Yeoksam restaurant sharing perilla kalguksu and kalbimyeon: Kkeutjang

Kkeutjang Yeoksam: noodles and savory pancakes on one table in Gangnam

You don't need rain to crave noodles and pancakes together, right? That day I wanted a warm broth, a spicy noodle dish, and a pancake platter to share, so I stopped by Kkeutjang Yeoksam (끝장 역삼).

I ordered perilla jang kalguksu, kalbimyeon, and the assorted pancake platter, and having such different dishes on one table made for a pretty substantial meal. Going big on one dish is nice too, but switching between soup and cold noodles while snacking on pancakes turned out to work better than I expected.

Arriving at the restaurant, the first thing you see is a sign advertising jang kalguksu and pancakes together. Rather than agonize over the menu, I went in already planning to split two noodle dishes and the assorted pancake platter. A single soup dish alone can feel a bit lacking, and pancakes alone don't quite make a meal — but two noodle dishes plus a pancake platter filled that gap naturally.

Once we sat down, the first thing on my mind was how to split the meal. Kalguksu is best eaten hot, and kalbimyeon is best once the sauce is well mixed, so instead of finishing one first, I kept switching between the two. With pancakes added in, everyone could follow their own chopstick path, and I felt this menu combination would suit a meal with company well.

What we ordered at Kkeutjang Yeoksam, and what it cost

On the screen at Kkeutjang Yeoksam at the time of our visit, we could see perilla jang kalguksu and kalbimyeon listed. Kalbimyeon was noted as a summer-only item, so if you're visiting as the seasons change, it's worth checking availability in person.

The assorted pancake platter was ₩26,000 on the day we ordered, but prices and contents can change over time, so check the actual menu when you order.

How the perilla jang kalguksu tastes

We started with the perilla jang kalguksu. The perilla seeds scattered over the red broth had me expecting both spice and nuttiness from the first look. I started by pulling up noodles, then tasting a spoonful of broth — the perilla balanced out what could have been a broth leaning heavily toward spicy jang flavor, anchoring the meal.

This is a dish to remember on days when you want something savory alongside the heat, not just spice alone.

What comes on the 26,000-won assorted pancake platter

While we ate our kalguksu, the assorted pancake platter arrived full to the brim. This round included skewer pancakes, zucchini pancakes, kimchi pancakes, cabbage pancakes, and meat-filled patties — plenty of variety to pick through.

Instead of eating them in any set order, I just grabbed whichever piece caught my eye and paired it with the noodles. Rather than one type of pancake in a big pile, the texture and flavor kept changing, so nothing got tiring by the end — the meat-filled patties in particular stood out as the most filling bite.

The pancakes went well with the kalguksu broth too. Eating the crispy parts first, then clearing my palate with warm broth, kept the flow going even over a long meal. There was fun in alternating between spicy bites like the kimchi pancake, plain ones like the zucchini pancake, and mixed-ingredient ones like the skewer pancake. It was nice that both pancake lovers and noodle lovers could find something to enjoy at the same table.

How to eat the summer-only kalbimyeon

Once the table was mostly set, we mixed in the kalbimyeon too. With noodles and vegetables tossed in red seasoning, it clearly played a different role from the hot noodle soup. Taking a bite of jang kalguksu, then switching to kalbimyeon, shifted the mood toward spicy-and-tangy, and picking up a pancake again changed the rhythm once more. So rather than ranking the two noodle dishes against each other, it made more sense to think of them as different flavors to enjoy in turns at the same table.

Kalbimyeon was best eaten after mixing the noodles thoroughly. Lightly turning the noodles with chopsticks so the sauce and vegetables didn't settle on one side reduced flavor differences bite to bite. It's a dish that refreshes the palate more than soup alone would, so there's a clear reason to order it on hot days or when you're craving spicy noodles. That said, the summer-only listing was confirmed at the time of our visit, so it's worth checking before ordering whether it's still available.

The perilla jang kalguksu stayed warm throughout, keeping its presence even while we worked through the pancakes. The nutty impression from the perilla broth and the spicy mood of the jang kalguksu lingered together, acting almost like an anchor point among the many dishes. A spoonful of broth felt right after pancakes, and going back to the warm noodles felt right after kalbimyeon. It was impressive that ordering several dishes didn't cause any one of them to get lost.

How many people should share this order

What satisfied me most about this meal was that it didn't stop at one flavor. The hot broth of the kalguksu, the seasoned taste of the kalbimyeon, and the many pieces of the pancake platter kept the conversation going naturally as we alternated between them. Some might pair the pancakes with makgeolli, but that day, sharing the noodles and pancakes alone was plenty filling. It felt especially well-suited for two or three people wanting to try a little of several dishes.

The assorted pancake platter was the dish our chopsticks kept returning to until the very end. With several pieces on one plate, you start by grabbing your favorites, but as you keep eating, your hand naturally drifts to pieces you'd normally pass over. The skewer pancake, zucchini pancake, kimchi pancake, cabbage pancake, and meat patties we had are all what I remember from that day's lineup. The composition may vary, so if you're set on a particular pancake, it's worth asking when you order.

On a day when I want noodles and pancakes together in Yeoksam, Gangnam, this spread at Kkeutjang Yeoksam is what comes to mind. Starting warm with the perilla jang kalguksu, switching things up with kalbimyeon, and sharing the assorted pancake platter kept things interesting to the end. The fun of working through so many kinds of pancakes and the heartiness of the meat-filled patties stuck with me the longest. If you like sharing a meal with company, this combination is worth ordering.