Yongsan ramen restaurant comparing dongpo pork and mala: Menya Seoul

I was shopping at Yongsan I'Park Mall recently and got a craving for ramen, so I stopped by Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch 🍜

I'Park Mall is somewhere I visit often because I can do everything at once—shopping, movies, and good food. That day, I was really in the mood for something warm and brothy, you know? So this time, I went to Menya Seoul for Japanese-style ramen!

Address: 55 Hangang-daero 23-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea, 7F Hours: Daily 11:00–21:00 (last order 20:50)

Ordering dongpo pork chashu ramen and mala dongpo pork ramen

We ordered dongpo pork chashu ramen, mala dongpo pork ramen, and a Pororo Milk Drink—just like that! There were two kinds of ramen, so we decided to get one of each and compare them ♥️

Bar seating and shared food-court tables

Menya Seoul itself has bar-style seating, but after ordering our ramen that day, we found a spot at one of the shared tables in the food court!

Since the tables are inside the I'Park Mall food court, it was convenient for eating alongside food from other places. They also gave us a pager when we ordered, so we knew right away when our food was ready 🔔 It was a nice setup for a simple food-court meal during a shopping trip! If you're looking for somewhere to eat inside Yongsan I'Park Mall, being able to enjoy several different menus together in the food court is handy too! 💌

We ordered ramen with the Pororo Milk Drink! Having Pororo there while eating ramen was somehow so cute 🥹 A sweet drink was also nice for refreshing my palate between bites of spicy or salty ramen. If you're visiting with a child, picking the Pororo drink could be a good idea too ⭐️

Dongpo pork chashu ramen felt like classic ramen

First up, the dongpo pork chashu ramen I had! Personally, of the two dishes, this one gave me more of that “I’m eating ramen!” feeling, which I liked 🤍 When I had the broth and noodles together, it had more of that familiar, distinctive ramen character I imagine... It was a little salty for me, though, which was a slight disappointment! Still, I kept reaching for the noodles and broth, and I think anyone who likes straightforward, classic ramen could enjoy it without a problem 🤤

Mala dongpo pork ramen paired well with the meat

And then, the mala dongpo pork ramen! With mala in it, it definitely felt different from regular ramen. I actually thought the dongpo pork itself went better with the mala dongpo pork ramen—the mala’s distinctive aroma and flavor added to the soft, rich pork, and the combination with the meat was pretty good!

What was fun about trying both was that I preferred the dongpo pork chashu ramen for the ramen itself, but the mala dongpo pork ramen worked better with the dongpo pork! So I think you can choose depending on your taste 🙂↕️ If you love mala, the mala dongpo pork ramen would be a good pick too 🌶️

My takeaway after trying both dishes

Comparing the two dishes this time, I found that even though they used the same dongpo pork, they felt quite different depending on the sauce and broth! If, like me, you care most about the taste of the ramen itself, the dongpo pork chashu ramen may suit you better. If you love the combination of dongpo pork and mala, though, the mala dongpo pork ramen may be more your style! I also recommend visiting as a pair, ordering one of each, and sharing them! ✨

• Dongpo pork chashu ramen → I personally preferred this one because it felt more like ramen itself! It was a little salty, though.
• Mala dongpo pork ramen → The dongpo pork and mala combination worked better together.
• Pororo Milk Drink → Cute and sweet, so it went nicely with the ramen.

One slight disappointment was that the portions felt a little small for the price 🥲 The flavors were good, but since I usually like a filling meal, one bowl of ramen alone felt just a little lacking 🥹 Still, it was a decent spot for a light meal on a day when you’re craving ramen at Yongsan I'Park Mall!