Laddaeng

Koreans have an extraordinary love of ramyeon. It’s a common food that’s easily found just about anywhere, but oddly enough there aren’t many places that do just ramyeon—and do it really, really well. Laddaeng sets itself apart with its dogged insistence on only ramyeon, in contrast to places where ramyeon shares the menu with with a variety of companion foods such as gimbap, rice balls, and dumplings. Since opening its doors in 1998, in the remodeled house of the owner herself, Laddaeng has managed to succeed with its ramyeon-only menu, and the ramyeon served there tastes as fiery as this triumph. The ramyeon is cooked in an earthenware bowl placed atop an industrial Korean-style fireplace oven boasting a powerful flame. The steaming earthenware bowl of ramyeon maintains its heat throughout the meal—lending credence to the Korean saying that “the taste of a food depends on the taste of the fire.” The taste of the broth seems to grow richer with every spoonful. Laddaeng serves five kinds of ramyeon: jjambbong (spicy seafood) ramyeon, rice cakes-and-dumplings ramyeon, cheese ramyeon, “haejang” (hangover relief) ramyeon and ttaeng ramyeon. You can also customize your order with additions of rice, cheese and egg.