Sokcho makguksu restaurant at opening time: bibim with dongchimi

Introducing a patented perilla oil makguksu restaurant in Sokcho.

Where Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch is and when it opens

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch is at 12 Haeoreum-ro 188beon-gil, 1st floor, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do. Hours are Mon–Fri 09:30–21:00, and Sat–Sun 09:30–22:00.

I'd heard this place was the holy land of Sokcho perilla oil buckwheat makguksu, so I came to check it out. It's right in front of Sokcho Beach, so it's easy to get to and parking is a breeze~

Arriving at opening time: how long is the wait?

I'd heard there's basically always a wait at Sokcho Topgol Makguksu, so I did an open-time run — and there were already plenty of customers there!

The place is big with lots of seats, so you can eat comfortably! Turnover is fast too, so the wait wasn't that long~

Every table has a tablet installed, so ordering is convenient.

There are helpful tips written out for how to enjoy each menu item best, which got me even more excited.

Side dishes, the self-serve bar and eating here with kids

When you order, mu-saengchae (seasoned radish) and yeolmu kimchi (young radish kimchi) come out as basic side dishes. The ssamjang and salted shrimp were there because we ordered suyuk^^

There's also a neat, well-stocked self-serve bar where you can help yourself to extra side dishes.

The self-serve bar even has a dedicated microwave for warming baby food. With a separate kids' set menu on top of that, I thought this place is genuinely perfect for family visits with young children, haha. Whoever thought of that has great instincts~~!!

Solo suyuk (boiled pork), 17,000 won

The first dish to arrive was the solo-portion suyuk (boiled pork). Even as a single-serving item, the portion was pretty generous, and that glossy sheen was a work of art, ㅜ,ㅜ

The suyuk was so tender and moist with just the right chewiness that it was delicious even eaten plain;;

Add a little of the salted shrimp that comes alongside, wrap it up with the chewy dried radish strips and the sweet-spicy pollack sashimi salad in one bite, and the flavor doubles 🤤

Buckwheat king mandu, 10,000 won

The king mandu came out freshly steamed, still steaming. The size is genuinely as big as an adult fist;;

A truly giant buckwheat king mandu~ Packed edge to edge with meat and vegetables. Biting in released warm juices along with a nutty, savory flavor that had me, ㅠ,ㅠ A must-have side to pair with the makguksu!!

All the dishes I ordered finally arrived. That nutty, fragrant perilla oil aroma drove me wild~~

Perilla oil buckwheat makguksu, 13,000 won

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu's signature — the patented perilla oil buckwheat makguksu.

The fragrance of perfilla leaves and the deep, rich nuttiness of the perilla oil blend with the chewy buckwheat noodles for an umami explosion that fills your whole mouth, ㅜ,ㅜ

Following the tip for eating it best, I added cold dongchimi broth when the noodles were nearly gone, and finishing it that way was clean and refreshing on the stomach — so good.

Bibim makguksu, 10,000 won: the dongchimi, perilla oil and vinegar mix

The bibim makguksu came out with red seasoning sauce sprinkled with seaweed flakes and sesame seeds. Mix it thoroughly and take a big bite~ The spicy-sour-sweet seasoning is a total taste explosion!!

Alternating with the mild deulmemak kept it from ever getting tiring~~

I tried drizzling on a round of perilla oil, a splash of vinegar and mustard, and then pouring in the cold dongchimi broth that comes alongside, mixing it in generously — and eating it this way was truly sour-sweet with an added nuttiness, doubling or tripling the flavor, ㅜ,ㅜ This combination comes highly recommended!!!

Buckwheat cookies and noodles to take home, plus the waiting seats

Heading out after the meal, I noticed they also sell buckwheat cookies? They sell buckwheat noodles too, so next time I want to try making them at home, haha.

Since this place is so popular, there's a separate waiting seating area off to the side, and you can even take a photo of your receipt as a keepsake on your way out~~

Is Sokcho Topgol Makguksu worth it? Final verdict

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu — visited on my Sokcho trip after hearing it's the holy land of deulmemak. Right in front of Sokcho Beach, easy access and convenient parking make it perfect to stop by as part of a travel route! Tasting it myself, I could clearly see why it's so popular, haha.

The patented perilla oil buckwheat makguksu boasted a killer combination of fragrant perfilla leaves and rich, nutty perilla oil, while the bibim makguksu — mixed with the dongchimi broth, perilla oil, and vinegar trick — exploded with spicy-sour-sweet umami, ㅠ,ㅠ Add the tender, moist suyuk and the savory buckwheat king mandu, and it was a perfectly complete combination with nothing lacking!

The restaurant is spacious, and with a dedicated baby food microwave and kids' set menu, I'd recommend it for family visits too~ If you're looking for great-tasting makguksu in Sokcho, definitely visit Sokcho Topgol Makguksu~^0^