14.322 Mul Naeng Myeon

Cycle 14 – Item 322

23 (Thu) November 2023

Mul Naeng Myeon

3.0

at Eulmildae

-Yeomli, Mapo, Seoul, Republic of Korea-

solo

Haven’t been here in over 10 years, that time with GK (see most recently 4.234 Dweji Galbi).  I was in the neighborhood on business and dropped by for lunch.

As previously noted, “Eulmildae” can be seen 7 times in various places on the building, while “Pyongyang Naeng Myeon” can be seen 6 times, all in different fonts and sizes and configurations, so they were clearly done at different times over the years, making me wonder when and why each addition was made. 

I love that the restaurant has kept exterior and interior as is, frozen in time, so  old school, whether because the owners like it for aesthetic/nostalgic reasons or they’re too cheap to invest in renovations.  The next generation of ownership is probably itching to modernize, which is inevitable, and what a sad day that will be.

Another by-myself-in-the-corner table, right at the entrance, bringing in a whoosh of ice cold air every time a customer entered/exited.

In my first review of the MNM at this restaurant, I gave it a 4.0.  I believed then that it represented the ultimate representation of the dish, described as “perfection and beyond” (see 4.071 Mul Naeng Myeon).

Personally, I don’t like sliced scallions or gochugaru as MNM garniture (see for example 4.148 The Pil-Dong MNM), and the MNM here doesn’t by default have them, but apparently customers are asking, so I’m glad that the toppings are offered in a dish on the side.

A few months later, during my survey of Pyongyang-style MNM restaurants in Seoul, it rated a drastically lower score of 2.5.  At the time, I had begun to favor lighter/leaner broths (see generally SSPYSP), so the heavily seasoned broth at Eulmildae kinda threw me off – “outright funky” (see 4.184 The Eulmildae MMN).

The noodles can’t be beat.

Now, after all these years, I’m bringing the rating back up to 3.0.  Though I remain a die-hard fan of Pyongyang-style MNM, I’m more relaxed about the whole thing, and thus more open to forgiveness, so I’m okay with the broth, even if it’s still too heavily seasoned.

(See also MNM)

(See also HANSIK)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)

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