# Gongneung-dong ramen shop: L-size tsukemen with menma, Torikokoro - By Sieun (https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-lunch-register/) - Written Sep 22, 2026 - Local places › Restaurants › Nowon, Seoul - Sponsored: This post was written as a sponsored store visit. - English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-lunch-register/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/ - Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@seoul-lunch-register/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/index.md) ## In short Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store is a ramen and tsukemen restaurant in Gongneung-dong, Nowon, Seoul, where both the broth and the noodles are made in house. The L-size tsukemen with extra seaweed and extra menma (seasoned bamboo shoots) came with chewy fresh noodles that taste grain-sweet on their own, chicken breast as tender as sous vide, char-grilled chicken, and a perfect soft-boiled egg. Because L adds the egg and more toppings than M, L size is the one to order at Torikokoro. ## Good to know - **Location**: 10 Gongneung-ro 35-gil, basement level, Nowon-gu, Seoul (about 12 minutes on foot from Gongneung Station, 11 minutes from Taereung-ipgu Station) - **Menu**: Four dishes: tsukemen, karai miso (spicy miso) tsukemen, mazesoba, niboshi shoyu ramen - **Sizes**: Tsukemen size and noodle amount are your choice; L includes an egg and more toppings than M - **Seating**: All bar-counter seats, and few of them, so expect a possible wait - **Parking**: No dedicated parking; use a nearby paid lot (no parking validation) - **On the table**: Pepper, kelp vinegar and a water dispenser *as written by the visitor on Sep 22, 2026* ## Where is Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store, and where do you park? Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store is a Japanese-style ramen and tsukemen shop about a 12-minute walk from Gongneung Station and 11 minutes from Taereung-ipgu Station. That side of the neighborhood has plenty to see and plenty of good restaurants, so it's a nice area for a leisurely walk. ![Exterior of Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store tucked in a Gongneung-dong alley](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-01-na1f8-966.webp) *Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store* > Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store There's no dedicated parking space, so you'll need to use a nearby lot. No parking support is offered! ![Street view around the entrance of Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-02-5vsq6-966.webp) ## The four-dish menu, and how tsukemen M and L differ Torikokoro's menu has four items: tsukemen, karai miso tsukemen, mazesoba, and niboshi shoyu ramen. Everything is 100% house broth and house-made noodles, so I was really looking forward to it. ![Torikokoro menu board listing tsukemen, mazesoba, and niboshi shoyu ramen](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-03-1lmmh-966.webp) For tsukemen you can choose the size, and within each size choose the noodle amount. Toppings can also be added! The karai miso option has a spicy note, but it's not very hot — just a faint hint of spice. There's a noodle-amount difference between tsukemen M and L, but also a difference in whether egg is included and how much topping you get, so personally I recommend going with L! ## Inside Torikokoro: bar seats and solo dining ![Entrance leading down to the basement-level Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-04-1tjt1-966.webp) ![Shop entrance with ordering instructions visible at Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-05-91xnk-966.webp) You order first when you come in, then take a seat! ![Interior decor of Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-06-1k58e-966.webp) ![Cute photo decorations hanging on the wall](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-07-1731r-966.webp) There are some cute photos around the shop too. Very charming. ![A corner of the shop decorated with charming photos](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-08-wij4x-966.webp) True to their house-made noodles, there's a separate area where they make fresh noodles. House-made noodles and house-made broth at this price — that's real value, isn't it? ![The house noodle-making station at Torikokoro](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-09-gsfod-966.webp) There aren't many seats inside, so there can be a wait!! Every seat is bar-table style, and there were a lot of solo diners. It seems like a great spot for eating alone. ![Bar-table seating well suited to solo diners at Torikokoro](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-10-19fsw-966.webp) Each table had pepper and a kelp vinegar dispenser. A dispenser, of all things — I thought that was funny haha. ![Pepper and a kelp vinegar dispenser on the table](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-11-1wu1x-966.webp) ## How to eat tsukemen and adjust the saltiness Tsukemen is literally 'dipping noodles' ramen — pouring the broth over the noodles is not tolerated here. ![In-store sign explaining how to eat tsukemen](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-12-wf9gp-966.webp) Also, the saltiness is fairly strong by default, but you can ask them to lower it if you want. It wasn't actually that salty though. Salt comes out first. You're meant to dip the noodles lightly into this salt. It's a real delicacy on its own.. ![Small plate of salt for dipping tsukemen noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-13-10y2j-1200.webp) ## The L-size tsukemen with extra seaweed and menma arrives The tsukemen arrives!! I added extra seaweed and extra menma (bamboo shoots), so there was plenty of both piled on. Adding menma is a must. ![Tsukemen L size topped with extra seaweed and extra menma](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-14-1569l-966.webp) This is the tsukejiru (dipping broth). You dip your noodles in here — I shook a generous amount of the table pepper into mine. You're only supposed to stir it once or twice when it first comes out, but I kept stirring it while filming. ![Rich tsukejiru dipping broth mixed with pepper](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-15-oquh8-966.webp) ![Close-up of toppings in the tsukejiru](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-16-i7144-966.webp) Even with extra seaweed and extra menma, the gap between L and M is significant. I really, really recommend the L size.. But did I actually finish all of this, you ask? ![A generously filled bowl of tsukemen L-size noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-17-1nv9a-966.webp) ## How do the house-made fresh noodles taste? For your first bite, try the noodles plain. They're incredibly chewy and springy. Delicious even on their own. There's no strong raw-flour taste — instead you get the sweetness and nuttiness of the grain, which really comes through with house-made noodles. Second, try dipping in salt. You can dab the noodles straight into the salt like I did, or move a small amount onto your chopsticks. It's such a delicacy — genuinely delicious, so I dipped in several more times. ![House-made fresh noodles being dipped in salt](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-18-1dfxj-966.webp) ### Chicken breast, char-grilled chicken and menma toppings The chicken breast is genuinely tender. Not dry at all — soft like it was sous-vide cooked. So good. ![Close-up of the tender chicken breast topping](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-19-1izr9-966.webp) I'm not exactly sure which cut this is, but it's chicken that's been char-grilled, so it has a strong smoky flavor that's delicious and pairs really well. ![Char-grilled chicken topping](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-20-py2gx-966.webp) And the menma — of course it's good. Ramen is always better with menma. ## How deep to dip in the tsukejiru, and when to add vinegar Time for the real eating to begin. Start by dipping about 1/3 of the noodles, then 1/2, then finally dunk them all the way in — adjust to your taste as you go. Adding vinegar partway through brings out the flavor even more. It's not as dramatic a change as it is with mazesoba, where vinegar totally transforms the taste, but it's still delicious. ![The moment of dipping noodles into the tsukejiru](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-21-7j703-966.webp) The tsukejiru is thick and rich, bursting with salty umami and waves of seafood aroma — seriously delicious.. ![Close-up of the thick tsukejiru broth with noodles](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-22-7xe17-966.webp) And eating it together with the seaweed is soooooo good. Adding extra seaweed is a must-must-must-must-must. ![Noodles wrapped with the added seaweed](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-23-akvht-966.webp) ![Cross-section of the soft-boiled egg](https://img.superchart.com/images/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma-24-1qa7n-966.webp) The egg was a perfect soft-boil too. How many minutes did they cook it for? I'd love to know myself. Where did it go? Who ate it all? ## Is Torikokoro worth it for ramen in Gongneung-dong? Want delicious ramen or tsukemen in Gongneung? I highly recommend Torikokoro, a great-value spot with house-made noodles and house-made broth! ## Where it is - Torikokoro Gongneung Direct Store (토리코코로 공릉직영점) - 10 Gongneung-ro 35-gil, basement level, Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea - 서울특별시 노원구 공릉로35길 10 지층 토리코코로 공릉직영점 - 37.6228995, 127.0787329 - Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%ED%86%A0%EB%A6%AC%EC%BD%94%EC%BD%94%EB%A1%9C%20%EA%B3%B5%EB%A6%89%EC%A7%81%EC%98%81%EC%A0%90/@37.6228995,127.0787329,17z --- Superchart · https://superchart.com/en/@seoul-lunch-register/gongneung-tsukemen-large-nori-menma/ · https://superchart.com/llms.txt