Cycle 12 – Item 177

1 (Thu) July 2021

Pyongyang Naeng Myeon – Premium

3.5

at Apgujeong Myeon Ok

-Sinsa, Gangnam, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

with DJ

Apgujeong Myeonok is a Korean restaurant.  Specializes in northern-style Korean food, including mul naeng myeon.  Opened 2019.

MNM comes in 2 varieties: the standard (buckwheat composition unstated on the menu) (12,000 won) and the premium (100% buckwheat noodles) (14,000 won).

In addition to the pickled radish ribbons, a second side dish of radish stem kimchi is provided, somewhat unusual but quite welcome.

I’ve also never seen mustard served directly in a bowl – it’s typically already on the table in a large jar – as if to encourage customers to use it.

Applying the rating rubric used in my Seoul-Searching project (see SSPYSP):

TOPPINGS: Sliced pork + sliced beef shank (hanwoo) + pickled radish + salted cucumber + 1/2 boiled egg + sliced scallion.  All good, except the cold fat of the pork, and the scallions.

BROTH: Rich, deep beef flavor – derived from hanwoo, according to the menu.  Aggressively seasoned.  No trace of sweetness.  Excellent.

NOODLES: Dense and firm, like al dente pasta.  Strong buckwheat flavor, perhaps overwhelmingly so.  Much more intense than the sun myeon at Byeokje Galbi (12.137 Bong Piyang Pyeongyang Naeng Myeon – Sun Myeon).  Though perhaps too much of a good thing, I felt somewhat fatigued halfway through, both in taste in texture.  I’m hoping that the standard noodles, next time, are a bit more laid back.

CONCLUSION: An excellent representation of modern Pyongyang-style MNM.  So glad to welcome a newcomer to the scene.  

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)