ₩11,900.

I actually don't like myeongtaehoe-muchim (spicy seasoned raw pollock) normally, but I tried a bite of what another family member ordered, and whether it's my taste that's changed or this place is just that good, there was none of the fishy taste or gritty texture I usually dislike. The pollock was so chewy yet soft, and the sauce looked spicy but wasn't spicy at all — just sweet and tangy.

The galbi mandu arrive grilled

The galbi mandu (short rib dumplings) come out grilled, which is unusual! It was my first time trying grilled galbi mandu — crispy on the outside, moist inside, with that distinct savory galbi mandu flavor. Delicious.

I heard the kimchi is made with napa cabbage they grow themselves. You know how kalguksu restaurant kimchi is always the best!! It was so good I kept eating it alongside the kalguksu the whole time.

What the restaurant is like inside

I'd expect it to get busy at lunch, but there were quite a lot of seats, and food came out fast, so turnover seems quick. The tables and tableware were clean, and the whole place felt tidy overall.

The kitchen is open-style like this, which was reassuring, and I saw staff cleaning the kitchen near closing time — they were genuinely thorough about it, which I liked.

Another special touch — you can help yourself to rice made with suhyangmi rice and warm broth. You also grab your own side plates, pickled radish, and kkakdugi (radish kimchi).

This kind of thoughtful menu board would make coming here with young kids a nice experience haha.

They even have fabric deodorizer, xylitol candy, and mouthwash on hand. Little touches like these make me want to come back to a restaurant again and again.

Final verdict on Myeongyeok Bundang Sunae

• Friendly staff
• Clean restaurant and tableware
• Varied menu with good value pricing and portions
• Food made with real care
• Thoughtful little touches that make the service feel good

Overall, I was satisfied with both the food and the service here. I heard this is the place that first invented yangnyeom gejang naengmyeon (soy-marinated crab cold noodles) — I'll have to try that next time too haha.