Sokcho makguksu restaurant: one deulmemak, one pollack bowl — Topgol

While traveling in Sokcho, I wanted to eat makguksu (cold buckwheat noodles) and potato pancake together, so I stopped by Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch. I got to try buckwheat noodles with the nutty flavor of hand-pressed perilla oil, spicy-sweet pollack sashimi noodles, and potato pancake all in one meal. It's close to Sokcho Beach and parking is convenient too, so it's a good spot to keep in mind when looking for somewhere to eat during a trip.

The essentials first

• Close to Sokcho Beach and Oeongchi Beach
• Parking available at the Sokcho Beach public parking lot
• 2-hour parking discount voucher provided for diners

Where is Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch, and where do you park?

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch sits on Haeoreum-ro in Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do. It's close to Sokcho Beach and Oeongchi Beach, so it's an easy spot to head to for a meal after checking out the coast.

If you're driving, you can use the nearby Sokcho Beach public parking lot. They give diners a 2-hour parking discount voucher.

What is the dining room at Sokcho Topgol Makguksu like?

The interior of Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch was spacious with plenty of seating. It had a friendly atmosphere where you could eat comfortably.

There's a kitchen tucked to one side of the restaurant, so you can watch the food being prepared up close. A sign reading 'We press buckwheat noodles fresh upon order' caught my eye in particular — it was impressive that instead of using noodles made ahead of time, they press the noodles fresh the moment an order comes in.

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu menu and prices: what we ordered

• Deulmemak ₩13,000
• Boiled pork platter (large) ₩30,000
• Potato pancake ₩17,000
• Hand-pressed perilla oil buckwheat noodles ₩13,000
• Sokcho pollack sashimi noodles ₩13,000
• Sokcho king dumpling soup ₩12,000
• Seafood perilla buckwheat kalguksu ₩12,000
• Acorn jelly salad ₩17,000

We ordered one each of the hand-pressed perilla oil buckwheat noodles and the spicy-sweet pollack sashimi noodles. We also added the nutty potato pancake.

How do the deulmemak, pollack salad makguksu and potato pancake taste?

The side dishes were young radish greens and shredded radish salad. They weren't too strongly seasoned, so they were nice to eat in between bites.

The hand-pressed perilla oil buckwheat noodles, pollack sashimi noodles, and potato pancake we ordered filled the whole table. Everything came out generously piled in big bowls.

House-pressed perilla oil deulmemak

First, the hand-pressed perilla oil deulmemak had finely chopped perilla leaves, seaweed flakes, and a generous helping of nutty sesame seeds piled on top of the buckwheat noodles.

The toppings were gathered on one side, so I mixed everything together with the noodles before eating. The moment I mixed it, the nutty aroma of perilla oil spread out gently and whetted my appetite.

The deulmemak was delicious even without any harsh seasoning, thanks to the fresh scent of perilla leaves and the salty flavor of the seaweed flakes. If you like clean, nutty makguksu, this is one you'll enjoy.

Sokcho pollack salad makguksu

The pollack sashimi noodles caught my eye with an appetizing red sauce right away. On top of the buckwheat noodles were pollack sashimi, cucumber, radish, seaweed flakes, and a nutty powder, served with a boiled egg on the side.

Mixing the noodles and pollack sashimi thoroughly with the sauce, I tasted sweetness at first, followed by spiciness. It wasn't just spicy — the tangy-sweet umami kept me reaching for more with my chopsticks.

The chewy pollack sashimi paired well with the soft texture of the buckwheat noodles. Switching between the spicy-sweet pollack sashimi noodles and the nutty, clean deulmemak let the two contrasting flavors complement each other, making the meal even more enjoyable.

A potato pancake that fills the whole plate

The potato pancake surprised me with its size the moment it arrived. It was fried big enough to fill the whole wide plate, plenty for several people to share.

They cut the large potato pancake into bite-sized pieces using scissors that came with it. Since the pancake was thin and crisply cooked, it cut cleanly without much effort.

Since the potatoes were shredded into thin strips before frying, the texture was a bit different from a typical potato pancake. The golden-browned surface and edges were crispy, while the inside was moist and soft. The clean, natural flavor of the potato came through, so it was tasty even on its own.

Final verdict on Sokcho Topgol Makguksu

Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch was a place where you could enjoy two very different, appealing makguksu dishes and a large potato pancake all at once. Being close to Sokcho Beach made it easy to fit into a travel route, and having nearby public parking was a nice plus.

If you're torn between nutty perilla oil makguksu and spicy pollack sashimi noodles during a Sokcho trip, order one of each and share. If you're visiting with a group, the large potato pancake is a great addition to the mix.