Ulsan milmyeon restaurant with warm dumplings: Samsam Milmyeon

A refreshing bowl of milmyeon in Samsan, Ulsan

Whenever I have a reason to head to Samsan in Ulsan, milmyeon is one of those dishes that immediately comes to mind in summer. This time, I visited Samsam Milmyeon Main Branch (삼삼밀면 본점), a popular spot near Ulsan Terminal that is said to have preserved its flavor in the same location for a long time.

I already tend to love milmyeon, so I wanted to try a proper bowl in Ulsan. I heard that this place has upheld its flavor with dedication and care for 25 years, which is what brought me here. I was especially impressed that they say they prepare ingredients with the mindset of making food for their own family.

Parking and the dining atmosphere

If you use Daegyeong Parking Lot or Paldo Paid Parking Lot, the restaurant provides a 1-hour free parking voucher. We parked at Daegyeong Paid Parking Lot.

As soon as I stepped inside, the overall atmosphere felt comfortable and clean. Rather than being overly decorated, it had a practical feel that lets you focus on your meal. It seemed like an easy place for lunch or a simple meal without any fuss.

Ordering mul milmyeon and dumplings

That day, we ordered mul milmyeon and dumplings.

You can order through the table ordering system.

These are the basic side dishes.

The subtle savory taste of warm broth

The warm broth arrived first. The broth is something you cannot leave out when talking about Samsam Milmyeon near Ulsan Terminal. The restaurant says it makes the broth with Korean beef cow bones, carefully simmered using only natural ingredients and no additives.

This was seriously delicious. Once I had finished it and sat there with my empty bowl, they refilled the broth without me even asking. Maybe they read my mind, haha.

Our food came out quickly.

Cold, chewy mul milmyeon

The mul milmyeon arrived with noodles and toppings arranged appetizingly over the chilled broth, and it made my appetite come alive just looking at it.

I loosened the noodles evenly with my chopsticks, then took a bite with the broth. The cold, refreshing soup hit first, followed by the noodles' characteristic chewy texture, making it go down cleanly.

If the seasoning in milmyeon is too strong, it can hide the flavor of the broth, but everything here was nicely balanced and easy to eat. The broth made with Korean beef cow bones had a subtle savory depth, so I naturally kept drinking it after eating the noodles. On a hot day, a cool bowl like this really is the most welcome thing. Rolling the noodles in the cold broth and eating them with the toppings left my mouth feeling refreshed.

A combination with warm dumplings

I also had dumplings between bites, and the combination of warm dumplings and cold mul milmyeon went together better than I expected. The dumplings had soft wrappers and a mild filling, making them great to alternate with the chilled noodle dish.

Eating only mul milmyeon can mean a similar texture all the way through, but adding warm dumplings gave the meal a change of texture and made it taste even better.

The coolness of the milmyeon and the warm, mild flavor of the dumplings complemented each other so well. Samsam Milmyeon Main Branch also caught my attention for keeping the same flavor going for so many years. In particular, the broth tasted even better knowing that it uses no additives and focuses on natural ingredients. Milmyeon is widely known as a local specialty of Busan, but it was fun to look for places in Ulsan that have been loved for a long time, too.

If you are planning a meal around Samsan in Ulsan and looking for a cool noodle dish, Samsam Milmyeon Main Branch is worth considering. If you love milmyeon like I do, it is worth visiting for its consistently maintained flavor over the years. I also liked the pride behind the restaurant's story of preparing food with the care they would give their own family, and after trying it myself, I could see why it has stayed in one place for so long.

I made sure to take the parking voucher with me. They gave us a 2-hour voucher. Parking is expensive in Samsan, so it seems useful even when you are out running errands. On a day when you are craving a refreshing bowl of milmyeon in Ulsan, try enjoying mul milmyeon and dumplings together at Samsam Milmyeon Main Branch.