[Michelin Muk-eobollang] Authentic Flavors in Seoul, 'Uyukmyeon-gwan'

Found It, the Best Beef Noodle Soup Restaurant

Editor's NoteIf you are interested in food, you have probably heard of the bestseller "Michelin Guide." According to its official website, it provides useful information for those seeking unforgettable experiences. So, the Drinkit editors took on the challenge to see if these Michelin Guide restaurants can offer flavors that move even the most ordinary and mainstream among us. Michelin Guide restaurants, here we come!

Beef noodle soup, featuring a deep and rich broth, chewy noodles, and a generous portion of large beef pieces that deliver an umami flavor, is a specialty. You don’t have to travel to Taiwan or China to experience the authentic taste, as there is a beef noodle soup specialty restaurant right in downtown Seoul. It is located near Jonggak Station, called Uyukmyeon-gwan.

Exit Jonggak Station through Exit 4 and pass through the Youth Street, and you will notice a quaint small building blending white and reddish-brown colors. On the wall and the door handle, there are red plaques indicating that the restaurant was selected as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant consecutively in 2021 and 2022.

The interior has two floors. The first floor features bar-style tables, and the second floor has tables for four. Through the large window, the riverside scenery visible among lush trees gives a feeling as if you are on a trip.

The menu is simple. It consists only of beef noodle soup, Chinese-style boiled dumplings called sujiao, and cucumber salad. The basic beef noodle soup includes only brisket. If you want to taste various cuts of beef such as brisket, shank, and flank, you should order the special beef noodle soup.

Crisp cucumber and radish accompany the cucumber salad. It serves to cut through the greasy taste unique to beef noodle soup. It feels like a refreshing pickle made from cucumber and radish. Although it contains plenty of red chili peppers, it is not very spicy contrary to its appearance. Behind the cucumber salad is the basic side dish prepared on the table, called "ssonchai." It tastes like sour dried radish greens with a hint of ginger flavor.

Next to arrive is the Chinese-style boiled dumplings called "sujiao." Compared to the commonly eaten boiled dumplings, the skin is thicker and chewier, and the dumplings are larger in size. The filling includes shrimp, pork, and napa cabbage. It is somewhat greasier than Korean boiled dumplings, but the texture of each ingredient is well preserved. It pairs well with the cucumber salad and the beef noodle soup broth.

The beef noodle soup here is made using a recipe passed down from Qingdao, Shandong Province, China. To create one bowl of beef noodle soup, the chef personally visited 74 beef noodle soup shops located in Shanghai, Qingdao, Lanzhou, Taipei, and Seoul. Indeed, the broth was exquisite. It had a rich meat stock flavor with a subtle hint of herbal medicine, giving it a clean taste. Although it contains flank, it was not greasy at all.

I took a bite of the beef, the core ingredient of the beef noodle soup. The large pieces of brisket and shank were tender and not tough. The beef, noodles, bok choy, and egg all harmonized as if they existed solely for this one bowl of beef noodle soup. The harmony with the cucumber salad and the ssonchai side dish, which refresh the palate with a sour taste, was excellent. If you want a spicy flavor, after fully enjoying the original broth taste, try adding about one spoonful of the chili sauce prepared on the table. Be careful not to add too much, as it can spoil the broth’s flavor.

After finishing the noodles, it’s time to add rice. Mix rice into the broth, add as much cilantro as you like, and accompany it with the ssonchai side dish. The special beef noodle soup portion is somewhat large, so if you want to add rice, it is better to order the basic beef noodle soup.

Uyukmyeon-gwan is a great place to visit on a cold day when you crave hot meat broth or on days when you particularly miss the taste of beef noodle soup you had while traveling. The food is neat and clean, and the spice flavors are not too strong, making it a satisfying meal even for those trying beef noodle soup for the first time. However, since the restaurant is small and the waiting line tends to be long, it is recommended to visit right at opening time or just after the break time ends.

Photo by Bomi Kim