Handmade buckwheat rolls in Bongpyeong, Pyeongchang: Memil Migayeon

Why buckwheat in Bongpyeong made the first meal of a Pyeongchang trip

A fall outing to Pyeongchang!! Whenever I head to Daegwallyeong or Pyeongchang and Bongpyeong, I always want to eat some kind of buckwheat dish. I'd scoped this place out on a family trip before but the timing never worked, so this time I finally made it. Bongpyeong Memil Migayeon (봉평메밀미가연), where I stopped to kick off the trip on a light note!

Where is Bongpyeong Memil Migayeon, and is there parking?

Bongpyeong Memil Migayeon, recommended to me as a Pyeongchang, Gangwon must-eat, is about a 12-minute drive from Pyeongchang IC. From Phoenix Park it's only about 5km, under 10 minutes!

The dedicated parking lot is run with plenty of room, so it was easy even for 2–3 separate groups to visit together.

Nearby spots worth checking out: Lee Hyo-seok Culture Village (8 min), Heungjeong Valley and Herb Nara (15 min), Odaesan Woljeongsa Temple (35 min), Daegwallyeong Sheep Farm (20 min), and Yongpyong Resort with the Balwangsan Cable Car (20 min). All by car!

Inside Bongpyeong Memil Migayeon: seating and what we ordered

My first impression of the interior was spacious and clean! The tables are a generous size and the whole space felt roomy.

You could order right from the table via tablet.

Just looking at the menu, you can see this — there was a beef tartare bibim buckwheat noodle dish, which surprised me? I was curious about the boiled pork and beef tartare too, but decided to go with the beef tartare bibim noodles instead!

• Premium beef tartare bibim noodles x1 (₩17,000)
• Migamyeon plain noodles (cold) x2 (₩12,000 each)
• Buckwheat pancake, 2 rolls (₩9,000)

How do the bibim noodles, cold noodles and handmade buckwheat rolls taste?

Side dishes were seasoned eggplant, radish, and pickled peppers. And right away, the buckwheat pancake arrived! Two rolls come as the default.

Wait, this is so good..? It's really clean and light, with a nutty taste that grows the more you chew. Not a mass-produced product but visibly handmade one by one, which made it even more mouthwatering... It's tasty dipped in the accompanying sauce, but eating it plain also lets the buckwheat aroma come through nicely.

Premium hanwoo beef tartare bibim noodles, 17,000 won

Premium hanwoo beef tartare bibim noodles!! Maybe because the buckwheat noodles are 100% buckwheat, they have a slightly coarse texture, but being thin noodles, they're perfect for eating without feeling heavy. Exactly the kind of taste older folks would love! (Now I love it too,,, 🙏)

The bibim noodles weren't overpoweringly strong either — more of a mild, spicy-tangy flavor that really whets the appetite.

There's quite a lot of beef tartare piled on top, so if you order this beef tartare bibim buckwheat noodle dish, I'd suggest getting boiled pork instead of beef tartare as your main dish!

Cold migamyeon buckwheat noodles and kelp vinegar

Bongpyeong Memil Migayeon's signature dish, migamyeon, comes as plain buckwheat noodles by default!

They told us the kelp vinegar is delicious mixed in, and I wondered what difference it could really make — but once I tried it, a wave of umami came through. Such a strange and wonderful world of cooking,,,

If you ask, they'll bring you a cold broth right away with ice floating in it like this — it's great poured into the bibim noodles to drink, and just as nice added to the migamyeon for a smoother finish. Everyone in our group loved Bongpyeong Memil Migayeon! The noodles themselves, especially, were amazing. The older I get (ㅠㅠ), the more noodle dishes upset my stomach, so I tend to avoid them, but buckwheat noodles always sit easy no matter when I eat them —

House-made buckwheat products sold at Bongpyeong Memil Migayeon

They also sell buckwheat products they make themselves in-house, from buckwheat noodles to buckwheat flour!! I considered buying some buckwheat noodles myself, but I think I'll come back with my mom next time and get her to buy them for me (lol)