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15.125 Pyeongyang Naeng Myeon

katch4246

May 9

Cycle 15 - Item 125

9 (Thu) May 2024

Pyeongyang Naeng Myeon

1.5

at Yu Gyeong

-Changgok, Sujeong, Seongnam, Gyeonggi, Republic of Korea-

with W and IZ

Yu Gyeong is a Korean restaurant. Specializes in grilled meat (i.e., "Korean BBQ"), mostly pork, some beef. Despite all appearances to the contrary, it is an independently owned and operated business, not part of a franchise chain (as yet).

Located in Wirye Plaza, a few doors to the right of KFC (see generally 12.297 Kentucky Barbecue Leg).

The place is always packed, with a long queue out front (in the photo above, see benches for waiting customers), at least whenever I've passed by, usually at dinnertime on weekends.

All the accoutrements that a customer could need, right there at the table, including glassware, utensils, plates, napkins.

We happened to be in the neighborhood, just before dinnertime, no queue, so we dropped by for an early dinner. Though we were first in line, and several parties had finished their meals, they weren't in any fucking hurry to get the fuck up and and get the fuck out, so we had to wait 15 minutes for a table.

Banchan (3.0): modernistic formulations of banchan, such as silken dubu with black sesame dressing + pickled chilies & scallions + pickled greens & celery.

My primary objective in visiting the restaurant was to check out the mul naeng myeon. Advertised on street-side banners as "Pyeongyang style," the photo looked vaguely promising, though I did not dare to hope - the difficulty in preparing a proper MNM is generally best left to a restaurant specializing in the dish, not a place where it's an afterthought.

Dweji Galbi (3.0): the meat was solid, though not enough to wait in line for it.

I was right - to have been dubious. The buckwheat noodles were okay. But the broth was weirdly sweet and sour, not at all beefy, as a legitimate Pyeongyang-style MNM broth should be. Oh well.

(See also HANSIK)

(See also MNM)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN KOREA)