Guwol-dong ramen couple set, small vs large chicken bowl: Menya Seoul

*This post was sponsored with a set amount from the business, but it also includes items paid for out of pocket, and is written honestly.

Is there really such a thing as 'ipchu (start of autumn) magic'? -? Now that ipchu has come, the nights are a bit cooler and daytime temperatures have dropped. So many people were suffering from the heat, so even a small drop in temperature is such a relief haha. I was trying to decide on weekend lunch and suddenly wanted ramen again, so off to Menya Seoul, an Incheon Lotte Department Store restaurant!

Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch

What's on the menu at Menya Seoul, Lotte Department Store Incheon?

The menu at Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch was really varied. There were set menus too. I was curious about the lamb skewers, but sadly they were sold out ㅠㅠ

I'm a wimp about spice these days but somehow anything labeled 'spicy' still pulls me in. They say Menya Seoul's spicy option is about as spicy as Shin Ramyun.

Since it's summer, they've got a new summer menu too! Who says only naengmyeon (cold noodles) gets to be cold~~ cold ramen counts too~~~~

Menya Seoul couple set for ₩21,900: what's included and what we ordered

Honestly we checked the menu on Naver before coming and had already decided to go with the Menya Seoul couple set. I didn't see it on the in-store menu board though — maybe I just couldn't find it??

• Menya Seoul couple set ₩21,900 (basic dongpo pork ramen x1 + sweet soy chicken bowl large x1 + drink x1)
• Sweet soy chicken bowl (small) ₩5,900

So this is what we ordered. Yongseop said it wouldn't be enough and we should get the large chicken bowl, but his opinion got overruled~~~~ haha Ah~! Let's lose a little weight~! We need to be slim by the wedding~!~!

Counter seating for solo diners, the sauce station and the prize draw

Menya Seoul's counter is set up like this, so it's good for solo dining and also fine for coming with a group to eat together.

There's also a sauce station where you can add sauces to taste.

They were running some kind of event where even getting 3rd place (last place) still got you a juice. Here he is enjoying it as an appetizer.

You can also get an ajitamago (seasoned soft-boiled egg), which is delicious soaked deep in the ramen broth, as part of the review event lol. You absolutely have to join it.

First impressions of the basic dongpo pork ramen

Basic dongpo pork ramen + sweet soy chicken bowl (small). The ramen's visuals weren't bad at all. Dongpo pork, char siu, ajitamago, kelp, scallions, garlic, bean sprouts — all evenly loaded in, so the broth was clearly going to taste great without even trying it.

Small vs large sweet soy chicken bowl: how big is the difference?

Ah, my fist makes another appearance to show you the size of the sweet soy chicken bowl! It's not big at all. For an adult man, it's about 4 bites' worth. I genuinely regretted not just ordering the large size. Of course, for women it's fine as a side dish. But you definitely won't fill up on just this alone. Might be fine for little kids though?!

Left: sweet soy chicken bowl (large), right: sweet soy chicken bowl (small). Seeing them side by side like this, the size difference is pretty noticeable, right? Think of the small size as just a side dish~~

Menya Seoul ramen broth: not salty, with a garlic kick

Looking at the ramen visuals again — so good. I really love ramen broth with garlic in it. True to a Guwol-dong-area favorite, this one had garlic in it too.

I started with the broth first. A lot of ramen places have overly salty broth, but Menya Seoul's broth was seasoned just right. Umami, I guess you'd call it — really addictive! And on top of that a subtle garlic aroma cut through the richness, and though I couldn't get a photo, they also gave out something like pickled radish or kimchi so you don't get tired of the flavor.

Char siu vs dongpo pork: which was tastier?

The char siu really let the natural savoriness of the meat come through. It was more tender than the dongpo pork and had a cleaner taste, so soaking it deep in the rich ramen broth was an absolutely perfect match.

The dongpo pork was thick, with a perfect ratio of fat to lean meat. It wasn't dry at all, which I loved. And the sauce on the dongpo pork had a bit of a sweet-and-salty flavor soaked into the meat, blending really well with the ramen broth.

For me, eating it with the char siu was the tastier combo haha. Next time I should add it as an extra topping. Writing this in the evening is making me crave that broth again~!~!~!

Sweet soy chicken bowl taste: katsuobushi and crispy, juicy chicken

The sweet soy chicken bowl comes sprinkled with katsuobushi (bonito flakes), and the aroma pairs really well with the bowl. The chicken is crispy outside and juicy inside — a textbook example of that perfect texture.

It comes cut into easy bite-sized pieces, with a great sweet-and-salty balance that keeps you wanting more — solid, solid. The sauce is so good you could probably just eat it mixed on its own. A bite of this followed by a sip of the rich ramen broth is just perfect~! If you order ramen, I'd strongly recommend ordering a rice dish as your other item.

Free ajitamago from the review event

The ajitamago we got from the review event. Ajitamago is basically a seasoned egg. The yolk was cooked to just the right point — moist and chewy, a perfect soft-boil. No fishy taste, and the sauce had soaked in deeply, so eating it together with a scoop of ramen broth brought out even more savoriness. The soft yolk was so good!!!!!!!!!!!! nya-ho

Ordering tips for couples at Menya Seoul

We cleared our plates completely~! Yongseop said it was a bit lacking for him, and I felt just comfortably full. Yongseop emphasized that a guy who can eat two burgers could easily finish the whole couple set alone, so girlfriends should definitely order one more separate dish. Couples heading there, take note lol.