Sokcho makguksu restaurant with tablet ordering at 10 a.m.: Topgol

Trying to figure out lunch on the first day of a Sokcho trip, makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles) came to mind, so I visited Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch! I tried everything from perilla oil makguksu to boiled pork (oﾟvﾟ)ノ

Where is Sokcho Topgol Makguksu? Near Sokcho Beach, easy to spot by its sign

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch is close to Sokcho Beach too, so I came here for a makguksu breakfast on the trip! The big 'Topgol Makguksu' sign made it easy to spot :)

There was a nostalgic hopscotch grid painted at the entrance lol. It looked like the kind of thing you just want to hop on before going in (●'◡'●)

A 10 a.m. visit: seats at Topgol Makguksu fill fast even on a weekday

I got there a little past 10 a.m., and by around 10:30 customers started streaming in…! It was a weekday morning, so I was a bit surprised the seats filled up so quickly 👀 The place was also bigger than I expected, with plenty of tables!

Overall it had a clean vibe, and the tables were spaced out enough to sit comfortably. Ordering is done through the tablet at each table, so it was easy to browse the menu and order right away!

Choosing deulmemak from the tablet menu at Topgol Makguksu

I could scroll through the menu on the tablet, and there was a wide variety, from makguksu to boiled pork! Each item came with a photo, which made choosing easy (oﾟvﾟ)ノ

Deulmemak seemed to be the signature menu, so I ordered it! Apparently you eat it mixed as is without extra seasoning, then add dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth toward the end when there are noodles left.

They said the buckwheat noodles for the makguksu are pressed right when you order!!!!

For two people, the solo-size suyuk is just right

I was going to order the large ₩30,000 boiled pork, but that seemed like too much for two people, so I went with the solo size instead — and it was exactly right!!!!! If you each order a noodle dish and add a solo-size boiled pork, that's the perfect combo 👍👍👍👍👍

I liked that the boiled pork had no meaty smell 🫶

All the dishes have arrived!!!!!! You can have a really hearty meal here, haha

This is the photo I posted straight to my Instagram story, and it got a lot of love haha ✌️ It came out so well I decided to make it the blog's main photo too…

What the buckwheat makguksu tastes like

This one's the buckwheat makguksu~~~🫶 It came out generous, with sweet-tangy seasoning, plenty of seaweed flakes and sesame seeds on top, plus cucumber and egg! The seasoning leaned more sweet-and-tangy than sharply spicy, closer to a mixed makguksu flavor!!!!

Mix it up thoroughly~~

What the patented deulmemak (perilla oil makguksu) tastes like

This is the deulmemak that's even patent-registered! Apparently it's self-made deulmemak!!!!!!!!!!

The deulmemak had a subtle perilla oil aroma coming through, with seaweed flakes and perilla leaf adding an overall nutty flavor. The seasoning was mild rather than strong, making for a makguksu that was easy to eat without being too sharp :)

Suyuk topped with myeongtae-hoe (seasoned pollack salad)

The boiled pork was soft and moist, and the pollack salad that came with it was especially good! Chewy, spicy-sweet pollack salad piled on top of the boiled pork cut through the richness, and the combination worked really well together 👍

I loaded on garlic and salted shrimp too, then took a bite! The nutty flavor of the boiled pork, the spicy-sweet pollack salad, plus garlic and salted shrimp — it was so much more delicious with all of that added 👍

Topgol Makguksu's menu lineup and the patent certificate by the register

There was a wide range of makguksu options, from buckwheat makguksu to perilla oil makguksu to pollack salad buckwheat makguksu! There were also side dishes like boiled pork and potato pancake, which seems great for a group visit to share :)

By the register I noticed the patent certificate for the deulmemak! Knowing it's a patented menu item made me look twice 👀 The fact that it's a dish unique to Topgol Makguksu was pretty impressive too.

There was also a machine on one side for printing out a receipt photo! Might be nice to grab one after the meal as a little keepsake from the Sokcho trip 📸

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch was easy to stop by during the trip thanks to its proximity to Sokcho Beach! With a wide variety of makguksu and boiled pork to enjoy alongside it, this is a spot worth keeping in mind if you're looking for makguksu in Sokcho!!