Mala broth jambon char siu ramen in Guwol-dong, Incheon: Menya Seoul

Where Menya Seoul is in Guwol-dong, Incheon, and how to get there

Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch is a ramen restaurant on the B1 food court of Lotte Department Store's Incheon branch, at 35 Yeonnam-ro, Michuhol-gu, Incheon, South Korea, open 10:30–20:00. I found it while hunting for a good ramen spot in Guwol-dong, and it turned out to be perfect for whenever you're out in Guwol-dong or browsing the department store and get hungry. It's been a while since my last post, so let's get into it.

It's 564m from Exit 2 of Incheon Terminal Station, under 5 minutes away, and the station connects directly to the department store, so it's easy to find. It's on the B1 food court of Lotte Department Store Incheon, near Outback Steakhouse.

The Menya Seoul storefront sits right among the other restaurants like this.

Bar-style seats that work for solo diners

The tables at Menya Seoul are set up bar-style, wrapping around the store like this. Since it's noodle food, turnover is pretty fast, and there's a good number of seats, so it looks easy enough to come alone and eat solo.

How to order at Menya Seoul and what each set includes

The Menya Seoul menu is displayed on a monitor so you can see everything at a glance — choose your broth, choose dongpo pork or jambon, then decide whether you want a single dish or a set. Sets come with ramen + a side (karaage, sweet soy chicken rice bowl, or gyoza dumplings, pick 1) and a drink (zero Coke, Coke, Sprite, Pororo milk flavor, or sparkling water, pick 1).

Cilantro gets added automatically to the mala flavor, so if you don't want it, you need to say so ahead of time⭐️

Menya Seoul is also running a summer set promotion — king shrimp cold ramen, mazesoba, and the Menya Seoul couple set. It's designated a food safety trusted establishment by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, which makes it feel even more reliable.

There are also food models for each type of ramen, handy for ordering~! As written there, for the mazesoba, once you finish the noodles you're supposed to mix the leftover sauce with plain white rice and it's genuinely delicious(!!!), but this time I was craving soup ramen more, so I'll save that for next time 🥲 My pick down below 🔽🔽🔽

The spicy dongpo pork set and the free Coca-Cola keycap

First up: the spicy broth + dongpo pork + karaage + zero Coke set. 📍If you order a set, you get a Coca-Cola keycap. I didn't know they gave those out, so it felt like an unexpected gift.

Second: mala broth jambon + sweet soy chicken rice bowl + Sprite.

The side that comes with the set is a small size, but it's just the right amount to eat alongside the ramen, which I liked.

The batter was crisp, proper well-fried chicken karaage vibes. A bite of ramen, a bite of karaage.

Dongpo pork ramen toppings and how the spicy broth tastes

On top of the ramen sat dongpo pork, char siu, bean sprouts, some seaweed or kelp pieces, scallions, a soft-boiled egg, and minced garlic — all the ingredients that add to the ramen flavor, in just the right amount, so it looked great too. It came together beautifully with the noodles. The broth was appropriately spicy and the noodles had just the right texture, easy to slurp down.

What does the mala broth jambon char siu ramen taste like?

The mala broth at Menya Seoul genuinely tasted like real mala tang broth. As someone who loves cilantro, I found they added plenty of it, so it really felt like eating mala tang with noodles added. I think this would be a great place to come whenever a mala craving hits.

Changing the flavor with lemon kelp vinegar and chili oil

Lemon kelp vinegar and chili oil (rayu) are set out at the table, so you can transform the flavor partway through your ramen. The portioned sauces even had expiration dates marked on them — once again, that food safety trusted establishment reliability👍

Why to add the ajitama and join the review event

It's soup ramen flavored with 25 different ingredients, and the ajitama (soft-boiled egg) is aged in a special sauce for 48 hours, apparently. It's an essential topping you absolutely need to add to a soft-boiled-egg ramen — split it open and take a bite with the broth, and you'll immediately understand why people eat ramen for this exact moment.

If you join the review event, they'll add an ajitama for free, so don't forget to participate⭐️ It goes so well with the ramen, you really have to try it.

If you're looking for a good ramen restaurant in Guwol-dong, a solid spot at Incheon Lotte Department Store, or a place to eat near Incheon Terminal, I highly recommend this one. Great for when you're watching a movie or shopping at the department store, or just hanging out in Guwol-dong.

The mala broth genuinely feels like mala tang with noodles added — a good place to come whenever a mala craving hits.