Pyeongtaek Korean restaurant for clam kalguksu: Goryeo Mulchong

Dongjuk clam kalguksu for a chilly day

I was out and about in Pyeongtaek for the first time in a while and found a great place I wanted to share.

When the wind turns cold and the weather gets chilly like it has lately, I naturally start craving a warm, refreshing soup that settles the stomach. (Is it just me?)

That is how I ended up at Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu (고려물총칼국수), a favorite in Bijeon-dong, Pyeongtaek. I already love noodle dishes, but when the broth is overly intense or the seafood is not fresh, I often feel heavy afterward or leave a little disappointed.

Here, though, the refreshing broth is packed with dongjuk clams (small surf clams, also called mulchong clams) delivered fresh that day, and you can enjoy chewy noodles alongside boiled pork or spicy stir-fried webfoot octopus. What struck me as soon as I walked in was how clean the place was and how pleasant the interior felt. The dining room was spacious and open overall, making it easy to focus on the meal in comfort without feeling cramped. 🌿✨

In fact, every table next to us was a family with a baby, and they have high chairs too, so it seemed like a great place to bring little ones.

The set for two recommended by the staff

We ordered the set for two (₩38,000). It includes mulchong kalguksu, napa cabbage dumplings, pear-leaf medicinal boiled pork—and we also got a Fanta (₩2,000)! What impressed me was that we had added the dishes separately, but a staff member came over and recommended the set for two because it was less expensive. Thank you~

Ta-da—the food arrived. Once I tried it, I realized the set for two was seriously generous. At ₩20,000 per person, it is not bad at all. I recommend it! Let me show you each dish in detail.

Tender pear-leaf medicinal boiled pork

The boiled pork arrived first. Pear-leaf medicinal boiled pork—quite a tricky name, right? I looked it up, and it is boiled pork wrapped in hinoki cypress leaves and prepared with medicinal ingredients such as Korean herbal medicine. As expected, it was deliciously tender without a trace of gaminess. This dish is a little pricey too, but I recommend it. The dipping sauce was really good. The pork was sliced very thinly, which made it even more tender and easy to eat. The dried radish strips were nicely seasoned and delicious as well.

Kalguksu where you eat the clams before adding the noodles

The kalguksu arrived piled high with mulchong (dongjuk) clams. First, there was a whole pot full of clams, and the owner told us to fish them all out and eat them before adding the kalguksu noodles.

The lightly seasoned taste of napa cabbage dumplings

The napa cabbage dumplings were right on target for my taste buds too. The sweetness of the cabbage and the kimchi dumpling filling were well seasoned, so they were gently flavored and tasty. I recommend them as a wholesome choice.

Can you see how full it is of dongjuk clams? Personally, I prefer dongjuk clam kalguksu to the version with littleneck clams. I think it is because dongjuk clams are chewier and plumper, so they are more fun to bite into.

Kalguksu alone can leave you feeling like something is missing, so I really liked that they made a set for two with such a variety of dishes. Every item was unusual and new, which made it fun to eat.

Simmering the broth longer with the clam shells

The kalguksu noodles were really springy. Maybe because they are made in-house, they were delicious without that raw flour smell. After simmering the broth for five minutes, it definitely became deeper. If you go, I recommend removing the clams, putting the shells back in, and letting it simmer a little longer. The broth tasted different right when it came out compared with after it had come to a boil once with the clam shells.

Koreans' dessert—fried rice—arrived. (Dun dun dun!)

Fried rice too! The perfect finish! The set for two even comes with fried rice, and it is available free with refills. I also brought out some sikhye (sweet rice punch) for dessert. I recommend it for a meal with something new.