Icy-broth makguksu and buckwheat pancake rolls in Pocheon: Myeongimong

I had some errands near Pocheon Art Valley, and since it was hot out, I was craving cold makguksu (buckwheat noodles). So I stopped by Myeongimong for a late lunch — they make their own noodles in-house. They also specialize in tteokgalbi (grilled short rib patty), so I tried that too. Here's my review.

Where Myeongimong is and when it opens

Myeongimong is at 235 Sinpyeong-ro, Sinbuk-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea. It's open daily from 11:00 to 20:00 (last order 19:20), closed every Tuesday. It's 5 minutes from Pocheon Art Valley and 15 minutes from Herb Island, so it's easy to fold into a nearby outing.

Parking was easy — there's plenty of space.

Inside Myeongimong: outdoor tables and baby chairs

Walking up to the entrance, there were outdoor tables like in the photo. On a nice day, eating out here in the breeze seemed like a great option.

Inside, there are several tables for four.

On the wall there's writing explaining the benefits of buckwheat and describing the tteokgalbi menu.

There are also baby chairs for guests visiting with little ones.

Right next to that hung a country-of-origin sign. The pork used in the tteokgalbi is domestic, and some of the chili powder and cabbage are grown by the owners themselves.

Looking toward the kitchen, there's a self-serve bar where you can grab extra side dishes, and soup was set out ready to go.

Myeongimong menu and set prices

Myeongimong's set menus are: Set 1) tteokgalbi 1 + makguksu 2 for ₩32,000, and Set 2) tteokgalbi 2 + makguksu 1 for ₩35,000. You order via the tablet at each table.

They were also running a Naver receipt review event — leave a Naver review after ordering and you can get a drink, 2 mini breads, or a buckwheat pancake. Worth doing if you have the time.

I came for makguksu, but how could I not try the tteokgalbi too~ Luckily there was a set menu for that. There were two of us, so we ordered the water makguksu, mixed makguksu and tteokgalbi set, and added a buckwheat pancake on top.

The basic table setting and complimentary buckwheat pancake

Not long after ordering, five side dishes arrived: white kimchi, pickled cucumber, seasoned radish, and two kinds of salad. They all seemed homemade by the owner. It had a nice home-cooked feel.

And here's the buckwheat pancake that comes as a complimentary side. Wow, this was really good.

There was squash inside, giving it a soft bite, and the buckwheat pancake was really nutty and savory.

Mustard and vinegar to mix into the makguksu came out with it too.

How did the broth and mixed makguksu taste?

Finally, the main dishes arrived. Since I'd missed lunchtime and was starving, I ordered a bit of everything — and it looked so hearty just to see it~

The water makguksu had just a small amount of seasoning sauce, so it was only mildly spicy. With the icy bits in it, it was incredibly refreshing.

Maybe because the noodles are house-made, they were springy and chewy, and so, so refreshing that I nearly finished the whole broth without leaving a drop..!? haha. That's how much I enjoyed this one — it was my favorite dish of the meal!

The mixed makguksu comes with a generous amount of seasoning sauce, so you need to mix it well — but pouring in some broth partway through diluted the strong seasoning slightly and made it even tastier.

Try pouring in a bit of broth as you eat! On my personal scale (I'm not great with spice), it was just mildly spicy.

Tteokgalbi served in mini bread buns

Eating the tteokgalbi tucked into the bread that comes with it is its own kind of treat — you can eat it like a burger, which kids would probably love. The bread comes pre-scored, so it's easy to assemble.

For the tteokgalbi, you grab scissors and tongs from the self-serve bar to cut it into easy-to-eat pieces. It was mildly sweet and savory, gentle enough that kids could eat it without any trouble. The seasoning was well balanced too, not overpowering at all.

At first I actually wondered why there was no sauce for the tteokgalbi — turns out it was already poured into the dish.

The buckwheat pancake roll we added: spicy for a weak spice tolerance

The buckwheat pancake roll came pre-cut into easy bites. By my low spice tolerance, it was on the spicier side. But that's exactly what made it appealing — I kept reaching for more.

Unlike buckwheat pancake rolls I've had elsewhere, this one felt distinctly homemade. Even though I was full, I finished the whole thing — that's how special it tasted!

Final verdict on Myeongimong

The tteokgalbi and makguksu combo worked better together than I expected. The clean flavor and the savory depth balanced out nicely, so it was a satisfying meal. Next time I'd like to eat out on the outdoor tables in a cool breeze. If you're planning a trip to Pocheon Art Valley or Herb Island, I'd recommend folding a stop here into your route!

Recommended menu: water makguksu, buckwheat pancake roll