Pyeongtaek Korean restaurant, kalguksu set: Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu

At Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu (고려물총칼국수) in Bijeon-dong, Pyeongtaek, I had kalguksu, dumplings, and boiled pork together. Trying several dishes in a two-person set and finishing with fried rice was more filling than I expected.

What are the parking and child-friendly dining conditions like?

The restaurant is on the first floor at 730 Pyeongnam-ro, Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi-do. Parking was available on the second through fourth floors of the building. However, the entrance and exit are the same, and the access lane is narrow, so larger vehicles may need to take care. I drove in and parked carefully in my compact car.

The restaurant was more spacious and pleasant than I expected, and the staff were kind, so I had a comfortable meal. High chairs, children's spoons and forks, and disposable aprons were available, which made me think it would be fine to visit with children.

The self-service bar had kimchi, broth, cabbage-and-radish pickles, chojang (sweet and tangy red chili sauce), Cheongyang chili peppers, and more. I took what I needed, including extra broth when we were running low during the meal.

The hours listed in the original post are 10:30–21:00, with last orders at 20:00. There is a weekday break from 14:30 to 16:30, but no break on weekends. Takeout, reservations, and corkage were also listed as available.

What is on the menu and how do you order?

Besides Goryeo Mulchong Kalguksu, the menu included perilla-oil goldongmyeon (mixed noodles), spicy goldongmyeon, napa cabbage dumplings, pear-leaf medicinal boiled pork, and mulchong-tang. There were sets for two, three, and four people, and I also noticed that Four Seasons fried rice could be refilled for free without limit.

I ordered using the tablet at the table. It was convenient to choose while looking at menu photos.

From the open kitchen, I could watch the kalguksu noodles being made by hand. The restaurant also said that it simmers its broth for a long time.

What was in the two-person set, and how were the dumplings and boiled pork?

The two-person set we ordered included one serving of kalguksu, napa cabbage dumplings, and pear-leaf medicinal boiled pork. It was nice for sampling a little of several dishes rather than having only kalguksu.

The pear-leaf medicinal boiled pork is said to use 100% Korean pork belly. When I tried it, it was tender without any unpleasant smell, and it came in a dedicated warmer pot, so it stayed warm until the end. Dipping it in the pear-juice sauce went well with the mild meat and made it feel less rich.

I cut the napa cabbage dumplings in half with scissors, and they were generously filled. They went well with the soy sauce, which complemented the subtle flavor of the napa cabbage. Personally, I think they would suit anyone who likes mild dumplings.

How do you cook the kalguksu, and what is the broth like?

The kalguksu came with the noodles and fried-rice ingredients.

The broth arrived partly cooked from the kitchen, with plenty of clams and mussels. I first picked out and ate the already cooked seafood.

Following the instructions, I added the noodles and waited five minutes using the hourglass. It felt long at first, but passed quickly while we ate the dumplings and boiled pork. The noodles were chewy and had absorbed the broth well. I liked the broth because it was clear yet refreshing and deeply flavored.

How do you make the final fried rice?

I left some kalguksu broth and added the fried-rice ingredients to make it. Our broth had reduced more than expected, so we brought back another ladleful from the self-service bar.

The fried-rice ingredients included cabbage, kimchi, and gim powder (roasted seaweed flakes). Mixed well with the remaining broth, it had a nutty flavor with the savory depth of kimchi. Even though I was full after the kalguksu, I still ended up eating the fried rice.

On the way out, I had a cup of coffee from the self-service bar and finished with sikhye (sweet rice drink), which I received after writing a review. With dumplings and boiled pork followed by seafood kalguksu and fried rice, it made for a filling meal on a day when I wanted to try several dishes together.