Incheon ramen restaurant with spicy garlic broth: Menya Seoul

While at Lotte Department Store in Incheon, we were looking for somewhere to have lunch and stopped by Menya Seoul Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch (멘야서울 롯데백화점 인천점). Since it is inside the department store, parking is convenient, and it seemed like a good place for a family meal while shopping. Menya Seoul is in the food court rather than a standalone restaurant, which also makes it handy when you want to eat a variety of things together. Since we were visiting with a child, we prefer somewhere we can order both adult dishes and something our child can eat rather than just one menu item, and Menya Seoul had side dishes too, so it was a good choice.

How did we order from the Menya Seoul menu?

I took a photo of the menu, so have a look. There were various set options depending on the spice level and toppings, so ordering by number seemed more convenient. It looks like they also have new dishes such as mazesoba (dry mixed noodles), so I should try something like that next time.

Mild and spicy broths in the jambon chashu ramen set

Jambon chashu ramen had a slightly unusual name, and since it really includes jambon, it felt different from ordinary chashu ramen. The combination of ramen and jambon felt quite fresh. We ordered one mild broth and one spicy broth. Personally, what I liked most was the broth. When you think of ramen, it is easy to picture the distinctly rich Japanese-style flavor, but Menya Seoul’s broth also seemed well suited to Korean tastes.

The spicy broth in particular had minced garlic in it, and I thought it went together really well. With the garlic aroma added to the spicy broth, it tasted so much better that I kept scooping up more broth.

The mild broth was easy to eat without feeling heavy, while the spicy broth had a pleasantly fiery kick and added garlic, so I think it would suit people who like a little more punch. Overall, it felt like a more familiar way for Korean palates to enjoy Japanese ramen.

And the jambon chashu worked better than I expected. It is not a ramen topping you see often, so I had been curious from the moment we ordered; eating the noodles, broth, and jambon together was a distinctive combination.

Set sides that were good to share with a child

When you order the jambon chashu ramen as a set, you can choose one of three side dishes and one drink. We chose karaage (Japanese fried chicken) and a chicken rice bowl as our sides, and our child especially enjoyed them. When dining out with a child, even delicious ramen can feel a little disappointing if there is nothing suitable for the child, but at Menya Seoul, the sides took care of our child’s meal too, which was great.

At first, the chicken rice bowl looked quite dark with soy sauce, so I wondered whether it might be too salty for a child. But when we tried it, it was not salty at all and was seasoned just right. Its color made me expect it to be salty, but it was actually gently sweet with the soy-based seasoning nicely absorbed, and our child ate it really well. I am so curious what that sauce was, haha. The karaage was crispy outside and moist inside, too, so it was good for sharing with a child.

Why it is good for a meal at Lotte Department Store Incheon Branch

The advantage of Menya Seoul is, of course, that it is inside Lotte Department Store. When you use a department-store restaurant, there is less concern about parking, and you can take care of shopping or other errands at the same time, so it is convenient for a family meal.

As in the photo, Menya Seoul also has its own bar table where you can eat. Since the restaurant itself is in the food court, it was also nice that you could eat Menya Seoul’s food at the department-store food-court tables while bringing over food or desserts from other shops.

A meal where the spicy garlic broth was the most satisfying part

The jambon chashu ramen we tried this time was fun for its unusual jambon topping, but personally, I was most satisfied with the broth.

The mild broth was easy and comfortable to eat, while the spicy broth, with its added minced garlic, was a flavor that suited Korean tastes really well. If you are shopping at Lotte Department Store in Incheon and looking for a restaurant, I think Menya Seoul is worth a stop. If we visit again, we will probably have that spicy broth and minced-garlic combination once more. Menya Seoul lets you enjoy jambon chashu ramen along with side dishes, so I think it would be a nice place to try.