Pyeongtaek naengmyeon lunch with a splash of vinegar: Seoul Myeonok

This time I stopped by Seoul Myeonok for lunch before catching a movie near Pyeongtaek Station.

Where Seoul Myeonok is: location, hours and parking

Seoul Myeonok is a naengmyeon restaurant right outside exit 1 of Pyeongtaek Station. It's right in front of AK Plaza Pyeongtaek Station, so it wasn't hard to find, and it was perfectly placed for a meal before the movies.

This place is really close if you come out of exit 1 of Pyeongtaek Station.

• Address: 12 Pyeongtaek-ro 57beon-gil, Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi-do
• Hours: Daily 11:30–20:00
• Break time: Weekdays 15:00–16:00 | Weekends 16:00–17:00
• Parking: Pyeongtaek-dong 76-3 public lot, 90 minutes free

We visited on a Sunday during lunch and, being the weekend, there were quite a few customers. Still, being right in front of Pyeongtaek Station makes it easy to get to, so if you're looking for good food near Pyeongtaek Station, I think you'll like the location.

Seoul Myeonok menu and prices: 38,000 won for two

Seoul Myeonok's pyongyang naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon are each ₩11,000, and a half plate of pork belly boiled meat is ₩16,000. We ordered water naengmyeon, bibim naengmyeon, and pork belly boiled meat, and our total came to about ₩38,000 that day.

After sitting down and looking over the menu, we ordered water naengmyeon, bibim naengmyeon, and pork belly boiled meat. I thought it was only naengmyeon, but they also had pyongyang-style hand dumplings, mung bean pancake, and charcoal-grilled pork bulgogi.

We came for the naengmyeon, so that's what we ordered, but eating noodles and boiled meat together as two people made for a pretty filling meal.

Inside Seoul Myeonok and how table kiosk ordering works

Inside Seoul Myeonok there were several tables, each with a T-order kiosk installed. We sat down and browsed the menu on the kiosk too — having photos alongside made choosing much easier.

Since it was Sunday lunch, quite a few people were eating, and more customers kept coming in while we ate. Right in front of Pyeongtaek Station, it seems like a fine spot for a family meal, and convenient too if you're looking for somewhere to eat during a date near Pyeongtaek Station.

What does the self-serve warm broth taste like?

At Seoul Myeonok you can help yourself to warm broth. While waiting for the noodles, I had a cup.

When I think of warm broth at a naengmyeon place I usually think of a savory, deep flavor, but here it tasted a bit like fish cake broth, haha. So at first I thought, "huh, this is a little different from what I expected." Still, having a warm cup of soup before the noodles arrived was nice.

Water naengmyeon: I expected mild, but the broth was seasoned

Seoul Myeonok's pyongyang naengmyeon broth had more seasoning than the usual bland style. And then the water naengmyeon arrived!

Since it's called pyongyang naengmyeon, I honestly expected a bland, plain flavor going in. But once I tried it, the broth had more seasoning than I expected. First bite and I thought, "oh, this has more flavor than I thought," haha.

So if you go in expecting the typical bland pyongyang naengmyeon flavor, it might feel a bit different. The noodles were made with buckwheat, and on top there was a generous slice each of meat and pear.

I usually add vinegar when eating naengmyeon, so I added a bit here too, and sure enough it tasted better to me with a little vinegar. The added tanginess in the broth made it feel much cleaner.

Bibim naengmyeon at Seoul Myeonok: sweeter than spicy

Seoul Myeonok's bibim naengmyeon looked red but the sauce was less spicy than expected and had a sweet edge.

We also ordered the bibim naengmyeon. The color came out red so at first it looked quite spicy, but once I tried it, it wasn't as spicy as expected. Instead there was almost no sourness and a fairly strong sweetness. Eating it, I thought it felt closer to sweet bibim guksu (spicy mixed noodles) or makguksu sauce than typical bibim naengmyeon.

So I added a little vinegar to this one too, and again, the vinegar version suited my taste better! The water naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon are clearly different in flavor, so if two of you visit, it might be good to order one of each and share.

Half plate of boiled pork belly, eaten between bites of noodles

The half plate of pork belly boiled meat was ₩16,000, and alternating between the warm meat and cold noodles was a great combination.

And the pork belly boiled meat we ordered together! Personally, this was better than I expected. Alternating between warm boiled meat and cold noodles worked really well together. A bite of noodles, a piece of meat, then noodles again — I kept reaching for more, haha.

You could pair it with garlic, chili peppers, and salted shrimp, and it was definitely more filling than eating naengmyeon alone. Rather than eating only cold food the whole time, having the warm pork belly boiled meat alongside made this combination much more satisfying to me.

Side dishes: dried radish strips and seasoned pollack

Seoul Myeonok's side dishes were naengmyeon kimchi, pickled radish strips (mumallaengi), and seasoned dried pollack (myeongtae muchim). I liked these side dishes too.

The pickled radish strips and seasoned pollack in particular were good — tasty as standalone side dishes and they also went well with the boiled meat.

I also tried the seasoned pollack together with the noodles, and it surprisingly worked well too. Eating naengmyeon, then picking at the side dishes, then having some boiled meat, I ended up feeling fuller than expected.

Seoul Myeonok before a movie: who it suits

Looking for good naengmyeon near Pyeongtaek Station, I ended up trying Seoul Myeonok, and the location close to Pyeongtaek Station was the most convenient part. Especially for people like us going for a meal before a movie, a short walking distance actually matters. Being right in front of AK Plaza, it was also good for eating before or after a film.

And at Seoul Myeonok, rather than going in expecting the typically bland pyongyang naengmyeon style, it's better to go in expecting a broth with a bit more seasoning. If it's your first time trying pyongyang naengmyeon, I'd recommend it! Both the water naengmyeon and bibim naengmyeon suited me much better with a bit of vinegar added, and with the pork belly boiled meat too, it made for a pretty filling meal.

If you're looking for a place to eat pyongyang naengmyeon or bibim naengmyeon near Pyeongtaek Station, I'd recommend the reliable, third-generation Seoul Myeonok~ Especially if you prefer naengmyeon with a bit more seasoning rather than the very bland kind, I think this will suit your taste :)

• People looking for good food near Pyeongtaek Station
• People looking for good naengmyeon near Pyeongtaek Station
• People who like pyongyang naengmyeon
• People who prefer seasoned broth over bland naengmyeon
• People who want to try both water and bibim naengmyeon together
• People looking for a date or family meal spot near Pyeongtaek Station