Jeongbalsan-dong ramen shop, 3-step motsu ramen, rice finish: Gyedan

What is Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch like?

Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch (계단라멘 일산본점) is a tonkotsu ramen restaurant in Bamlidan-gil, Jeongbalsan-dong, Ilsan. I'd been walking around Bamlidan-gil and wanted a hearty bowl of ramen. The place comes up a lot when people look for good ramen in Ilsan and is pretty well known in the neighborhood, so I was curious.

✔️Hours: daily 11:00–21:00

This time I ordered Gyedan Ramen, Motsu Ramen and Tamago Bap all together. If you like ramen, it's worth a stop among the Bamlidan-gil restaurants in Ilsan.

Gyedan Ramen is a tonkotsu specialist that simmers its own broth from pork bones and chicken for over 14 hours. Rather than the intensely salty, heavy style of ramen in Japan, it's said to be milder and tuned to Korean tastes. Having eaten it, I'd agree: the broth is rich, but not too salty or overwhelming.

How does the basic Gyedan Ramen (₩11,000) taste?

Gyedan Ramen is the standard bowl at ₩11,000, topped with chashu (braised pork slices), wood ear mushrooms, bean sprouts and a soft-boiled egg. The first sip gave me that nutty richness of pork-bone broth.

I expected something really heavy after 14 hours of simmering, but it went down more smoothly than I thought. So it seemed like a good Ilsan ramen spot both for people who love rich tonkotsu and for first-timers.

The wood ear mushrooms kept their crunchy texture, and the chashu went well with the broth. Noodles and broth together felt nicely balanced. If you're after Japanese-style ramen among Bamlidan-gil restaurants in Ilsan, starting with the basic Gyedan Ramen is a good idea.

How is Motsu Ramen (₩12,000) different from Gyedan Ramen?

Motsu Ramen is the basic tonkotsu broth with fried makchang (beef or pork large-intestine offal) added, and it was the one I was most looking forward to this visit. "Motsu" is Japanese for the innards of cows or pigs, and it shows up in dish names like motsunabe (offal hot pot).

Motsu Ramen was ₩12,000, ₩1,000 more than the basic Gyedan Ramen, with makchang added, so it's a good pick if you like makchang or gopchang (offal).

The nuttiness of the fried makchang meets the tonkotsu broth and gives a slightly richer flavor than the basic bowl. Personally, if you're looking for ramen in Ilsan, I think Motsu Ramen at Gyedan is a must-try too.

When should you add the spicy secret sauce?

After eating about half of my Motsu Ramen, I added the spicy secret sauce provided on the table. Rather than putting it in from the start, adding it around the middle, once you've had enough of the plain broth, worked well.

You enjoy the nutty, smooth tonkotsu broth at first, then add the spicy sauce midway and the kick turns it into a completely different bowl.

"Karai" means spicy in Japanese, and with the secret sauce the ramen naturally turns into something like karai ramen. Especially with Motsu Ramen, where the makchang adds richness, the spice cut through the heaviness nicely. Getting two flavors in one bowl is another reason to come to Gyedan Ramen among Bamlidan-gil restaurants in Ilsan.

Is Tamago Bap (₩3,000) worth ordering with rice on the side?

The side I ordered, Tamago Bap, was ₩3,000. "Tamago" means egg in Japanese, and it was a small rice bowl topped with egg and pork. It's a good portion for when one bowl of ramen isn't quite enough, and the price isn't a burden, so it pairs easily with Gyedan Ramen or Motsu Ramen.

I ate the Tamago Bap on its own at first, but it was also tasty with a little ramen broth spooned over it. The combination of rice and leftover tonkotsu broth was especially good. I hear Gyedan Ramen will also give you a small bowl of plain rice if you ask, so if Tamago Bap is too much but you want to stir rice into the end of your bowl, try asking the staff.

Gyedan Ramen's three-step way to eat

Gyedan Ramen suggests eating in three steps: enjoy the plain broth when the ramen arrives, add the spicy secret sauce midway, and finish by stirring in rice. It was honestly pretty fun.

• Step 1: When the ramen arrives, enjoy the plain tonkotsu broth as it is
• Step 2: About halfway through, add the spicy secret sauce from the table
• Step 3: At the end, stir in rice (Tamago Bap or the plain rice you asked for)

Eating Motsu Ramen this way, the flavor kept changing until the last bite, so I got tired of it less. Knowing this before you go lets you enjoy Gyedan Ramen, a good ramen spot in Ilsan, a bit more properly.

Gyedan Ramen or Motsu Ramen: which should you pick?

If you're choosing between Gyedan Ramen and Motsu Ramen, go by taste. If you just want to enjoy plain tonkotsu ramen comfortably, Gyedan Ramen is the one; if you like makchang or gopchang and want something nutty and rich, I'd recommend Motsu Ramen. If you're two people, ordering one of each and sharing is also a good idea.

Tip: leave some broth when adding noodles or chashu

At Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch you can get extra noodles if the portion isn't enough, and extra chashu if you love it. If you plan to add noodles, another tip is not to drink too much broth from the start. If you want to stir rice in at the end, it's best to leave a fair amount of broth.

How do you cook Gyedan Ramen takeout or delivery?

Takeout and delivery from Gyedan Ramen come uncooked, I hear. At home, heat the broth first and boil the noodles for about 40 seconds. If you like softer noodles, boil about 60 seconds, add the bean sprouts when the noodles are almost done, then top with the broth and toppings. Ramen noodles turn soggy quickly, so eat right after it's done.

Verdict: tonkotsu ramen in Bamlidan-gil that works even solo

If you want tonkotsu ramen in Jeongbalsan-dong or Bamlidan-gil, Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch was a solid choice. It's good when you're looking around Bamlidan-gil for something other than gukbap (rice soup) or meat, and the atmosphere felt easy for eating a bowl of ramen alone too.

Personally, the basic Gyedan Ramen was good, but the Motsu Ramen with its nutty makchang stuck with me more. Especially when I added the spicy secret sauce about halfway, the taste changed completely and I enjoyed it to the end. With the ₩3,000 Tamago Bap on the side, it was a filling meal too.

If you're after tonkotsu ramen in Ilsan, Gyedan Ramen Ilsan Main Branch is worth a visit. For anyone looking at Bamlidan-gil restaurants in Ilsan, I recommend ordering one Gyedan Ramen and one Motsu Ramen, with Tamago Bap on the side.