Apgujeong Chinese restaurant: abalone jjajangmyeon vs jjamppong

Jjajang or jjamppong, if you had to pick just one? At Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong, the abalone samseon jjajangmyeon (three-treasure black bean noodles) and meat jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) I tried had such distinct personalities even sitting on the same table at this Apgujeong Chinese restaurant. I visited Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong, run by chef Jang Bowon of Culinary Class Wars 2, and tried the butter tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) too. I found this place while looking for an Apgujeong Rodeo restaurant, and after eating there myself, I was already thinking about coming back.

Where is Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong, and what are its hours?

• Location: 30 Eonju-ro 174-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Robin Myeongpumgwan 1F, Unit 103, South Korea
• Hours: 11:30–22:00
• Break time: 15:00–17:30
• Last order: 21:00

Back in Apgujeong Rodeo after a long while

It had been a while since I'd come to Apgujeong. I used to pass through often, but these days I rarely have a reason to come this way. A while back, while checking out restaurants near the KT Gwanghwamun building, the butter tangsuyuk on the menu here caught my eye. I'd wanted to try it at least once, and since I happened to be back in the Apgujeong Rodeo alley, I stopped by Bobo Sikdang. This time I had a satisfying meal at Bobo Sikdang, an Apgujeong Rodeo Chinese restaurant.

What kind of restaurant is Bobo Sikdang?

Bobo Sikdang sits in the Apgujeong Rodeo alley. I first learned about it watching Culinary Class Wars 2, and had been curious about it ever since — so this time I finally went to check it out in person.

From outside, the red exterior catches your eye first, and once you step in, the atmosphere is calm.

The tables and lighting were neatly arranged, and with several private rooms, it seemed like a great spot for group gatherings too.

Inside, I noticed records of Culinary Class Wars appearances and a Blue Ribbon award on display. This time I ordered the butter tangsuyuk along with jjajang and jjamppong. While waiting, I started with a cup of tea set out on the table before the meal.

Butter tangsuyuk at Bobo Sikdang: tenderloin that holds up under the sauce

The pork tenderloin butter tangsuyuk came out first. The butter placed on top of the dish caught my eye right away.

The meat peeking through the batter looked pretty appetizing too.

Taking a bite, the batter was crispy and the tenderloin inside was tender. I'm usually a dip-it-myself type when it comes to tangsuyuk, but here it was good even doused in sauce. The sauce clung chewily to the batter and paired well with the tenderloin's mild flavor. As the butter melted, a subtle nutty richness came through. The buttery aroma and the pork's mild flavor went really well together.

Honestly, I had a certain flavor in mind based on the name, but eating it in person, it was better than expected. First comes the crispiness of the batter and the tenderness of the meat, and at the end, the nutty richness of the butter lingers.

Meat jjamppong: how savory is the broth?

Next was the meat jjamppong. It arrived with a red broth generously loaded with meat and vegetables.

I tried the broth first, and rather than being sharply spicy, it had a subtle, savory depth that I liked. The more I ate, the deeper the broth flavor got. The heartiness from the meat blended naturally with the broth.

The noodles were well soaked in broth, and eating them together with the meat made the flavor feel even richer. Personally, of the three dishes I had that day, the meat jjamppong was the one I kept thinking about afterward. With private rooms available too, this is a place worth remembering when looking for a Chinese restaurant in Apgujeong with private dining rooms.

Abalone samseon jjajangmyeon, generous with abalone and scallop

This was the dish that made choosing between jjajang and jjamppong genuinely hard. The abalone samseon jjajangmyeon comes loaded with abalone, shrimp, scallop, and even pork tenderloin.

Abalone and scallop are packed generously throughout the black bean sauce. Unlike a plain jjajangmyeon that's mostly noodles, every bite here comes with seafood mixed in. The abalone was chewy and the scallop tender, and both paired well with the rich flavor of the black bean paste.

As someone who loves seafood, this dish suited my taste especially well. I particularly liked how generously the abalone and scallop were loaded on.

Jjajangmyeon or jjamppong: which should you order?

The abalone samseon jjajangmyeon had generous ingredients that made for great chewing texture, while the meat jjamppong had a broth that stood out for its savory depth. The butter tangsuyuk was more satisfying than I'd expected.

Ordering all three together made it fun to pick and choose bites. The jjajang was all about seafood texture, the jjamppong about broth flavor. The tangsuyuk had crispy tenderloin with a subtle nutty butter finish.

Is Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong worth a return visit?

All three dishes I had this time are ones I'd want to eat again. Of the Chinese restaurants I've tried, Bobo Sikdang Apgujeong really suited my taste. Next time, I'd like to try some of the other dishes I didn't get to this time.