Spicy motsu ramen in Euljiro, Seoul: Mentsuru

As the weather suddenly turned chilly, I started craving something hot with a spicy, warming broth. I remembered enjoying a piping-hot bowl of ramen at a place called Mentsuru near City Hall Station before. When I saw that a branch had opened near Euljiro after work, the ramen craving brought me in.

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch between Euljiro 3-ga and Chungmuro stations

Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, a ramen spot in Euljiro, sits between Euljiro 3-ga Station and Chungmuro Station on Line 3, so it is easy to reach by subway.

The restaurant and solo dining seats

Come out of Exit 9 at Euljiro 3-ga Station and walk toward Chungmuro Station, and you will spot this sleek-looking ramen restaurant. This is Mentsuru Euljiro Branch, the Euljiro ramen place I am introducing today. Even though it was late, it was busy—as you would expect from a popular spot.

The kitchen is open like this, which makes it feel reassuringly hygienic, and there are plenty of solo seats right in front of it. Lots of people had come to eat alone, too.

One thing I love at Mentsuru is this yuzu pickled danmuji (yellow pickled radish)! Unlike ordinary danmuji, it is pickled with yuzu, so it tastes brighter and fresher.

The Naver receipt-review event would be a shame to skip! You get a complimentary drink or gyoza dumplings, so of course I had to do it.

Spicy motsu ramen and the dishes I had alongside it

I debated which ramen to order, but since I had tried the shoyu ramen before, I went for the warming motsu ramen (₩15,000) today. You can adjust the spice level, and because I was craving a spicy broth that day, I ordered it spicy. I also got house-made karaage (Japanese fried chicken, ₩7,000) and a Jim Beam Highball (₩7,000).

A Jim Beam Highball after work

First, I quenched my thirst with a cold Jim Beam Highball. A cold drink after work is always delicious, no matter when you have it.

Motsu ramen generously topped with offal and beef belly

Then the motsu ramen arrived! It had far more toppings than I expected. It was not just motsu (beef offal), either; there was also plenty of smoky-scented thin-sliced beef belly on top. Maybe because I ordered it spicy, it was fairly hot—somewhere between Shin Ramyun and Buldak 볶음면 in heat. If you are not good with spicy food, it might be a bit challenging, so keep that in mind when choosing your spice level!

Maybe because it was loaded with beef belly and offal, the flavor was intense and substantial. The highball was good too, but this is really a dish that calls for soju. If I had visited on the weekend, I might have ordered some. Mentsuru does sell soju (₩6,000), by the way, and it made me want to come back and have it with soju next time.

There was a generous amount of noodles as well, so one bowl alone was filling.

Crispy house-made karaage

And then there is another Mentsuru hit: the house-made karaage! At many ramen restaurants or izakaya, they simply heat up store-bought karaage, but Mentsuru makes and sells its own. Perhaps that is why the meat tasted so fresh and the coating was wonderfully crisp. The portion was bigger than expected, so if two people visit, one order of karaage should be enough. Maybe because the motsu ramen was spicy, it paired so well with the karaage.

When the ramen felt too spicy, I ate karaage; when the karaage felt rich, I ate ramen. Switching back and forth between the two like an endless power source, I somehow cleared every last dish. It was such a satisfying meal after a tiring day at work.

How was it for a solo dinner after work?

I thought it was a truly great restaurant for nearby office workers looking to sort out a meal. It would be nice at lunchtime, and it is also a good ramen place where you can comfortably drink alone after work without feeling self-conscious. The shoyu ramen I had before was delicious too, but if you are looking for a more substantial ramen that goes well with drinks, I recommend the motsu ramen. If the chilly weather has you craving a hot broth, I recommend stopping by.