Cheonan jjamppong with 300-car parking and dumplings: Bultina

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Sinbang Branch

I'd been craving a tasty, spicy jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and this Sinbang-dong spot caught my eye. It looked like a newly opened place so I searched it up, and it turned out to be a franchise jjamppong restaurant with branches all over the region.

Parking at Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong: room for 300 cars

🚘 Parking info: if you turn into the alley before passing the Woori Bank in the same building, there's a separate parking lot with both ground and underground levels. It can hold up to 300 cars, so parking is one thing you don't need to worry about here.

If you come in from the back, go through the door and turn right.

How long is the wait at 1pm on a weekend?

I visited around 1pm on a weekend and every table was full — probably because it was weekend lunchtime, there was a bit of a wait. There was a table that had just finished eating and I stood around waiting near it, but then I saw staff telling another group to line up in a row, so I belatedly got in line too. If you need to wait, just line up!

The interior is spacious with no cramped feeling at all. Even with a lot of tables, there's still a wait — which really speaks to how popular this Sinbang-dong spot is. Aprons hang everywhere for self-service use. And the kitchen is an open kitchen — I could tell why they're proud of cooking daily with top-quality ingredients.

Cooking starts fresh the moment you order, so you get that just-made taste right away. They mentioned beforehand that it might take a little time, but the food actually came out faster than I expected.

What we ordered at Bultina, and what it cost

• Cockle jjamppong level 1 (₩11,000)
• Cockle jjamppong level 2 (₩11,000)
• Double-portion jjajangmyeon (₩9,000)
• Fried dumplings (₩6,000)

The jjamppong looked incredibly appetizing right off the bat — piled high with chives and cockles...🤍

Level 1 vs level 2 cockle jjamppong: how hot is each?

Can you see how packed with ingredients it is inside? There were countless cockles, so it really lived up to its name. The vibe reminded me of Gyodong jjamppong, but with a stronger smoky wok-fired flavor, which I loved. The onions, kimchi, and meat are all cooked down thoroughly, so it's the style where the onions and kimchi lose their bite completely. That made it blend even more harmoniously with the noodles in my mouth. If you can't handle spicy food well, go with the base level; if you love spicy food, I'd recommend level 2. Level 2 also finishes with a slightly sharp, tangy kick, so it's a spice level you can enjoy comfortably — but in my opinion, level 3 would probably have me sweating buckets and gasping for air, so it might be tough.

Double-portion jjajangmyeon, ₩9,000

The noodles are a bit thinner than at other Chinese restaurants. There's plenty of meat too, and it's a classic jjajangmyeon flavor — a can't-go-wrong choice!

⭐️ The jjajangmyeon is good, but you have to try the jjamppong here! ⭐️

₩6,000 fried dumplings

The fried dumplings are ₩6,000, which is on the cheaper side. Compared to the fried dumplings I usually get at Chinese restaurants, these are slimmer and more slender. The wrapper was actually pretty thin too, which made them softer and chewier.

A great value side dish — recommended if sweet-and-sour pork feels like too much!

Paying and registering your own plate number

When you're done eating and paying, you register your car yourself. It's not hard at all — just enter your license plate number, check the time, and confirm it.

Toothpicks, deodorizer, floss, and even hair ties — all four thoughtful extras are on hand.

Is Bultina cockle jjamppong worth the wait?

The tastiest jjamppong I've had in quite a while, at Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong. I was surprised at how many people were there, but now I get why! Spicy and tangy with just the right depth of flavor, mixed in with plenty of vegetables and meat — before I knew it, I'd finished the whole bowl of cockle jjamppong...♥️ This Sinbang-dong jjamppong spot is legit, so everyone should try it.