Yongsan ramen restaurant for a fast weekday lunch: Menya Seoul

When I’m looking for somewhere to eat lunch around Yongsan Station, I somehow always end up going up to I'Park Mall. You know those weekday afternoons when time is awkwardly short and going farther afield feels like too much? That’s when I visited Menya Seoul on the seventh floor, one of the places to eat at I'Park Mall. It’s known for its dongpo pork chashu ramen, and the quick turnover made it just right for lunch.

Menya Seoul Yongsan I'Park Mall Branch: location and ordering

• Location: Food Street, 7th floor, I'Park Mall
• Getting there: Directly connected inside the mall from Yongsan Station
• Hours: 11:00–21:00 (closed on mall closing days)
• Signature menu: Dongpo pork ramen ₩12,900 / jambon ramen ₩10,900
• Ordering: Order first at the counter; giving the menu number is faster

Location · how to order

It’s toward the back of the seventh-floor Food Street. Go past the DISTRICT 7 sign and you’ll find it. The signs are packed closely together in this area, so just look for the white MENYA SEOUL sign. You order at the counter first, then pick up your tray when your number is called. It was weekday office-worker lunchtime, but the line didn’t get especially long.

How do you choose the broth and toppings?

Menu board

You choose your broth first, then your toppings. There are three options: mild, spicy, and mala. The spicy broth is marked as milder than Shin Ramyun, while the mala is marked as hotter than Shin Ramyun. The mala includes cilantro, so be sure to say so in advance if you want it left out. Ordering a set saves ₩3,900, and it comes with one side and one drink. Giving the number makes ordering much faster. We simply said, “No. 8 double set, No. 4 double à la carte,” and that was it.

Mild-broth jambon ramen double set

Mild-broth jambon ramen · double set ₩17,900

Mild-broth jambon ramen double set ₩17,900

Two layers of jambon cover the pale broth. Since it’s the double, there’s definitely a generous amount of lean meat. Scallions circle the edge of the broth, with half a soft-boiled egg sitting alongside. The broth was rich but not greasy, and very clean-tasting. After slurping it down, it didn’t sit heavily in my stomach. It’s mild, so it should work for anyone who can’t handle spicy food. It was even better after lightly dipping the jambon into the broth.

The spicy-broth dongpo pork ramen was closer to jjamppong

Spicy-broth dongpo pork ramen · double à la carte ₩15,900

Spicy-broth dongpo pork ramen double à la carte ₩15,900

Two thick pieces of dongpo pork sit on top of the red broth. It comes with bean sprouts, seaweed, and minced garlic too. The spicy broth is closer to jjamppong, a spicy Korean Chinese noodle soup, than ramen. It’s more pleasantly pungent than intensely hot, so it isn’t overwhelming. The dongpo pork is thick with the skin still attached, which makes it fun to split apart with chopsticks. When you came for ramen but are secretly craving jjamppong, this combination works surprisingly well.

Crispy gyoza as the set side

Crispy gyoza

Crispy gyoza (the set side). True to the name, they arrive nicely crisped on the outside. You can see the brown, seared underside. When you lift one with chopsticks, it separates cleanly from the bottom. They were crisp enough to make a sound when bitten. The texture is the opposite of brothy ramen, so they go together well. They’re included in the set, so there’s no need to order them separately.

Is it good for eating alone at the shared seating?

You use the Food Street’s shared seating. Since you order at the counter, turnover is fairly quick. The window-side seats have an open view outside. It was nice for sitting down briefly at weekday lunch. I saw quite a few people eating alone, too. Because you collect your food on a tray, it doesn’t feel awkward at all.

My conclusion after trying it for Yongsan Station lunch

To sum it up, this is a good place to sort out a quick meal near Yongsan Station. The broth is clean, so even at lunch it didn’t leave my stomach feeling heavy in the afternoon. One small downside is that the spicy broth tastes closer to jjamppong, so opinions may differ if you’re expecting a distinctly ramen-like heat. Go for mala if you like spicy food, or choose the mild broth for the safe option. I’d recommend it to office workers looking for food at I'Park Mall, or anyone wanting something light before or after shopping.