Yangjae buckwheat noodle restaurant with easy parking: Seonbawi

This time I went out for lunch near Yangjae Citizens' Forest! Even when I first arrived there were so many people that I thought, wow, this must be a popular spot. After a short wait I managed to get in, and there were plenty of people picking up takeout too, not just those eating in.

This time I tried the buckwheat clam noodle soup and the king meat dumplings, and the clams were more plentiful than I expected with a clean, mild broth — I ate really well! For anyone looking for a lunch spot near Yangjae Citizens' Forest, here's my review!

Memil Jangteo / 15-11 Gangnam-daero18-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea, Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch / Daily 09:00–21:00

Where to park at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch does have a small lot in front where you can park, but it's not very spacious! Since there were so many customers when I visited, if you're driving I'd recommend not counting on that lot alone — use the Yangjae Neighborhood Park public parking lot, just a 2-minute walk away!

How long is the lunchtime wait, and what is the dining room like?

Since I visited during lunchtime, it was really crowded, but table turnover was quick so I only waited about 5 minutes before getting in! Inside was spacious and clean, kept nicely cool, and the staff were super friendly!!

They give you bottled water by default, and anything else you might need was well stocked nearby! Since the water comes in a bottle, it also felt very hygienic haha.

Side dishes: kimchi and dadaegi (spicy chili paste)

The side dishes at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch are just two: kimchi and dadaegi (spicy chili paste). One bite of the kimchi and you can tell right away this is a solid restaurant... even eating the kimchi on its own, the umami was amazing! I didn't add the dadaegi myself, but my friend who did said it made everything wonderfully spicy and hit the spot, haha.

Buckwheat clam noodle soup with a mountain of clams

The dish I was most looking forward to was the buckwheat clam noodle soup! The first thing that caught my eye when it arrived was how generously loaded it was with clams. Some noodle shops disappoint you with just a few clams, but here there are truly so many... so plentiful!

The broth wasn't sharply salty or heavy — it had a mild, clean flavor that had me spooning it up again and again.

Look at how packed it is with clams, haha. No sand grit at all, so I ate it up happily. There were enough clams piled up that just eating those alone would fill you up — my friend and I both stuffed ourselves on clams!! They were so good and chewy that you couldn't even taste the fishy edge shellfish sometimes have.

Since the noodles are made with buckwheat, it felt different from regular noodle soup and paired really well with the refreshing taste from the clams! Personally I prefer mild noodle soup over something too intense, so this suited my taste perfectly. The noodles were also super chewy!

King meat dumplings to share with the noodles

It felt like a shame to just have the noodle soup, so I also ordered the king meat dumplings! The first bite made it obvious the skin was thin — not a thick dumpling wrapper, but a thin one that let the filling really come through, and overall they were moist and soft. Alternating between the noodle broth and the dumplings was such a great combo... If you think the noodle soup alone won't be enough, I'd recommend ordering the king dumplings too!

Buckwheat tea to finish the meal

After finishing the meal, you also get to have buckwheat tea! I had a warm cup, and it had a nutty, toasty flavor that was just right for wrapping up after filling up on noodle soup and dumplings, haha.

If you're looking for a lunch spot near Yangjae Citizens' Forest, or craving warm, mild clam noodle soup, I think this place is worth a visit :)