Sokcho makguksu restaurant for a friends’ first meal: Topgol

On a Gangwon trip with friends, we had to get the very first meal right.

Our September trip began with people who absolutely cannot tolerate bad food. “Guys, this trip, we have to eat nothing but delicious things. If it’s bad, we’re cutting it off immediately!” We have huge appetites with zero shame! The whole drive to Sokcho was a heated debate over, “What should we have for our first meal?”

After search upon search, we found it: Sokcho Topgol Makguksu Main Branch (속초탑골막국수 본점), known as a great Sokcho makguksu (buckwheat noodles) spot and a mecca for deulmemak.

Topgol Makguksu near the Sokcho Eye

It is right near the famous Sokcho Eye Ferris wheel.

The confident air of a great restaurant, right from the entrance

The sign at the entrance caught my eye: “We serve food slowly~ We’ll repay you with flavor!” We charged into the restaurant, full of excitement.

Ah, what confidence from a great restaurant! The place was kept spotless, and because we arrived before dinner, it was pleasantly relaxed.

The second we saw the menu, we ordered the deulmemak (perilla oil buckwheat noodles) we had already picked out in our minds, myeongtaehoe makguksu (buckwheat noodles with seasoned pollock), and buckwheat dumplings—the makguksu world’s soulmate—at light speed. Before the food arrived! We took photos like this and had even more fun~

Now it really feels like we’re traveling~

A spread of perilla oil and pollock makguksu

🍱 A spread so gorgeous that the compliments just came out. At last, the main dishes for today’s meal arrived one after another.

No way!!! The instant we saw it, we all gasped at once, as if we had planned it.

So this is why they call it a deulmemak mecca! The makguksu was truly a work of art. 🏰🏰🏰

Nutty perilla oil buckwheat noodles

The moment the bowl hit the table, the rich, intensely nutty scent of perilla oil hit my nose so hard I nearly lost my mind.

The appearance alone completely took the lead. There was a mountain of finely shredded fresh perilla leaf, heaps of ground sesame, and savory seaweed flakes! As I mixed it with my chopsticks, the thick sheen of perilla oil coated every strand of buckwheat noodle.

The moment I loaded up one huge bite and tossed it into my mouth, the sharp aroma of perilla leaf, nutty sesame powder, and the toasty buckwheat flavor that bloomed as I chewed set off 🧨🧨🧨 fireworks all over my mouth. I slurped it down in one shot, all the way through my throat and esophagus~ haha. It was not overpowering, but the ingredients’ natural savory flavor exploded, so I simply could not stop slurping~~~

Spicy-sweet myeongtaehoe makguksu

After coating our mouths with the nuttiness of the perilla oil makguksu, it was time to wake up our appetites with spicy-sweet myeongtaehoe makguksu.

I picked up a big tangle of buckwheat noodles with pollock thoroughly soaked in red seasoning and slurped it down. I love it💕 This pollock is totally my style.

First, the slightly chewy, pleasantly firm texture of the pollock was outstanding. Its special seasoning was just spicy enough and sweet enough, soaking moistly through the buckwheat noodles—its savory depth was insane! The cool cucumber garnish added a wonderful bite, too.

The nuttiness of the perilla oil makguksu and the heat of the myeongtaehoe makguksu took turns teasing our tongues. It was an endless slurping course with no chance of getting tired of it.

Plump buckwheat dumplings with pollock seasoning

Just when we were completely absorbed in the makguksu, the carefully shaped buckwheat dumplings made their appearance.

The wrappers looked so chewy that I could feel their bounce from the moment I poked one with my chopsticks. (You’re springy, aren’t you?!~) One bite, and warm, juicy broth burst out from the filling.

The proportion and seasoning of the earthy buckwheat wrapper and the generously filled meat-and-vegetable stuffing were just perfect~

My personal pro tip is dipping a dumpling into the spicy seasoning from the myeongtaehoe makguksu. If you visit, the buckwheat dumplings are truly not optional—they are essential!

The verdict on our first Sokcho travel meal with friends

A satisfying meal that brought out real smiles💕 After we hurriedly finished eating and walked out patting our bellies, all three of us had genuine smiles blooming across our faces. “Hey, what a success for the very first meal—so satisfying💯,” we said, busy praising one another.

From the nutty perilla oil makguksu that brought out the ingredients’ natural flavors, to the myeongtaehoe with its spectacular savory seasoning, to the filling-packed buckwheat dumplings, this was a thoughtful meal with nothing missing.

If you are planning a Sokcho trip, do not hesitate! Delicious food made the start of our Gangwon trip even more cheerful and fun. If you want to vividly experience proper Sokcho makguksu, visit Topgol Makguksu without hesitation! I recommend it on behalf of my picky-eater friends’ honor.