Gongju noodle restaurant for shabu kalguksu: Myeonsikdang

Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch 67 Gongjudaehak-ro, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea ⏰ Daily 10:30–20:30 📌 No regular closing day

On a trip to Gongju, I stopped by Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch for lunch.

What kind of restaurant is Myeonsikdang, right by Gongju University?

There are a lot of restaurants clustered near Gongju University that students frequent, great for a quick meal. This time I picked Myeonsikdang because the menu was varied enough that even a group could each order something different.

The inside of the restaurant is spacious and comfortable.

There's a self-serve bar.

I figured a place called "noodle restaurant" would only serve noodles, but once I looked at the menu there was everything from kalguksu (hand-cut noodle soup) to donkatsu (pork cutlet) to rice bowls. So we each ordered something different that day.

We ordered three different dishes — shabu kalguksu, mozzarella cheese katsu, and spicy galbi rice bowl — and with each of us picking something else, the table looked pretty loaded.

🥬 Shabu kalguksu: warm, filling noodle soup

First up, shabu kalguksu! With kalguksu, the broth is everything. The meat broth here was really rich.

Eating the vegetables and noodles together in the hot broth made for a solid meal. I especially liked that you could enjoy the vegetables and meat shabu-shabu style first, then finish with the noodles — several different flavors within one dish. If you like soupy food, this was an easy pick. And true to its name, if you're a noodle person there are plenty of other options at Myeonsikdang beyond kalguksu that I'd like to try next time.

🧀 Mozzarella cheese katsu, loaded with melted cheese

Second dish: mozzarella cheese katsu. If you like donkatsu, cheese katsu is a must-try. Mozzarella cheese is stuffed inside the crispy-fried cutlet, so you get the savoriness of the pork alongside the softness of melted cheese. Cheese katsu is especially fun eaten hot, when the cheese stretches into long strings.

Ordering it alongside a soupy dish like shabu kalguksu meant we got to taste two very different things — good for sharing when there's a group. Kids often love donkatsu too, so if you're eating out as a family, mozzarella cheese katsu is worth a look.

🌶️ Spicy galbi rice bowl for anyone who wants heat

And the dish that caught the most attention that day was the spicy galbi rice bowl. Rice topped with spicy-seasoned galbi (marinated short rib) — a completely different feel from the kalguksu or the katsu. If you like spicy food, this rice bowl is right up your alley.

Rice and galbi together make for a satisfying meal, and unlike the noodle dishes, it's a great option for anyone who prefers rice — which means there's plenty of choice when you're eating with a group. Ordering the shabu kalguksu, mozzarella cheese katsu, and spicy galbi rice bowl all at once meant each dish had its own flavor and style, so we got to try a bit of everything.

🍴 Why Myeonsikdang works for a group with different tastes

The biggest thing I noticed eating at Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch was just how wide the menu selection was. Someone wants kalguksu, someone wants donkatsu, someone wants a spicy rice bowl — everyone can order what they want in one place. When a group has different tastes, it's often hard to agree on a restaurant, but here the variety takes a lot of that stress away.

Located right by Gongju University, it's a solid option for anyone eating around the college area, and also a good stop for lunch or dinner while traveling around Gongju near the university. If you're looking for a restaurant near Gongju University that covers noodles, donkatsu, and rice bowls all in one place, Myeonsikdang Gongju University Branch is worth a visit.