Yongsan ramen sets with a Coca-Cola scratch card win: Menya Seoul

On a weekend trip to Yongsan I'Park Mall, I spent a while deciding on lunch. Shopping around made me crave a hot bowl of noodles. So I headed to Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch. If you like ramen and you're searching for good eats in Yongsan I'Park Mall, this one's worth keeping in mind.

We ordered two dishes that day: a jambon spicy broth set and a dongpo pork mala broth set. We picked different broths so we could share and compare.

Where Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch is, and what the seats are like

Menya Seoul sits on the 7th floor of Yongsan I'Park Mall, which made the whole meal route super convenient. It's an easy walk straight from Yongsan Station, and just as easy to duck into while shopping. No need to go far for a meal.

The Menya Seoul sign out front is big and easy to spot. The red-toned storefront caught my eye from a distance too.

The seating is a long, continuous bar-style row. It looked like a comfortable spot for solo diners too. The two of us sat there comfortably as well. If you're looking for a solo dining spot in Yongsan, this seemed like a good fit.

The Menya Seoul menu: how to pick your topping and broth

Looking at the Menya Seoul menu, you can choose your topping and broth to taste. For meat, there's dongpo pork or jambon. Broths are split into mild, spicy, and mala.

Jambon single starts at ₩10,900. Dongpo pork single starts at ₩12,900, per the menu board. Choosing mala broth bumps the price up slightly. There were also set options that come with a side and a drink.

After some back and forth, we ordered one jambon spicy broth set and one dongpo pork mala broth set. Picking different broths meant we could try both flavors. 😊 Besides ramen, there were also mazesoba and rice bowl options on the menu. Nice to know there's something else to order on days you're not craving ramen.

The Coca-Cola scratch card that comes with a set order

There was a fun event running during our visit. Ordering a Menya Seoul set came with a scratch-off entry card. It was tied in with Coca-Cola, which made it fun to pair with a drink.

Couldn't just walk past that. 😆 We scratched it right away, and our card turned out to be 3rd prize. Came in for a meal and walked away with an unexpected bonus.

According to the signage, it was a first-100-guests event. There were several prize tiers: 1st prize was a Coca-Cola mini fridge, 2nd prize a Coca-Cola keychain, and 3rd prize a Minute Maid Joy. Event details can change, so check when you visit.

Lemon-seaweed vinegar and chili oil at every seat

Once seated, two condiments caught my eye. One was lemon-seaweed vinegar, the other was chili oil (rayu). The bottles even had usage notes printed on them, so it was easy to tell what went where.

Lemon-seaweed vinegar pairs well with mazesoba and cold ramen. Chili oil works with mazesoba, spicy broth, or mala dishes. Better to add a little at a time and taste as you go rather than pouring in a lot at once.

Jambon spicy broth and dongpo pork mala broth on one table

Finally, our food arrived. Placing the two bowls together, the colors alone were striking. Jambon spicy broth ramen and dongpo pork mala broth ramen. With the sides laid out too, the table looked pretty hearty. If you're after a filling meal among Yongsan I'Park Mall restaurants, this combo hits the spot.

The jambon spicy broth has a sharp, clean heat

First up was the jambon spicy broth. The red broth is piled high with jambon, egg, and green onion. The jambon is sliced thin, making it easy to eat with the noodles. The broth had a sharp kick along with real depth of flavor. The kind of taste you'd crave on a spicy-broth kind of day.

Right beside it sat the dongpo pork mala broth. Both bowls are red, but the flavors are totally different once you taste them. The jambon spicy broth feels a bit more familiar in its heat, while the dongpo pork mala broth carries an extra numbing, tingly aroma.

The dongpo pork mala broth tastes heavier

The dongpo pork really had presence. A big, thick chunk of meat sits right in the center of the ramen. Picking it up with chopsticks, the texture was nicely soft. Paired with the mala broth, the rich meat flavor worked really well together. This one would suit anyone who likes a heavy, numbing-spicy broth.

The set sides at Menya Seoul: karaage and gyoza

I also tried the karaage (fried chicken) that came as a set side. The texture was soft, and the outside was evenly coated in a glossy sauce. There was a slightly spicy powder mixed in too, giving it a sweet-savory flavor. Popping one in mid-ramen completely changed the mood of the meal.

The other side is gyoza (pan-fried dumplings). They looked appetizing right from their golden-brown finish. If ramen alone feels like it's missing something, this is a good pairing.

Up close, the karaage had a really generous coat of sauce. Each piece was pretty big too, more filling than expected.

Cut in half, the inside was fairly juicy. Bold sauce flavor outside, tender meat inside. Alternating a sip of broth with a bite of karaage was a great combo.

Curious about the gyoza filling, I took a bite and checked it out. Meat and vegetables were mixed throughout, all the way to the center. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside — pretty solid.

The dongpo pork wins on thickness alone

Back to the dongpo pork. Eating through it, I got a clear look at the cross-section and snapped a photo. You can really see the thickness. Despite being so thick, it wasn't tough at all — soft and easy to eat.

Soaking up the mala broth, the dongpo pork's flavor got even richer. It was also great with the noodles. The noodles were on the thinner side, so the broth clung to them evenly. The numbing tingle of the mala broth meeting the heft of the dongpo pork made for a genuinely memorable bite.

Why the jambon is best eaten with the noodles

Then I dug into the jambon spicy broth properly. I wrapped a slice of jambon around some noodles and ate them together in one bite — and this combo worked really well. Thin, soft jambon plus noodles coated in the sharp broth, all in one mouthful, felt different from eating them separately.

I also loaded noodles onto a spoon along with some jambon. The jambon's salty edge made the noodles taste even better. First time trying spicy broth with jambon together, and it turned out great.

I slurped the noodles down to the very last bite. 😋 The broth clung between the strands so the spicy kick lasted the whole way through. There was plenty of jambon on top too, so I kept pairing it with the noodles until the end.

How two people should order at Menya Seoul

The jambon spicy broth and the dongpo pork mala broth head in quite different flavor directions. I'd recommend ordering one of each and sharing, like we did. That way you get to go back and forth between the sharp kick and the numbing depth.

Since Menya Seoul is right inside Yongsan I'Park Mall, it's easy to stop by before or after shopping or a movie. They also have mazesoba and rice bowls, so I'm curious to try those next time. If you're craving hot ramen among Yongsan I'Park Mall restaurants, Menya Seoul is worth a visit. 😊