Seopyeong Myeonok 서평면옥 @ Seoul

This is a food that has deep historical background. In the 50s, some refugees arrived in South Korea with recipes to make traditional cold noodles in the Pyongyang style, using buckwheat for the noodles. Like this one called Seopyeong Noodle House.

This small little shop called Seopyeong Myeonok 서평면옥, or Seopyeong Noodle House, in the basement of an office building is one of those stories of people uprooting to the South, stayed and shared their heritage.

Pyongyang Naengmyeon 평양물냉면

Pyongyang naengmyeon is a cold, buckwheat noodle dish that originated in Pyeongyang, North Korea. It’s made with a cold meat broth, and often includes cucumber, radish, and boiled egg. To some Koreans, naengmyeon has meant much more than just a dish to beat the heat. To elderly people who came as refugees from North Korea during the Korean War in the 1950s, making or eating naengmyeon was a nostalgic treat.

A delicacy in North Korea since the Joseon Dynasty, naengmyeon was only available in winter for centuries, until the late 19th century. It became popular throughout Korea after the Korean War, and is a must-have during the hot summer months.

South Koreans find North Korean cuisine to be quite bland, and needed some pickles and other strong tasting condiments like vinegar and spicy mustard to boost the taste. That also explains why bibim naengmyeon is more popular here.

Mandu 만두

Mandu 만두, or Korean-style dumpling, is a massive sized dumpling that is very filling. Mandu can be steamed, boiled, pan-fried, or deep-fried. My favourite is boiled, followed by steamed. Sometimes I would go for pan-fried ones for that crispy skin and smokiness. But I don’t like deep fried dumplings, as they usually are quite dry.

I liked the meat and vegetable ratio in their recipe, but the ginger did catch me off guard. Overall a good eat if you are around the area. It seems that they are quite famous among Koreans for their really authentic North Korean style noodles.

Seopyeong Myeonok 서평면옥
15 Boramae-ro 5-gil, Dongjak-gu, Seoul
B1, Professional Construction Association Building
Tel : +82 (02) 3284 3677/8

Visited Feb 2025