Traditional Korean Beef Soup Noodles – The sweet and savory broth paired with tender slices of beef is pure bliss.

Text and photos by /A New Bride in Korea

▲ ??Noraesang is a long-established restaurant with a forty-year history. It was originally a barbecue specialty shop and the very first barbecue restaurant in Myeongdong. (Image from the internet)

▲ The typical Korean way of enjoying barbecue is to eat the grilled meat first, followed by rice with side dishes like doenjang-jjigae, naengmyeon, or bibim-guksu. (Image from the internet) So this shop initially offered beef soup noodles as a starchy main to fill you up after your meat, but due to the immense popularity of the noodles, they eventually became the main focus, with barbecue playing a supporting role.

▲ The menu is available in Chinese, English, and Japanese. The owner speaks basic English, and there are also ethnic Korean staff who speak Chinese, so language barriers won’t be an issue here. (Image from the internet)

▲ The interior is a bit cramped with limited seating—there probably aren’t even ten tables in total. (Image from the internet)

▲ Beef Soup Noodles cost 14,000 KRW per serving. The restaurant uses premium grade A Korean beef, which explains the price. This portion includes a bone broth base + vegetables and mushrooms + thinly sliced beef + noodles.

▲ The beef broth isn’t made by simmering herbs or boiling lightly like in Taiwan. Instead, similar to seolleongtang, it’s made by boiling beef bones for over ten hours, skimming impurities along the way to retain the essence of the broth. The liquid turns milky white before garlic, chili powder, green onions, squash, and mushrooms are added.

▲ The staff boils the noodles in the piping hot broth over high heat.

▲ While waiting for the noodles, we also ordered the shop’s signature dish: Boiled Meat (50,000 KRW). (Image from the internet)

▲ The boiled meat is briefly blanched in the broth, then thinly sliced and fanned out on a steamer tray—it’s quite a sight. (Image from the internet)

▲ The refreshing dipping sauce prepared by the restaurant perfectly complements the tender boiled meat, highlighting its natural sweetness. (Image from the internet)

▲ The slightly spicy and crunchy kimchi cuts through the richness of the meat and also helps whet the appetite when eaten with the noodles. (Image from the internet)

▲ Once the noodles are cooked, the staff will help drain them and divide the soup and noodles according to the number of diners.

▲ This restaurant’s beef soup noodles pride themselves on delivering the traditional, authentic flavor of beef, allowing diners to savor the essence of the meat and the sweet taste of the broth simmered from beef bones. They stay true to traditional Korean flavors—even though the restaurant is located in the touristy area of Myeongdong, they haven’t adjusted their recipes for visitors. Instead, they’ve created a traditional taste that tourists end up falling in love with.

▲ The restaurant uses handmade thin noodles, which have a texture somewhat similar to Taiwan’s plain noodles but are even more springy. (Image from the internet)

▲ Spice lovers can ask for extra chili powder—the spicy broth is also incredibly satisfying. (Image from the internet)
▲ This beef bone broth noodle dish is a creation of the owner. The rich broth is simmered with vegetables and mushrooms, combining the umami of the meat with the freshness of the produce to create an exceptionally delicious base. Paired with thin noodles that soak up the broth, thinly sliced beef, and flavor-enhancing watercress, everything comes together harmoniously to create a bowl of comforting, happiness-inducing beef soup noodles.

▲ After a tiring day of shopping in Myeongdong, a steaming bowl of these flavorful beef soup noodles will instantly soothe your tired soul and satisfy your hungry stomach.

Location: 2F, 19-3, Myeongdong 10-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea (?? ?? ?? 10? 19-3 2F)
▲ How to get there: Exit 8 of Myeongdong Station on Subway Line 4.
 

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