Seongsu ramen restaurant with cheese rice risotto: Menya Pomo

What does tomato ramen taste like?

Tomato ramen 🍅 had been on my must-try list forever. I wondered if it might have originated in Hong Kong or Taiwan, but the atmosphere inside felt very Japanese~

Tomato ramen has a bright, savory appeal that is quite different from regular tonkotsu or shoyu ramen. It is not greasy, so it is great when you do not have much of an appetite. In Korea, putting tomatoes in broth can feel a little unfamiliar, but it actually seems to pair much better with a meaty stock than expected!

A partitioned ramen restaurant near Seongsu Station

Menya Pomo Seongsu Branch is on the main stretch of Yeonmujang-gil, Seongsu-dong's food alley, so it is close to Seongsu Station. It is easy to reach, spacious, and neat. Each seat has a partition, making for a calm, cozy atmosphere that is also lovely for dining alone 😌

I personally care a lot about lighting, and the indirect lighting throughout the restaurant was easy on the eyes, making it a pleasant place to linger.

Visited in September 2026

Cheese rice risotto after the ramen

At Menya Pomo, a tomato ramen specialist where the meal begins with ramen and ends with risotto, the signature course is to add cheese rice to the rich tomato ramen broth after finishing the noodles. The broth captures the savory taste and bright acidity of ripe tomatoes, for a flavor that is not greasy or tiresome.

Besides the original tomato ramen, there are five bases in total: beef-bone broth, tom yum, tantan, and Indian-style versions 🍜 Perfect if you want to try an unusual ramen.

Menya Pomo strongly recommends its cheese rice risotto as well as its ramen, so I recommend ordering a set! You can add toppings to suit your taste, including Korean beef cutlet, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), and croquettes, making it a satisfyingly hearty meal.

Tantan tomato ramen set

Tantan tomato ramen set 🍅 This ramen combines a rich tantan sauce with nutty sesame flavor and tomato broth, with a gentle touch of heat.

The soft, weighty nuttiness meets the brightness of tomato. If you enjoy intensely flavored broth, this tantan tomato ramen could be right up your alley. It has an appeal quite different from Chinese dan dan noodles!

A regular set includes two pieces of karaage and your choice of salad or cheese rice. The fried chicken is crisp outside and juicy inside, and it works beautifully alongside the rich tomato broth.

The noodles are moderately thick and pleasantly firm, with a nice chew that suits the rich broth. Since this is not a clear broth, it is tastier to eat it together with the noodles rather than spooning up the broth on its own 😋

The exotic pairing of tom yum Korean beef cutlet ramen

Tom yum Korean beef cutlet ramen set 🍅 An exotic ramen with tangy, spicy tom yum flavor in tomato broth, topped with crispy fried Korean beef cutlet. The set again came with two pieces of karaage, and I chose cheese rice so I could make risotto.

The tom yum tomato ramen was much more layered in flavor than I expected. Its tangy, sharp taste is strong, so it may be divisive. But for someone like me who regularly enjoys tom yum goong and tom yum rice noodles, it was incredibly appealing!

Perhaps because the fresh flavor is so pronounced, it paired especially well with the nutty, juicy Korean beef cutlet. The coating stayed wonderfully crisp, so it was appealing even without soaking it in the broth; after eating about half, though, giving the rest a good soak in the broth was a fun change too.

Add fresh cilantro and you can really enjoy the tomato's bright flavor together with cilantro's distinctive, exotic aroma.

With soboro minced meat in it, the broth feels even richer. The broth clings well to the noodles, and I loved the mouthful of flavor.

The portion was hugely generous too, so it made for a really filling meal!

Add cheese rice to the leftover broth

Cheese rice 🍚🧀 Warm rice is topped generously with nutty cheese. Add it to the broth after finishing the ramen and it becomes soft, rich, and creamy like risotto. The cheese may firm up a little while you eat the ramen, but it is soft cheese, so it melts quickly once it goes into the broth.

It may not look especially neat 😅 but it tastes better than expected, with the tomato's bright flavor meeting the cheese's nuttiness—definitely give it a try!

A distinctive Seongsu-dong ramen restaurant

As befits a tomato ramen specialist, Menya Pomo Seongsu has a range of ramen that brings out tomatoes' bright yet deep savoriness. Since it is on Yeonmujang-gil, there can be a wait, but the comfortable interior and quick table turnover make it feel manageable. I recommend this Seongsu spot for days when you have little appetite, or when you want a generous serving of both ramen and risotto! ❤️