Dongtan Station pho lunch with assorted fried starters: Mibundang

Even at midday now, the wind is properly chilly, and it’s cold in the shade. Feels like it’s about time to put away the summer clothes and slowly pull out the fall ones. At this rate, we might wake up one morning and it’ll be winter~~ Just saying,,,

On chilly days, hot soup is simply non-negotiable!! I’d been craving warm, clean-tasting pho for days, so yesterday I went to Mibundang.~~ It’s so neat and calm that even your heart gets all warm and cozy—let’s go eat pho~~

Mibundang Dongtan Station Branch location and lunch hours

It’s on the first floor of Dongtan Station Richian Shopping Arcade, 495 Dongtan-daero, Dongtan-gu, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi-do. Hours are daily from 11:00–15:00 and 17:00–21:00.

Yesterday, a friend suddenly suggested a lunch meetup, so we met near Dongtan Station and debated what to eat. When they said they were craving soup, it was, “Pho?” “Pho!” Mibundang Dongtan Station Branch (미분당 동탄역점) is on the main road on the first floor of Dongtan Station Richian Shopping Arcade, just a two- to three-minute walk from Dongtan Station, so it’s very easy to get to. As we got closer, we started seeing people waiting ^^

It was peak lunchtime, so we naturally came prepared to wait—the question was what number we’d be. We were number five. Order from the kiosk outside first, then enter when your number is called. Turnover is quick, so you can get in without waiting too long.

We ordered brisket pho, brisket-and-chadol (thin-sliced beef brisket) pho, assorted fried starters, and a bottle of cider.

Taking a quick look at the interior and swallowing hard once, haha

Have a cup of tea set out for waiting guests, and your number is called right away~~ The umbrellas beside it are also for guests in case it rains.

A quiet bar counter that’s great for solo dining

The long, narrow interior has a continuous bar counter running alongside the kitchen, so you sit facing the kitchen. It’s perfect for eating alone, and this kind of atmosphere has its own charm too, haha. There’s even a manners guideline for keeping voices down so you can focus on your meal—keep conversations quiet enough that neighboring guests can’t hear!! It makes you even more serious about the food.

The space is small, but it’s used so brilliantly that there isn’t one bit of discomfort!! If you need sauces, just lift your head and look up. Turn around and there are hooks for your coat and bag, too. Chopsticks and napkins are, of course, fitted under the bar counter ^^

When you take your seat, the small plate, pickled sides, water, and chopstick rest are already set out, and the drink arrives first.

Brisket pho, chadol pho, and assorted fried starters

This is the brisket pho my friend ordered.

And this is the brisket-and-chadol pho I ordered.

And these are the assorted fried starters for sharing. First, no questions asked, straight to the broth!! When you take in that rich broth with its subtle but deep resonance, its clean, unaggressive flavor warms you right through.

Keeping that momentum, push through the mound of scallions and bean sprouts, wind up the soft noodles, and take a big, weighty chopstickful. All those noodles slide down so smoothly with a happy slurp. Once you’ve enjoyed the pure goodness of the pho broth and noodles, it’s time to switch things up with hot sauce. The hot sauce is seriously HOT, so I recommend adding it little by little, haha. You get both the mild flavor and the spicy one—two birds with one stone.

While heartily digging into the generous brisket and chadol on top,

we demolished the assorted fried starters, haha

The assorted fried starters include sweet-potato cha gio (fried spring rolls), scallop cha gio, potato-wrapped shrimp, buffalo wings, and wedding shumai, so there’s lots of variety. They go so well with clean-tasting pho, and every bite is wonderfully crisp and delicious. It’s only going to get chillier now, so I’ll be craving hot broth more and more—and I plan to show up often for solo meals too ^^