Yangjae makguksu spot true to the Seonbawi original: Memil Jangteo

Does Memil Jangteo's Yangjae branch taste like the Seonbawi original?

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo (선바위메밀장터) Yangjae Branch is the new location of the makguksu restaurant that has been loved for years near Seonbawi Station, now by Yangjae Citizens' Forest. I went right after hearing it opened! My family and I have been regulars at the original for over 10 years, so my expectations were high, and to give you the conclusion first: the taste is exactly the same as the Seonbawi original, which made me so happy.

Memil Jangteo Yangjae: location, hours and parking

• Hours: daily 09:00-21:00
• Separate men's and women's restrooms
• Groups welcome
• Parking available: 6 spaces in front of the restaurant

It's a 3-minute walk from Exit 2 of Yangjaesiminuisup Station on the Shinbundang Line, so it was easy to find, and there are 5 parking spaces in front, so it looks convenient if you're coming by car.

Halls and private rooms: good for family gatherings and group dinners?

The restaurant has two floors, and maybe because it just opened, it was really clean. Most people were eating on the 1st floor, and I ate there too this day.

For the 2nd floor, take the stairs on the right,

where there's a large hall and

rooms, so it looks good for family gatherings or group dinners too.

Memil Jangteo is a famous place that's often been on TV! I went to the Seonbawi branch a lot with my family, and the makguksu there is truly delicious. It's also a perfect lunch pick near Yangjae Citizens' Forest.

You can also help yourself to buckwheat tea, and a warm cup before the meal settles your stomach nicely.

Memil Jangteo menu and prices of what we ordered

• Pollack hoe makguksu ₩13,000
• Perilla oil makguksu ₩12,000
• Pollack hoe suyuk ₩23,000
• Makgeolli ₩4,000

How to eat pollack hoe suyuk

The pollack hoe suyuk (₩23,000) is boiled pork belly (suyuk) served with seasoned pollack (myeongtae-hoe) and dried radish strips. It goes so well with makguksu that I always order it at Memil Jangteo~ The tender pork belly is moist and clean-tasting, with no gamey smell.

Top it with the sweet-spicy pollack hoe and crunchy dried radish and the flavor changes~ The combination of rich pork, savory pollack hoe and crunchy radish is really good! Personally, I like it best when I eat all three together~

The pollack hoe that comes with it is generous, too! The pieces are so big that we cut them with scissors to share.

This is the dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth and water kimchi that come as standard.

The cool water kimchi goes well with the suyuk, too. I like that everything at Memil Jangteo tastes healthy.

Perilla oil makguksu: how to eat it with dongchimi broth

When we come to Memil Jangteo, our family always orders the perilla oil makguksu and the pollack hoe makguksu.

My favorite is the perilla oil makguksu (₩12,000)! The buckwheat noodles made in-house at Memil Jangteo taste and feel different from other places~ The more you chew, the nuttier they get, and with the rich, toasty perilla oil they make a simple but deep flavor. It's simple, but not something just anyone can replicate.

The perilla oil makguksu is great with suyuk too~ Personally, I find it even better with water kimchi or dried radish.

At the end, try pouring in a little dongchimi broth! It adds a cool, clean taste and turns it into a totally different kind of makguksu.

Pollack hoe makguksu, my mom's favorite

The pollack hoe makguksu (₩13,000) is my mom's favorite. The buckwheat noodles are piled with pollack hoe and perilla seeds, and the nutty perilla aroma and the sweet-spicy hoe go really well with the noodles.

The chewy texture of the pollack hoe and its seasoning pair so nicely with the noodles that your chopsticks keep going back~

A 10-year regular's verdict: the same taste as the Seonbawi original

The pollack hoe makguksu goes really well with the suyuk. What I liked about the Yangjae Citizens' Forest branch is that there's almost no difference from the Seonbawi original! Branches usually taste oddly different, but this one was exactly the makguksu I'm used to~ If you're looking for a lunch spot near Yangjae Citizens' Forest, do visit Memil Jangteo~^^