Udon shop in Dunsan-dong, Daejeon: 3 sets compared, Jemyeonsoui Haru

The weather has turned cool lately, and I kept craving warm, chewy, bouncy udon! While wondering where to go, I found a place near Dunsan-dong that's supposedly super hot for its in-house noodles. So I went to Jemyeonsoui Haru Dunsan Directly Operated Branch (제면소의하루 둔산직영점), a Daejeon udon spot that makes its udon by hand fresh every day. I love the udon and katsu combo anyway, so I set off full of expectations!

Exterior and the in-house noodle story

The shop catches your eye with a clean, modern light-green sign and wood-tone interior. At the entrance there's a neat sign reading "in-house noodle shop" and standing boards for the various udon dishes, so I was already agonizing over what to eat before going in. The note saying the noodles are made from just 4 natural ingredients (flour, sun-dried sea salt, vinegar and water) and aged at low temperature for 24 hours made me trust the place even before eating!

Is there a wait?

We came at a slightly peckish in-between hour, so luckily we got in with no wait. By the entrance there's a waiting-list board and a menu, so you can pick your order in advance if there's a line. Tables turn over fast, so it feels easy to come alone, and I liked the clean atmosphere too..>.<

How to order and the sets we chose

You order on a tablet kiosk at each table. Looking through the menu, there were so many tempting sets! After some deliberation we ordered the signature picks, the Haru chidon set, the bukkake chidon set and the handmade katsu set, and shared them all. The prices felt reasonable for what's in the sets, so it seemed just right for anyone looking for a lunch spot in Dunsan-dong.

Self-serve sides and table seasonings

On one side of the table were neatly placed containers of danmuji (yellow pickled radish) and pickled chili peppers, great with udon. You serve yourself onto a plate, so you can eat as much as you like without feeling awkward. A bite of slightly spicy pickled chili cuts the richness of crispy katsu or udon, right? There was also a tray with sauce, chili powder, shichimi (Japanese seven-spice blend) and small side plates. You could really tell they'd thought about letting people season to taste or add spices ❤️

The "tips for eating well" sign and photo review event

There was also a "tips for eating well" sign on the table. It explained how to enjoy himokawa udon (wide, flat udon) and zaru udon (cold udon served on a rack) even better, and it described a receipt photo review event! If you write a review, you can get a handmade tempura or a soft drink as a free extra, so don't forget it if you visit.

How was the bukkake chidon set?

First to arrive was the bukkake chidon set, cool and wonderfully chewy! Bukkake udon (cold udon with concentrated sauce poured over) comes with a rich tsuyu (dashi-soy sauce) pooled at the bottom, topped with scallions, tempura bits and a lemon wedge, and the sight alone made my mouth water..>.<

I squeezed the lemon, swished the noodles through the tsuyu underneath, and slurped a big bite. Wow.. the bounce and chew of these noodles are crazy! Maybe because they're made in-house, the springiness and bite felt on a different level from ordinary handmade udon noodles, and I couldn't help but gasp. The tsuyu isn't salty at all and has deep savory flavor, so I'll definitely think of it on hot days or whenever I want clean-tasting udon.

The side cheese tonkatsu that came with the bukkake chidon set was crispy outside and moist inside too, and it went wonderfully with the bukkake udon! The crunch against the chewy noodles made eating even more fun, a perfect combination.

What is the Haru chidon set?

The Haru chidon set is a hearty one-person set of classic warm udon with crispy katsu. It was the second dish to arrive, and the warm, deep broth was a work of art! One sip and my insides warmed up, with a deep, rich katsuobushi (dried bonito) flavor spreading through my mouth. The noodles stayed bouncy and didn't fall apart in the hot broth, so I could enjoy them without getting soggy to the very last bite. If you like clean, classic udon, this is the standard flavor that pretty much anyone would like ❤️

Handmade katsu set: what's in it and how it tastes

The handmade katsu set is a full spread: a thick, crispy handmade pork cutlet with mini udon, rice, salad and sauce. It was the last dish and really filled us up! The coating was so crispy that I could almost hear the crunch the moment I picked it up with chopsticks! The meat is thick but not dry at all, a textbook crispy-outside, juicy-inside cutlet. Dipped in the special tonkatsu sauce, it filled my mouth with nutty, sweet flavor. It's an udon specialist, so isn't it unfair for the katsu to be this good too..>.< A truly satisfying meal.

Any downsides?

If you come at peak lunchtime, the place is almost full and the gaps between tables can feel a little tight. Apart from that, from the lively texture of the in-house noodles to every single dish, you could feel the care, and I was very satisfied with the meal.

Still, the food comes out fast and tables turn over quickly, so it wasn't a real inconvenience. If you're looking for a lunch spot in Dunsan-dong or want to try truly chewy in-house udon, I highly recommend stopping by this Daejeon udon spot, Jemyeonsoui Haru Dunsan Directly Operated Branch! Thanks for the great meal today ❤️