Ox bone dumpling soup lunch in Migeum, Seongnam: Samiri Makguksu

If you're looking for good Korean food in Migeum like I was, how about a meal at Samiri Makguksu Migeum Branch? If you need somewhere to grab lunch before heading to the university hospital, give it a try. Their best menu item is makguksu (buckwheat noodles), but they also have ox bone kal-mandutguk and ox bone tteok-mandutguk for the chillier weather.

Where is Samiri Makguksu Migeum Branch, and what are its hours?

Samiri Makguksu Migeum Branch is at 36-5 Migeumil-ro 90beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, on the first floor of The Plaza building. It's open from 11:00 to 20:00, with last order at 19:30.

This Korean restaurant is within 5 minutes on foot from Migeum Station. Come out of Exit 4, pass Korea National Open University, and you'll easily spot The Plaza — the restaurant is on the first floor. Just a heads-up: there's a wait during lunch hours, so plan accordingly.

Inside Samiri Makguksu: seating and kiosk ordering

Samiri Makguksu Migeum Branch has kiosks set up at each table, so even a group can take their time browsing the menu and pay right from their seats. There's a wall with aprons ready for anyone who needs one.

Samiri Makguksu Migeum Branch menu and prices

Since makguksu is the best menu item here, the perilla oil makguksu is apparently made with perilla oil fresh from the mill that same morning. Another popular pick, the sesame oil bibim makguksu, draws a lot of customers thanks to its special aged sauce.

Tteok-mandutguk 13,000 / ★ Kal-mandutguk 13,000 / ★ Perilla oil makguksu 12,000 / Bibim makguksu 12,000 / ★ Mul makguksu 12,000 / ★ Crispy fried dumplings 10,000 / Buckwheat crepe 10,000

Since makguksu is Samiri Makguksu's best menu item, I ordered mul makguksu along with ox bone kal-mandutguk and fried dumplings. I used to always agonize over what to eat for lunch near Migeum Station before heading to the hospital, but from now on I won't have to think twice — I'll just eat here first and head to my appointment.

Side dishes: napa cabbage kimchi and yeolmu kimchi

The makguksu and kal-mandutguk here were delicious on their own, but the napa cabbage kimchi and yeolmu (young radish) kimchi on the side made the meal even better. You know how it goes — if a restaurant's kimchi is good, the rest of the menu is usually good too.

Mul makguksu, 12,000 won: how the dongchimi broth tastes

Samiri Makguksu's mul makguksu comes topped with cucumber, egg, and radish, and the dongchimi (watery radish kimchi) broth gives it a refreshing coolness. Once I seasoned it with mustard and vinegar, the nutty noodles paired with the cool, tangy dongchimi broth kept me eating without stopping.

Crispy fried dumplings, 10,000 won

I'm definitely ordering the crispy fried dumplings again next time. I hadn't had breakfast that day, and since my hospital appointment was going to run late into the afternoon, I decided to order this as a side to cover both lunch and dinner. The dumplings were packed full of vegetables and meat filling, giving them a clean, savory taste, and dipping them in the onion soy sauce made them even better. They paired really well with the main dishes too.

Ox bone kal-mandutguk, 13,000 won, for a chilly day

With the weather turning chilly these days, a hot bowl of soup really hits the spot. That's when I'd recommend Samiri Makguksu's kal-mandutguk. It arrives loaded with dumplings and knife-cut noodles, topped with egg garnish, seaweed, and scallions — it looked so appetizing the second it hit the table. Above all, the ox bone broth was incredibly rich. It's so hearty that adding a bowl of rice to the broth would make a complete meal on its own. If you're craving warm soup on a chilly day and want noodles, dumplings, and tteok-mandutguk all in one place, give this Migeum Korean restaurant a try.