Seongsu ramen shop: poached egg bone broth tomato ramen, Menya Pomo

What is Menya Pomo Seongsu Branch?

Menya Pomo Seongsu Branch is a one-of-a-kind tomato ramen spot in Seongsu! I once watched a YouTube video about a tomato ramen shop in Japan that suits Korean tastes perfectly, and I've been so curious about tomato ramen ever since. So I decided that next time I was in Seongsu, I was going to Menya Pomo, no excuses, haha. Here's the ramen place I'd been dying to try. Let's get started!

• Daily 11:00-20:30
• Break time 15:30-17:00
• Last order 20:00

Where is Menya Pomo Seongsu and what is it like inside?

Menya Pomo Seongsu is tucked inside an alley in Seongsu-dong, in a semi-basement. This is the outside, and since it's a semi-basement I almost walked right past it at first ;ㅁ;

And this is the inside~ The shop isn't huge, but I think it's comfortable enough to eat alone without feeling awkward. The wood-tone interior is really clean!

You can get unlimited rice at the self-serve bar!!! Wow,, seriously??

Menya Pomo Seongsu menu and prices

Here's the menu at Menya Pomo Seongsu. There are four kinds of tomato ramen alone, so even choosing what to eat was hard, haha. The sides include fried items that go well with ramen, like karaage (Japanese fried chicken), croquettes and fried shrimp.

This is what we ordered, and the total came to ₩41,000!

• Hanwoo katsu tomato ramen set - ₩19,500
• (Bone broth) tomato ramen set - ₩18,000
• Karaage, 4 pieces - ₩3,500

The set menus at Menya Pomo include a drink, so this time we each got our own drink, haha. We're not big drinkers,, so cheers with cola 🍻

There were quite a few customers, but the food came out quickly, which I loved!

How does the Hanwoo katsu tomato ramen set taste?

The Hanwoo katsu tomato ramen is a clear tomato broth topped with crispy Korean beef cutlet (katsu). This one is H's Hanwoo katsu tomato ramen, and he chose cheese rice as his side. A huge piece of Hanwoo katsu goes on whole,,

Menya Pomo's tomato ramen comes in four kinds: regular tomato, bone broth tomato, tom yum tomato and Indian tomato. I was so curious about the tom yum and Indian ones too, but I wanted to know how the basic tomato ramen tasted, so I held back,,

Bone broth tomato ramen with poached egg and the salad side

The (bone broth) tomato ramen is, they say, a bone broth tomato ramen on a rich paitan (creamy chicken-style broth) base. I chose salad as my set side.

The salad is seriously good;;;;; You have to try it. The sauce is kind of like kewpie mayo, and it goes so well with the thinly sliced cabbage.

They don't look all that different, do they? Interestingly, mine had minced meat and shredded scallions in it.

H's Hanwoo katsu ramen~ Since it's a regular tomato base, the broth felt really clear and clean.

How was the 4-piece karaage?

I didn't want to leave out the Menya Pomo karaage (4 pieces, ₩3,500), so we ate it in between bites. Crispy, chewy, springy and salty, it'd be great with a drink, haha. Delicious.

Bone broth vs regular tomato ramen: do they taste different?

Interestingly, the bone broth tomato ramen comes with a poached egg! And it tasted totally different from H's Hanwoo katsu tomato ramen. It had a Southeast Asian-style aroma, and I honestly loved it, haha. H liked his own best, and I liked mine best.

Is spice level 2 at Menya Pomo hot?

Spice level 2 at Menya Pomo ramen isn't spicy at all! Even at level 2 it was so mild that I sprinkled on a ton of chili flakes. If you handle spice well, level 4 or 5 would probably be fine??

How do you eat the cheese rice at Menya Pomo?

The very last thing!! We finish with the cheese rice. You're actually supposed to eat it like risotto in the leftover broth after finishing the noodles, but I was too curious about the taste, so I just ate it midway. The cheese rice is loaded with funky, nutty cheese and a strong garlic aroma inside, and it was delicious with the broth.

The menu works well for a solo meal and it's a great offbeat date spot: that was Menya Pomo in Seongsu ❤️

Menya Pomo Seongsu at a glance

• Atmosphere: A ramen shop in a semi-basement inside a Seongsu alley. The space isn't very big, but the wood-tone interior is clean and it's comfortable for eating alone. Unlimited rice at the self-serve bar made it a filling meal.
• Prices/set: Hanwoo katsu tomato ramen set ₩19,500, bone broth tomato ramen set ₩18,000 and 4 pieces of karaage ₩3,500, ₩41,000 in total. Tomato ramen comes in 4 kinds (regular, bone broth, tom yum and Indian tomato), and there are sides like karaage, croquettes and fried shrimp. Sets include a drink, and you can pick a side such as salad or cheese rice, so the value was solid.
• Taste: The regular tomato ramen has a clear, clean tomato broth topped with crispy Hanwoo katsu, easy to eat. The bone broth tomato ramen has a rich paitan base, clearly different from the regular one, with a Southeast Asian-style aroma that made it unique and tasty. The karaage was crispy outside, chewy and springy inside, and salty, a good side. The cheese rice, with nutty cheese and strong garlic, blended well with the broth and was a good way to finish.