"A Stove in Your Mouth"... Mukeunji Kimchi Mandu and Dongchimi Noodles at a 29-Year-Old Traditional Noodle House in Namyangju

There is a place where people riding bicycles along the tranquil riverside in Namyangju, Gyeonggi-do, stop their journey. This place, which has held its position for 29 years and is always bustling with customers, is a noodle specialty restaurant where the family business is being carried on by the fourth generation. Passing through an environment that used to be unpaved roads and narrow paths, it has now established itself as a landmark visited by many tourists, and at the center of this place are the Hamgyeong Province-style noodles and mandu passed down through generations.

Kimchi Mandu with Deep Flavor Made from 3-Year Aged Mukeunju and Mukeunji

The kimchi mandu, one of the representative menus of this house, is on a different level from ordinary mandu. Instead of artificial spiciness like capsaicin, it uses Cheongyang chili powder to achieve a clean spiciness. In particular, the kimchi used in the mandu filling uses mukeunji with the saltiness removed, and by utilizing salted cabbage that is freshly sliced without a sour smell, the spiciness of the chili powder is brought to life even more vividly.

The key to determining the flavor of the mandu lies in the aging process. By using mukeunju aged for three years, a deep taste that cannot be tasted elsewhere is created. The kimchi mandu, which is spicy enough to make the mouth feel hot, provides an intense stimulation the moment you take a bite, but the deep flavor of the mukeunji supports it from behind. The role of soothing this spiciness is played by the dongchimi noodles, which are another specialty of this place.

Dongchimi Noodles Harmonizing Acorn Jelly with Perfect Texture and White Kimchi

The acorn jelly boasts a 'perfect texture' that is neither too hard nor too soft. The acorn jelly, served with a bright red seasoning sauce, is seasoned with perilla seeds to create a taste that awakens the palate. The accompanying dongchimi noodles are based on northern-style Hamgyeong Province recipes, but were completed by modifying the local style for a simple and clean taste. It is characterized by increasing the perfection of the broth by varying the aging period and temperature according to the season.

Dongchimi noodles are not just a food where you only drink the broth. The way to eat here is to take the white kimchi, which is sliced long and placed on top of the noodles like falling snow, and wrap it with the noodles. The crunchiness of the white kimchi, the sweet and sour broth, and the chewy noodles harmonize to effectively catch the spicy energy of the kimchi mandu. This taste, which the son inherited while remembering his grandmother's hand-made flavor through four generations, shows an independent presence that is not influenced by external factors.

The Connection of Growing into a Home Shopping Host and 29 Years of Time

On this meal occasion, a special scene was also staged where a customer who had visited this restaurant in the past returned after growing into a home shopping host. Active as a host for 7 to 8 years, he shared his experience of recording 22.1 billion won in sales in just 2 hours in the past and expressed his joy that the restaurant's menu still maintains its unchanging tradition. From the days 29 years ago when passing through narrow roads to the current prosperity, the history of one restaurant flows along with the changes in the region.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)