Yongsan IMAX pre-movie ramen and pork belly mazesoba: Menya Seoul

Today I'm trying ramen at Menya Seoul, nom nom nom.

Fiiiinally, the day I'd been waiting and longing for — going to see Odyssey at Yongaimax!!!!🎬 Before the movie started, I was looking for somewhere simple to eat inside I'Park Mall and ended up at Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch! I come to Yongsan pretty often for IMAX and timing things right before a screening actually matters a lot haha. Being able to eat right inside the mall without going anywhere else made it perfect as a pre-movie meal spot.

Where is Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch, and what are the hours?

Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch is on the 7th floor of I'Park Mall, near the central escalator. It's open daily from 11:00 to 21:00.

The restaurant has this open layout, and with the bar-style seats there were quite a few solo diners around. There were people already eating when we arrived, but turnover seemed pretty quick, so it wasn't stressful even with a movie time to catch.

Menya Seoul's menu and the summer new items

The menu is broadly split into dongpo pork chashu ramen and jambon ramen, and you can pick your broth from mild, spicy, or mala depending on your taste. Besides ramen, there are sides like karaage and crispy gyoza, and ordering a set gets you a side plus a drink.

When we visited, they were also selling summer new menu items — chilled giant prawn ramen and pork belly mazesoba. Yudi, who loves mazesoba, said the moment she saw it she knew she had to try it haha.

Order time, let's go!

Spicy dongpo pork chashu ramen, 12,900 won

My pick, the spicy dongpo pork chashu ramen! There was an insane thickness of dongpo pork and chashu piled on together with egg, so the toppings were more generous than I expected.

Slurp it up, mix it in, nom nom nom. It looks super spicy at a glance, but it's more moderately spicy-savory than aggressively hot — the kind of flavor that keeps you going back for more. Best of all, the thick-cut dongpo pork went really well with the ramen.

Pork belly mazesoba set, 16,900 won

Yudi's pick, the pork belly mazesoba.

A big whole piece of pork belly with minced meat, chives, seaweed flakes, bonito flakes, and an egg yolk sitting right in the center. Just visually, it looked incredibly good🤤.

Break the yolk and mix it all thoroughly with the sauce and noodles. Once the chewy noodles get coated in that salty, savory sauce along with the chives and meat, the flavor turned out richer and deeper than expected.

Especially with the generous chunk of pork belly, it felt much more filling than just noodles alone. If you like that thick, rich, distinctive mazesoba flavor, I'd really recommend this dish.

Crispy gyoza in the set, plus Yudi's eating tip

The crispy gyoza that comes with the set, nom nom nom.

True to its name, the outside is fried crispy and it's packed with juices inside.

Tip from Yudi, our resident food expert — eat half plain, then add vinegar and chili oil to the other half!

Adding rice to finish the mazesoba sauce

And true to form, our food expert added a bowl of rice.

Thoroughly mixed the rice right into the leftover mazesoba sauce.

Clear! (CLEAR!)

Is Menya Seoul a good pre-movie meal at I'Park Mall?

I come to Yongsan I'Park Mall so often for IMAX or CGV that I always end up wondering what to eat before the movie. Menya Seoul is right inside the mall so it's convenient to get to, and with ramen, mazesoba, and sides all on offer, it was a solid, filling meal without being complicated. If you need to eat quickly before a screening like we did, or you're looking for ramen or mazesoba near Yongsan Station, it might be worth stopping by.