Seocho noodle restaurant with a 500g clam kalguksu for two: Seonbawi

This is the story of the clam kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch (선바위메밀장터 양재점), where 500g of clams completely hid the noodles.

Why a Gwacheon Seonbawi regular came for the Yangjae clam kalguksu

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch is the new Yangjae location of the Seonbawi Memil Jangteo in Gwacheon, and the Yangjae branch added clam kalguksu as a new menu item. We're a makguksu (buckwheat noodles) regular couple, and this was on our shortlist of Yangjae Citizens' Forest lunch spots, so we finally went haha.

My husband and I often went to the Gwacheon Seonbawi Memil Jangteo for perilla oil makguksu and pollack sashimi suyuk (boiled sliced meat or fish). So when it opened in Yangjae with clam kalguksu as a new dish, we couldn't not go 🙌

The day a makguksu regular ordered kalguksu, a mountain of shells was left on the table.

How long is the wait at Seonbawi Yangjae?

We went on a Saturday early evening and our Catch Table waiting number was already 68, but we got in after 15 minutes. The sign says "100% buckwheat content" in big letters. I thought only lunchtime would be busy, but the hall was packed even on a Saturday early evening!

I registered on Catch Table at the entrance and the waiting number was already 68 😳 We got a KakaoTalk alert and were seated after 15 minutes.

Seonbawi Yangjae location, hours and parking

Seonbawi Yangjae is at 15-11 Gangnam-daero 18-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 278m from Exit 2 of Yangjaesimin-ui-Sup Station. It's open daily 09:00–21:00 with no break time.

• 📍 15-11 Gangnam-daero 18-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul
• 🚉 278m from Exit 2 of Yangjaesimin-ui-Sup Station
• ⏰ Daily 09:00–21:00 (no break time)
• 🅿️ 4 spots in front of the shop (crowded)
• ▶ Yangjae Neighborhood Park public parking lot (311 Yangjae-dong): 150m from the shop, 2-minute walk / indoor / ₩300 per 10 min / 180 spaces / EV charging available
• ▶ Maeheon Citizens' Forest public parking lot (237 Yangjae-dong): 120m across the crosswalk on the main road, 2-minute walk / outdoor / ₩500 per 10 min / 224 spaces / EV charging available

We parked at the Yangjae Neighborhood Park lot and the fee came to ₩2,100. It's indoors, so I thought it would be a good Yangjae Citizens' Forest restaurant for rainy days too.

Clean new interior, baby chairs and second-floor group seating

Next to the entrance stairs at Seonbawi Yangjae there's a notice for second-floor group reservations and room rental (50 seats), and below it there are even baby chairs.

It just opened, so the inside is spotless and tidy ✨ The kitchen is open, so you can watch the cooking.

There's also self-serve buckwheat tea, nice for a cup before or after your meal.

Seonbawi Yangjae menu and prices

Beyond the buckwheat clam kalguksu, Seonbawi Yangjae has a solid makguksu lineup, including perilla oil makguksu at ₩12,000. Even the wall poster has a big "mountain" stamp.

The sign says the broth is made in-house with the refreshing taste of clams and the savory depth of dried pollack (hwangtae).

Besides kalguksu, this Yangjae Citizens' Forest restaurant has a solid makguksu lineup.

• Perilla oil makguksu ₩12,000
• Pollack sashimi makguksu ₩14,000
• Dongchimi (radish water kimchi) makguksu ₩11,000
• Buckwheat soba ₩11,000
• Pollack sashimi suyuk ₩24,000

The makguksu is pure buckwheat with 0% wheat flour and 0% starch, and the dough is made when you order. It opens at 9 a.m., so it's great for a Yangjae Citizens' Forest lunch too. Here's what we ordered!

• Buckwheat clam kalguksu for 2: ₩26,000
• King mandu (dumplings): ₩8,000

The kalguksu comes with 500g of clams and 350g of noodles, made with pure buckwheat plus gold plain noodles.

If you join the review event you get ₩3,000 off the pollack sashimi suyuk or a drink, and a drink if you do the survey, so be sure to grab those :)

How does the mountain-of-clams buckwheat kalguksu taste?

Seonbawi's buckwheat clam kalguksu arrives with clams piled so high you can't see the noodles at all. The side dish is just one water-kimchi-style kimchi, keeping things simple.

Then the kalguksu arrived,,, you can't see the noodles at all! Under the heap of clams, the milky broth is sloshing around~~!!

When I stirred with the ladle, clams kept rising from the bottom endlessly, with zucchini, carrot and green onion here and there. Only then did the wide noodles, flecked with buckwheat grains, show themselves haha.

Pull a clam out of its shell and the plump meat bursts with sea aroma and a salty savoriness fills your mouth.

The moment I took a spoonful of broth, I thought: this is no ordinary clam soup. It's deeply clam-infused with another layer of savory dried pollack on top 👍

The buckwheat noodles are nutty and mild, gently supporting the rich broth. Slurping noodles with a clam on top, I couldn't stop. Best of all, my stomach felt comfortable even after finishing! I guess that's why it's famous as a Yangjae-dong favorite.

A mountain of shells in a big naengmyeon bowl haha. The mountain on the poster was no exaggeration.

King mandu with the aroma of neungi mushroom

Seonbawi's king mandu is ₩8,000 for 4 big pieces, served with pickled radish and soy sauce. The wrappers are chewy and hold firm when you pick them up.

Cut in half, the pork and neungi (oak mushroom) filling is packed in with no gaps 😋 One bite and the juices burst first, then the neungi aroma rises gently through the meaty flavor. It tastes wholesome, and a piece vanished in no time. A spoonful of kalguksu broth, a bite of mandu. That's our number one combo!

3-line summary

• The new Yangjae branch of a Gwacheon Seonbawi favorite, a pure-buckwheat restaurant good for a Yangjae Citizens' Forest lunch
• Buckwheat clam kalguksu ₩13,000 per person (2 or more servings, 500g clams), neungi and pork king mandu ₩8,000 (4 pieces)
• Recommended with the king mandu if you want a generous clam kalguksu on your Yangjae-dong restaurant list

FAQ

Can I order the kalguksu for one person at Seonbawi?

The buckwheat clam kalguksu requires an order of two servings or more. If you're alone, pick a makguksu or soba.

What does the buckwheat clam kalguksu broth taste like?

It's made in-house from clams and dried pollack, so it's clean and refreshing yet savory.

What's inside the king mandu?

They're packed with pork and neungi mushroom. With 4 pieces, it's good for two people to share.

Yangjae Citizens' Forest lunch: Seonbawi Yangjae wrap-up

At a regular spot we usually visit for makguksu, we found a new charm in kalguksu this time. A mountain of clams, a broth deepened by dried pollack and gentle buckwheat noodles made it a bowl worthy of a Yangjae Citizens' Forest lunch.

With baby chairs and second-floor group seating, it's easy for a family meal, and I'd recommend Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch to anyone wanting a hearty meal in Yangjae-dong. Next time we plan to come at lunch and try the perilla oil makguksu too haha.