Seoul Forest ramen restaurant with tantan beef cutlet: Menya Pomo

For tomato ramen near Seoul Forest

Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch, a popular ramen spot near Seoul Forest, is about an 8-minute walk from Exit 8 of Ttukseom Station. It is also a 7-minute walk from Seoul Forest Station, so just come from whichever one is easier for you.

• Road address: 28 Seoul Forest 4-gil, 2F, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
• Lot address: 668-41 Seongsu-dong 1-ga, Seongdong-gu, Seoul
• Hours: 11:00–20:30
• Break time: 15:30–17:00
• Last order: 15:00, 20:00
• No parking
• Restroom: outside the restaurant, inside the building

Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch is on the second floor. You can spot the tomato-broth ramen sign even from a distance! Does the sign look red because of the tomato broth, too? Go up the stairs through the dedicated entrance and there is Menya Pomo. It is popular enough to have a wait, so do not just wait outside—register for the queue first.

Seating for solo meals, dates, and more

Inside, there were two-person tables, four-person tables, and bar seating that is not shown in the photos. It seemed like a satisfying setup for eating alone, meeting friends, or going on a date. My friend and I came around 5 p.m. for an early dinner before a movie, and it was already about half full—definitely a popular place.

There is a self-service bar inside, where you can get water and side dishes. Rice for making risotto with the tomato ramen broth is there, too. The wall explained how to enjoy tomato risotto, so my friend and I each scooped out a ladleful to start with.

According to the notice on the wall, adding Tabasco makes it even more delicious. A guide to the sauces prepared at each table was posted there as well. I took photos and then forgot about it, so I unintentionally skipped it.

Choose your spice level and toppings when ordering

You order using the tablet kiosk provided at each table.

There are lots of choices, including spice level and toppings. Some dishes start at level 0, while others start at level 1. They say level 1 is Shin Ramyun spicy, but to me it was a little milder than that. Trust me—I am a mild Yeopgi Tteokbokki person.

Tantan beef cutlet ramen and tomato ramen

What I was going to happily devour today: tantan beef cutlet ramen, beef cutlet tomato ramen, and the minced beef cutlet set. Let’s dig in!

Tantan beef cutlet ramen: extra cilantro was the perfect move

The tantan beef cutlet ramen is tomato ramen with a spicy, savory tomato broth and added tantan sauce for extra umami. It comes with crispy yet moist Korean beef cutlet, which is such a treat with the broth. I also chose extra cilantro, and it was absolutely the perfect move. There was a slight bitterness, but the pops of cilantro flavor were so good. It was also perfect for making risotto with the rice from the self-service bar.

Regular tomato ramen and the minced beef cutlet set

My friend had the regular beef cutlet tomato ramen. Its tomato broth was smooth and deeply flavorful, but it felt a little lighter than my tantan beef cutlet ramen—probably because mine had the tantan sauce. The minced beef cutlet set is like a tonkatsu cousin, with juices hiding beneath its crisp coating. It did not seem dramatically different from the cutlet in the beef cutlet tomato ramen. The tomato soup included with the set was very much like a warm tomato stew. It felt like the kind of set meal you might get in Europe?

A different kind of Seoul Forest ramen date

Menya Pomo Seoul Forest Branch is a popular ramen spot near Seoul Forest. I thoroughly enjoyed its signature beef cutlet tomato ramen at this Seongsu-dong ramen hot spot. My friend was completely satisfied too—the noodles were wonderfully chewy, and the tomato-based ramen was unexpectedly delicious. If you want an unusual, different kind of date near Seoul Forest, I would recommend Menya Pomo.