Mother-daughter lunch near Incheon Terminal: pork belly mazesoba

These days, staying home all weekend feels like a crime — the itch to get out is real. I thought about hopping on a bus with Yangyang for an outing... and suddenly decided, let's go to Incheon!

Now that she's grown up enough to handle spicy food with me, our menu options have widened and traveling with Yangyang is a little less exhausting haha. To start our Incheon trip off with a full stomach, we visited Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch, a restaurant near Incheon Terminal.

Finding it: basement floor of Lotte Department Store, connected to Incheon Terminal

Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch sits on the basement floor of Incheon Lotte Department Store, which connects directly to Incheon Terminal. It's near the Outback side of the department store, so it wasn't hard to find while browsing the food court along the way. Ramen is such an easy solo-dining choice, and the tables here were neatly arranged for exactly that — a simple, welcoming layout for a quick meal.

Dongpo pork chashu ramen — spicy, clear, or mala: which did we choose?

Menya Seoul is apparently known for its dongpo-pork-style chashu ramen, with its flagship location in Yongsan. The signature dongpo pork chashu ramen comes in spicy, clear, or mala versions, so you can pick to taste. Yangyang, having recently discovered a taste for spice, wanted the mala version — but we were told it's even spicier than the spicy one, so we downgraded to spicy instead haha.

Beyond ramen, there's plenty else to try too — pork belly mazesoba, king shrimp cold ramen, sweet soy chicken rice bowl, karaage, gyoza, and more.

There's also a good-value set menu with karaage, crispy gyoza, and sweet soy chicken rice bowl, so Yangyang went with the set that came with karaage plus a drink, and I picked the mazesoba I'd been craving!

Every table at Menya Seoul is neatly set with chili oil for extra heat and lemon kelp vinegar for a tangy kick.

Our mother-daughter spread: the visuals first

Here on our little Incheon outing, our full spread arrived at Menya Seoul, the restaurant near Incheon Terminal. The spicy ramen topped with Menya Seoul's signature dongpo-pork-style chashu, the mazesoba piled with pork belly, and the crispy karaage all looked so neat and generous it was almost like a food model — plenty to enjoy with our eyes first.

Was the spicy ramen okay for an elementary-age kid?

First up, the spicy ramen Yangyang ordered. The heat level was maybe a touch milder than Shin Ramyun, so even elementary-school Yangyang could eat it — huffing and puffing a bit, but managing fine. The dongpo pork chashu topping was tender, well-seasoned with that distinctive soy-based dongpo sauce, and paired nicely with the spicy broth. The jambon (ham) combo added a different texture and aroma from the dongpo pork itself, which made for a really varied, layered bowl of ramen.

And that ramen noodle texture!! Springy and chewy, it paired perfectly with the deep, spicy chashu ramen broth.

How was the pork belly mazesoba?

Next, the pork belly mazesoba I picked!! Long strips of pork belly piled on top made for a seriously generous-looking bowl. Drizzle on the tangy kelp vinegar and shake it all up~~~~

Tangy, spicy, savory, and umami all at once — the mazesoba's variety of flavors is its charm. The spiciness leaned stronger, but with a savory, salty depth and rich meaty flavor, it felt less like a clean noodle-soup meal and more like a hearty, substantial one-bowl dish. Rather than the miso flavor typical of mazesoba, there was plenty of chili oil here, which made the spiciness stand out more — and that kept it from feeling greasy, so I could polish off every bit of pork belly.

The karaage from the set

The karaage from the set menu had crispy fried coating with a sweet, not-too-strong sauce added just right — light enough to enjoy alongside the ramen without being overpowering. Good stuff~

Wrap-up

Menya Seoul, the restaurant near Incheon Terminal, was a special outing — great whether dining solo or sharing a cozy meal, with solid value and a chashu ramen that has real character.