Chinese restaurant, Yeongjong: thick tangsuyuk, Bongga Gyodong Banjeom

After a drive to Yeongjong with a friend, we looked at the sea and walked around until I started craving a spicy, warming broth. While looking for a Chinese restaurant on Yeongjong, we stopped at Bongga Gyodong Banjeom (본가교동반점) for Gyodong jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and tangsuyuk (sweet-and-sour pork).

What were parking and the weekend atmosphere like?

I parked comfortably near the restaurant before going in. When I opened the door, I could hear woks being tossed in the kitchen and smell the wok-fired aroma.

There was no lingering smell of old cooking oil inside, and the tables were not sticky, so it felt pleasant. Although we visited slightly outside the main weekend mealtime, there were quite a few customers, from solo diners to families.

How smoky and spicy was the Gyodong jjamppong?

I briefly considered jajangmyeon (black bean noodles) while looking at the menu, but since I had come for a warming broth, we ordered Gyodong jjamppong and tangsuyuk. I sprinkled vinegar over the danmuji (pickled radish), and while chatting with my friend, our food arrived quickly.

The Gyodong jjamppong had a deep red broth. It was topped with meat, squid, mussels, and chives, with a sprinkling of pepper. I started with a spoonful of the broth.

Rather than tasting heavily spicy, the rich savoriness of the meat broth and the wok-fired aroma came through first. That said, it was a little too salty for my taste. I liked the smoky flavor and depth of the broth, but the seasoning was a drawback.

The noodles had not gone soft; they were springy and chewy, with the rich broth soaking into them. Eating them with the stir-fried meat, crisp cabbage, and chewy squid gave the dish varied textures. I tried to resist ordering rice because we had tangsuyuk, but ended up mixing rice into the broth.

How was the tangsuyuk with the jjamppong?

The tangsuyuk batter was pale with a slight golden color. It was crisp outside and chewy inside, like glutinous-rice batter, while the pork within was thick. The coating did not feel overly thick on its own; I could taste the pork's juices and enjoy its chew.

Dipping the tangsuyuk in the sweet-and-sour sauce and alternating it with the warming jjamppong broth made for a good pairing. We were full, but kept reaching for more, and ate nearly all of the jjamppong broth too.

What stayed with me most from this meal was the jjamppong's wok-fired aroma and rich broth. The broth was a little salty, but the combination of chewy noodles and thick tangsuyuk was satisfying.