Yongsan ramen restaurant for spicy pork ramen: Menya Seoul

Menya Seoul on the 7th Floor of Yongsan I'Park Mall: Location and Seating

Whenever I go to the 7th floor of Yongsan I'Park Mall, I feel like I always end up wondering what to eat 🤣 Ramen is one of those meals that is easy to have without feeling like too much, too.

• 11:00–21:00
• Last order at 20:50
• Parking, men's and women's restrooms, and bar seating
• Use parking according to I'Park Mall's policy.
• 7th floor, 55 Hangang-daero 23-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
• It is near the central escalator on the 7th floor!

Menya Seoul is tucked away on the 7th floor! Just look for the white sign! There is bar seating out front, but if those seats are full, you can eat at the open tables behind it. We went at 7 p.m., and it was packed, so we barely managed to get a table 😅

It is not quite a look inside, but there are food models and ordering instructions at the counter like this, so you can check them before ordering!

From Dongpo Pork Chashu Ramen to Set Meals

There were so many toppings and broths that it looked like you could make lots of different combinations. The menu was so varied that I had such a hard time choosing ㅠ

• Dongpo pork chashu ramen — ₩12,900
• Spicy Dongpo pork chashu ramen set — ₩17,900
• Mala jambon chashu ramen set — ₩16,500
• Total — ₩47,300

There seemed to be quite a few orders ahead of us and the place was really busy, but it did not take long for our food to come out! It arrived quickly, within about 10–15 minutes.

Dongpo Pork Chashu Ramen: Noodles and Broth

The noodles were thin and soft! They felt cooked to just a regular doneness?? I liked how thin and soft they were, so they went down easily. The broth seemed to be pork-based! You can think of the Dongpo pork chashu ramen as similar to tonkotsu ramen. Its savory saltiness and moderate richness were nice.

The toppings included bean sprouts, Dongpo pork, jambon, and a soft-boiled egg, and unusually, this one also came with seaweed as a topping. I liked the chew, so I enjoyed it haha.

The best topping was the Dongpo pork. Chashu with Dongpo pork? I thought it was such an unfamiliar combination, but rather than thin slices of meat, the ramen came with a whole thick, tender piece of pork. It had a nice bite and that sweet-salty flavor was exactly my style! The Dongpo pork was so tender it practically melted in my mouth 🤤 The jambon was chewy, salty, and clean-tasting, so it went really well with the ramen too! There was a nice variety of toppings, which made it fun to eat as well.

How Spicy Is the Mala Jambon Chashu Ramen?

Rather than having a really strong mala aroma, the mala jambon chashu ramen was subtle, so I think even people who are not great with mala flavor could enjoy it. Maybe because it is mala, it came topped with cilantro! If you do not like cilantro, keep that in mind!! Jambon is the only meat topping on this one.

If you were hoping for mala's characteristic numbing kick, you can add more mayu (black garlic oil) from the bar table at the front of the restaurant~ Its heat was about Shin Ramyun level, so even people who are not good with spicy food can have it without feeling burdened 😁

Set-Meal Sides: Gyoza and Karaage

When you order a set, you can choose a drink and a side. We ordered gyoza (pan-fried dumplings) for one and karaage (Japanese fried chicken) for the other!! The gyoza were crispy outside, salty, and full of umami. I liked that the fried dumpling wrappers were so crisp. Soy sauce was poured underneath, and they were even tastier with the tangy soy sauce.

The karaage was made with chicken thigh, so it was tender and chewy. It also had a little sauce drizzled over it, and its sweet-and-tangy flavor meant it did not get tiring to eat. It tasted a little like tangsuyuk sauce??

Spice Level of the Spicy Dongpo Pork Chashu Ramen

The spicy Dongpo pork chashu ramen had the same topping lineup as the Dongpo pork chashu ramen I mentioned earlier. It was not extremely spicy at all; I actually felt it was much less spicy than Shin Ramyun! Do not worry that it will be too hot—if you want something light with a warming spicy kick, I think you can enjoy it too.

Even when I visited, about 60% of the people at the shared tables were eating Menya Seoul's ramen. There were also about four groups lined up behind me. It seems perfect for visiting after shopping or watching a movie 🤭