Hwaseong Chinese restaurant: level 4 cockle jjamppong and soju

On a day when I was craving a spicy, rich bowl of jjamppong in Dongtan Namgwangjang, I went looking for a place that does it well and visited Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch. As it turns out, it is already well known in Dongtan as a great place for a hangover cure.

That day, to really enjoy the heat, I ordered the level 4, insanely spicy cockle jjamppong, plus crisp small tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour fried pork) and soju~ What more is there to say about the combination of spicy soup and soju? With so many cockles and scallops in the cockle jjamppong, it became an especially filling meal and drinking snack.

An easy-to-find storefront in Dongtan Namgwangjang

The restaurant is in the Dongtan Namgwangjang area, making it easy to stop by for a meal. Since it stays open late, it also looked like a good option for dinner or a second round of drinks. The large “Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong” sign and image of spicy jjamppong on the exterior made it easy to spot.

Hours, parking, and spice-level ordering tips

It is open daily from 11:00 AM to midnight, with last orders at 11:10 PM. The public parking lot in front is free for 1 hour 30 minutes, and underground parking is also available.

They recommend levels 1–2 for spice beginners and levels 3–4 for spice lovers.

A bright interior for solo meals or family dining

The interior was bright and clean overall. The wood-tone tables and chairs were neatly arranged, and there was fairly generous space between tables, so it was comfortable for a meal.

Each table has an ordering tablet, so you can browse and order directly, and basic seasonings such as chili powder and soy sauce were neatly set out. There are also solo-dining seats, giving this Dongtan jjamppong spot an easygoing feel for anything from eating alone to dining with friends or family.

A menu centered on jjamppong and tangsuyuk

The menu was made up simply of popular favorites such as jjamppong, jajangmyeon (black bean noodles), tangsuyuk, and fried dumplings. If you participate in the Naver Review event, you can receive either fried dumplings or a soft drink, so keep that in mind.

Level 4 cockle jjamppong with insane heat

My order was level 4 cockle jjamppong (the hottest level) for ₩11,000, small tangsuyuk for ₩17,000, and soju for ₩5,000.

You can choose the spice level for the cockle jjamppong: level 1 is pleasantly spicy, level 2 is hearty spicy, level 3 is intensely spicy, and level 4 is insanely spicy.

I usually enjoy spicy food quite a bit, so I boldly chose level 4, and it was definitely fiery from the first spoonful. Totally my kind of thing ♡ Rather than a one-note heat driven only by chili powder, it had rich seafood-base savoriness followed by smoky wok flavor and a sharp kick, so even while sweating, I kept reaching for another spoonful.

Best of all, it was not called cockle jjamppong in name only! The red, rich broth contained plenty of cockles, and scallops and cockles kept appearing right to the end, making every chewy bite fun.

With seafood jjamppong, the seafood is sometimes piled in at the beginning only, but here shellfish remained until the very end, after I had picked up the noodles and spooned up the broth, so it felt generous~ The broth was deep and substantial rather than oily, and I would recommend trying level 4 if you love spicy food. It is quite hot, though, so levels 1–2 would be safer if you do not handle spicy food well.

I ordered regular jjamppong and only had noodles, but I heard that jjamppong rice comes with a small serving of noodles to preserve that deep flavor. If you like both rice and noodles, jjamppong rice could be a good choice too.

Crisp tangsuyuk that goes perfectly with spicy broth

And of course, spicy jjamppong would not be complete without tangsuyuk. The small order arrived generously piled on a plate, topped with vegetables including onion, cucumber, and cabbage, and it looked neat too.

The batter stayed crisp and the meat had a satisfying bite. The sauce was the classic sweet-and-sour tangsuyuk style, perfect for resetting my palate between the intensely spicy cockle jjamppong. A spoonful of jjamppong broth, a piece of tangsuyuk, and a cold shot of soju made for a very satisfying combination.

A meal with cockles and scallops to the last bite

If you love spicy jjamppong and want something with more generous cockles and scallops than ordinary seafood jjamppong, I recommend Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong in Dongtan Namgwangjang. The fun of fishing out shellfish lasts to the very end, and ordering crisp tangsuyuk alongside it makes for a combination that works as both a meal and drinking food. Next time, I would like to lower the spice level a little and take my time enjoying the broth’s deeper flavor too.