Buckwheat clam noodles with baby chairs in Yangjae, Seoul: Seonbawi

I had some errands in Yangjae and stopped by Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch for a slightly late lunch after driving over.

Even though it was a bit past the lunch peak, there were still quite a lot of diners, which made me feel this place was already pretty well known in Yangjae.

We visited with our baby and ordered three servings of buckwheat clam noodle soup plus dumplings — and to cut to the chase, what stuck with me most was the amount of clams and the chewy buckwheat noodles.

If you're looking for a good noodle soup spot near Yangjae Citizens' Forest or the aT Center, this is worth a visit.

Location and parking near Yangjae Citizens' Forest

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch is located at 15-11 Gangnam-daero 18-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul.

It's open daily from 9 AM to 9 PM, so you can eat here from relatively early in the day, not just at lunch.

If you're driving, parking needs a bit of thought.

There are about 4 spots in front of the restaurant, but that's not very generous, so spots may run out during busy hours.

We visited by car too, and I felt it would be more reassuring to keep nearby public parking lots in mind if visiting during peak lunch hours.

Remote waitlisting and reservations are also available through Catch Table, so checking ahead during busy times is an option.

Maybe because the aT Center is nearby, there were quite a few group customers too, and the 2nd floor apparently allows group reservations for up to 50 seats.

A restaurant that kept getting customers even after the lunch rush

When we visited, it was past the busiest lunch hour, but customers kept coming in anyway.

Still, the interior was larger than expected, and since the menu turns tables quickly, it didn't feel chaotically crowded.

Baby chairs — important when visiting with a little one — were also available.

Eating with our baby there, it wasn't uncomfortable for a family meal at all.

Given that Yangjae has a lot of office workers, the customer base seemed pretty diverse — from weekday lunches to company dinners and group gatherings.

When our long-awaited buckwheat clam noodle soup arrived, the first thing that caught my eye was the clams.

It wasn't just a few clams scattered on top as garnish — there were so many that even after picking out the shells while eating, more kept turning up.

Chewy buckwheat noodles just as memorable as the clams

Personally, what I liked most about Seonbawi's clam noodle soup was the noodles.

The texture was quite different from the smooth white noodles you usually get.

Maybe because of the buckwheat, there was a slightly rough bite to them, yet the noodles themselves were far chewier than I expected.

If you prefer noodles with some bite over ones that are just soft, this will really suit you.

Thanks to the generous clams, the broth had a clean, refreshing flavor with a slightly spicy edge at the end, which kept me reaching for my spoon.

The meat dumplings we ordered alongside

The meat dumplings we ordered alongside turned out to be more satisfying than expected.

The filling was moist, and I could faintly taste mushroom, which gave it a different feel from typical meat dumplings.

They paired well with the noodle soup broth, and I was glad we added dumplings instead of just ordering noodles.

A solid Yangjae restaurant that worked fine for lunch with a baby

Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch is the kind of place that comes to mind when you want a hearty, satisfying meal rather than a flashy menu.

The distinctive texture of the buckwheat noodles and the generous amount of clams were clearly the standout features.

Eating the chewy buckwheat noodles in that clean clam broth, with moist meat dumplings on the side, made for a pretty satisfying meal overall.

After finishing, we even got to drink buckwheat tea, so it felt like we enjoyed buckwheat properly from start to finish.

With baby chairs available, it was easy to visit with our child, and with group seating too, it seemed like a good spot not just for family meals but also for Yangjae office workers' lunches or gatherings.

That said, if you're driving, keep in mind that parking in front of the restaurant isn't plentiful — worth planning ahead.

If you're thinking about lunch near Yangjae Citizens' Forest or the aT Center, trying the buckwheat clam noodle soup with its generous clams, along with the dumplings, at Seonbawi Memil Jangteo Yangjae Branch was a good choice.