Jocheon, Jeju restaurant for abalone porridge: Myeonjumak Jeju Main

During this Jeju trip, before heading to Eco Land, I stopped for lunch at Myeonjumak Jeju Main Branch, a well-known spot for Jeju black pork noodle soup and dombe pork (sliced boiled pork).

Saturday noon wait and parking at Myeonjumak Jeju Main Branch

We arrived around noon on a Saturday. I expected a wait given it was weekend lunchtime, but luckily we got seated right away.

The parking lot was really spacious, though quite a few cars were already parked. Still, there was plenty of room to park comfortably.

Inside Myeonjumak Jeju Main Branch and how far apart the tables sit

The inside was spacious too. Even so, quite a few guests were already eating. Once group reservations came in, the place was nearly full. Since it's a noodle restaurant, table turnover tends to be fast, but customers kept streaming in, so it seemed genuinely popular. Best of all, the tables were spaced generously — not too close to the neighboring table, so even during busy hours it was fairly comfortable to eat.

Baby amenities at Myeonjumak: high chairs and a microwave

Near the entrance and along one side of the restaurant, various amenities for guests were set up.

There were disposable aprons, a baby chair, kids' spoons and dishes, and even a microwave for warming baby food. Thoughtful touches like a phone-charging setup and stain remover also stood out. It felt like a place that cares about families traveling with kids. There was also a self-serve bar where you could refill side dishes yourself.

Myeonjumak menu prices and when dombe pork is ready

True to its name, Myeonjumak served a wide range of noodle dishes, from pork noodle soup to anchovy noodle soup.

• Meal menu — Pork noodle soup ₩10,000 / Anchovy noodle soup ₩8,000 / Pork soup with rice ₩10,000 / Anchovy pork noodle soup ₩10,000 / Spicy mixed pork noodles ₩10,000 / Spicy mixed conch noodles ₩15,000 / Spicy mixed abalone noodles ₩15,000 / Abalone porridge ₩15,000 / Bean sprout soup with rice ₩8,000
• Side dishes — Dombe pork ₩18,000 / ₩34,000, Dombe conch ₩35,000, Dombe abalone ₩35,000, Dombe samhap ₩50,000, Water dumplings ₩8,000
• Drinks & alcohol — Hallabong, tangerine, and green tangerine drinks, soju and beer, makgeolli (rice wine)

What we ordered: abalone porridge, pork rice soup, dumplings, tangerine juice

Whenever we come to Jeju, we usually always eat pork noodle soup. But that day I wanted warm rice more than noodles. So we ordered abalone porridge, pork soup with rice, and water dumplings. For drinks, we also ordered a fresh green tangerine juice.

Side dishes served at Myeonjumak Jeju Main Branch

At Myeonjumak, Jeju radish tea was served by default instead of water. The basic side dishes were diced radish kimchi and napa cabbage kimchi. Since you can't do without these with soup and rice, we refilled from the self-serve bar.

Fresh green tangerine juice

A few days earlier I'd bought cheonhyehyang juice and hallabong juice elsewhere, and neither tasted quite as good as I'd hoped. But the green tangerine juice we ordered here surprised me — one sip in, it was way better than expected. The signature tanginess of green tangerine was there, but it wasn't overly sour or sharp. It had a deep fruity flavor with a good balance of sweetness and tartness. I ended up finishing the whole bottle quickly.

Self-serve anchovy broth at the side bar

There was also a station where you could serve yourself anchovy broth. I only grabbed a little at first just to taste it, but it was surprisingly good — a clean anchovy broth seasoned just right. There was even a faint spicy kick at the finish, which kept me sipping more. I thought the anchovy noodle soup must be really good. Even without ordering noodles, tasting the broth made me want to come back and try them.

Pork rice soup, 10,000 won: red yeast rice piled with meat

The pork soup had a genuinely huge amount of meat. Calling it 'meat-loaded' feels like an understatement. Usually with soup like this, the meat is plentiful at first and then it's just rice and broth by the end. But here, no matter how much I ate, there was still more meat. Even after eating for a long time, meat kept turning up — it really felt generous.

The broth was deep and savory-salty. It had that distinct rich pork flavor without being overly greasy. Eating the warm broth, rice, and tender meat together was filling. I've had a lot of pork noodle soup in Jeju, but if you like rice, this pork soup with rice is more than a good choice too.

The rice color was unusual too. It had a reddish tint, and I was curious what kind of rice it was at first. Turns out it's made with red yeast rice — its color from the fermentation process gives the rice a subtle pink hue.

Abalone porridge, 15,000 won: how big is the portion?

The abalone porridge surprised me the moment it arrived — the portion was huge. It came in a full bowl, filling enough even to eat alone.

There was plenty of abalone in it too. The porridge was soft and savory. It wasn't too watery but had a texture that went down easily without feeling heavy. The distinct nutty taste of abalone came through gently.

When you're traveling, you keep eating rich, heavily seasoned food, so having warm abalone porridge in the middle of it felt comforting on the stomach. It's a good order if you want a filling, satisfying meal because the portion is so generous.

Water dumplings, 8,000 won

The water dumplings had that familiar taste everyone knows. And that's exactly why they were so good. The filling was packed inside soft dumpling skins, and they went even better paired with the hot soup dishes.

They were great to pick at in between bites of abalone porridge and pork soup. Not a flashy dish, but eating them again after a while, I kept reaching for more.

Is Myeonjumak a good meal stop near Saryeoni Forest Path and Eco Land?

This time I wanted rice, so I skipped the pork noodle soup, but the anchovy broth was delicious, and the noodles at other tables looked great too. Dombe pork is boiled at 9am and 12pm, they said. We debated ordering it too, but figured we couldn't finish it along with the abalone porridge and pork soup. So dombe pork is saved for next time.

The spacious parking lot and roomy dining room were great. Even though it's mainly a noodle restaurant, it wasn't just about noodles — rice dishes like abalone porridge and pork soup were also great options. If you're looking for a filling meal near Saryeoni Forest Path or Eco Land during a Jeju trip, this is worth a stop.