Pyeongyang-myeonok

The district of Jung-gu in Seoul is the home of the oldest and best naengmyeon (noodles in icy cold broth) restaurants in Seoul. It is said that people who fled from the north after the Korean War settled near Dongdaemun Station and went on to open naengmyeon restaurants. Among them, Pyeongyang Myeonok has the most patrons. If Wooraeok is renowned for its broth, for Pyeongyang-myeonok, it’s the noodles. They polish their own fresh buckwheat and mix it with starch in a ratio of eight to two. The ratio varies slightly by the season. Their noodle servings and dumplings are larger than Pildong-myeonok’s. At lunch time, the store is overflowing with salary men, naengmyeon lovers, and tourists. So make sure you pick the right time to visit (hint: off-peak hours). Also, it might be best to avoid stopping by in July and August, if you really want to enjoy your meal. Then again, the mix of people and crowds might be an experience in its own right.