Dongtan Chinese restaurant has no fried rice: jajang rice mix, Bultina

Craving a spicy jjamppong in Dongtan

Last weekend my husband said he wanted spicy jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and my kid wanted crispy tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork), so we headed to Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong, a well-known spot near Namgwangjang in Dongtan. A close friend had recommended it and I'd seen a lot of reviews, so I'd been curious even before visiting.

Our family ordered cockle jjamppong rice, jajangmyeon, tangsuyuk, and a bowl of rice to share among the three of us. From the spicy broth with cockles to the crispy tangsuyuk and the generously sauced jajangmyeon, each dish had a different flavor, which made sharing fun. It was a bit disappointing that there was no fried rice on the menu, but mixing rice into the leftover black bean sauce turned out to be well-seasoned and surprisingly good together.

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch: hours, address, parking

• Address: 경기 화성시 동탄구 노작로 149 1층 107, 108, 109, 110, 111호
• Parking: In-building parking, free 1.5 hours at Daeun public parking lot across the street
• Restroom: Inside the building
• Hours: Daily 10:40 a.m. to 9 p.m., last order 8:20 p.m.

Exterior: finding Bultina near Dongtan Namgwangjang

Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong Dongtan Namgwangjang Branch, known for its jjamppong, has a big sign on the storefront reading 'Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong,' so it wasn't hard to find.

There was also a large menu board posted near the entrance. Cockle jjamppong and cockle jjamppong rice were listed at 11,000 won, jajangmyeon at 8,000 won, and kids' jajang at 4,000 won. Tangsuyuk was 17,000 won small, 22,000 won medium, 27,000 won large, and fried dumplings were 6,000 won.

There was parking right in front of the restaurant, and the Daeun public parking lot directly across the street made it convenient to visit by car too. We parked at Daeun that day, and since the first 1.5 hours are free, we didn't have to worry about parking fees while eating.

Inside Bultina: wood-toned tables and window seats

Inside, the space was decorated overall in bright beige and wood tones. The tables and chairs matched in wood tone too, so despite being a Chinese restaurant, the overall vibe was clean and comfortable. There were several tables good for 2–4 people, plus sofa-style seating along the wall.

By the window there was a long table with a big view of the area around Namgwangjang. Every table had a tablet installed for checking the menu and ordering. Overall the space felt neatly arranged rather than cluttered, with just what was needed.

Self-serve bar: pickled radish and onion, as much as you need

There was a self-serve bar set up on one side of this popular spot near Dongtan Namgwangjang. Utensils and basic side dishes like pickled radish and raw onion were set out for customers to grab themselves. Being able to take as much as needed was handy whenever we ran low on sides during the meal.

Coffee corner: a free cup after the meal

There was also a dessert coffee corner to use after finishing the meal. A coffee machine was set up on one side of the restaurant, so we could finish off with a warm cup of coffee after eating. It was a nice touch to be able to have coffee as a palate cleanser after Chinese food.

Bultina's menu: cockle jjamppong, jajangmyeon and tangsuyuk prices

The menu at this Dongtan Namgwangjang spot centers on jjamppong, jajangmyeon, tangsuyuk, and fried dumplings.

• Meals — Cockle jjamppong 11,000 won / Cockle jjamppong rice 11,000 won / Jajangmyeon 8,000 won / Kids' jajang 4,000 won
• Dishes — Tangsuyuk small 17,000 won / medium 22,000 won / large 27,000 won / Fried dumplings 6,000 won
• Extras — Rice 1,000 won / Extra-large jajang +1,000 won / Extra-large jjamppong +2,000 won
• Drinks — Soju 5,000 won / Beer 5,000 won / Erguotou 5,000 won / Yantai gaoliangju 12,000 won / Soft drinks 2,000 won

Cockle jjamppong could be ordered at spice levels 1 through 4. Level 1 was labeled basic, level 2 spicy, level 3 fiery, and level 4 insane. A note also said the jjamppong rice includes a small amount of noodles for extra depth of flavor.

What our family of three ordered

Our order that day was simple.

• Jajangmyeon 8,000 won
• Cockle jjamppong rice 11,000 won
• Tangsuyuk small 17,000 won
• Rice 1,000 won

My husband picked cockle jjamppong rice since he wanted spicy broth, and my kid ordered the tangsuyuk they'd been wanting. I had jajangmyeon and added a bowl of rice to try mixing it into the black bean sauce too.

Cockle jjamppong rice: spicy broth loaded with cockles

First up is the cockle jjamppong rice my husband ordered. Chives topped the red broth, and inside were cockles, onion, and wood ear mushroom.

Tasting the broth at this place known for good jjamppong, the spiciness hit first, and along with the rich, deep jjamppong flavor, the cockles gave it a slightly different feel from typical jjamppong. We ordered the basic level 1, and the spice wasn't so intense it was hard to eat — good for my husband, who was after something spicy.

Lifting the noodles, cockles and vegetables came up with them. Despite being called 'jjamppong rice,' it wasn't noodle-free — a small amount of noodles let you eat noodles and rice together. Cockles were scattered throughout the broth too, so it was fun hunting for one with each spoonful.

Jajangmyeon at Bultina came with plenty of sauce

Next up, jajangmyeon. From the moment it arrived, the noodles were topped with a generous amount of black bean sauce.

Mixing the noodles and sauce evenly gave it a glossy, appetizing look. It had that savory, rich jajang flavor and was easy to enjoy. There was one thing I found a little disappointing, though.

No fried rice on the menu, so we mixed rice into the jajang sauce

There was no fried rice option. I'm the type who likes fried rice at Chinese restaurants, so that was a little disappointing, but instead I added rice and mixed it into the leftover jajang sauce. It turned out better than I expected.

Above all, plenty of black bean sauce was left, so mixing in rice didn't leave it under-seasoned. Mixing the rice into the sauce left over from the noodles helped make up for the lack of fried rice.

The crispy tangsuyuk our child had been waiting for

And here's the tangsuyuk my kid had been most looking forward to. It came topped with onion, red cabbage, cucumber, and carrot, served with a sweet sauce on the side. The batter had a crisp texture and was good for bite-sized eating. Taking a piece, the outside was crispy while the pork inside was moist.

Since it was the dish my kid had specifically wanted, they ate it well. Eating a piece of tangsuyuk in between bites of spicy jjamppong added a sweet contrast that worked nicely together. For anyone visiting as a family like us, pairing jjamppong or jajangmyeon with tangsuyuk seems like a good combo.

Is Bultina good for a family meal in Dongtan?

This visit to Bultina Kkomak Jjamppong near Dongtan Namgwangjang let us cover both the spicy jjamppong my husband wanted and the tangsuyuk my kid wanted in one meal, making it a good pick for a family outing. We ordered cockle jjamppong rice, jajangmyeon, tangsuyuk, and rice — the cockle jjamppong rice was refreshingly spicy with cockles in the broth. The jajangmyeon had plenty of sauce, which also worked well for mixing in rice afterward.

No fried rice was a bit of a letdown, but mixing rice into the leftover jajang sauce made for a satisfying finish anyway. The restaurant itself is clean with wood tones, and it has a self-serve bar and a dessert coffee corner. We drove and parked at the Daeun public parking lot in front, using the free 1.5 hours. If you're looking for a Chinese restaurant near Dongtan Namgwangjang serving spicy cockle jjamppong, jajangmyeon, and tangsuyuk together, this menu and parking info might be worth checking before you go.