-
Start
-
Pureun Sup
-
Songwon
-
Garden
-
Farm Pension
-
Winter Festival
-
Lee Hwa Won
-
Songwon Makguksu
-
Petite France
-
Star Light Festival
-
Finish
In Gapyeong, there are many famous restaurants well-known for Makguksu(Buckwheat noodles). Makguksu is a local food of Gangwon-do that you can have with sauce or cold meat broth. Gapyeong islocated in the border of Gyeonggi-do and Gangwon-do, people in Gapyeong also enjoy eating Makguksu. 'Songwon Makguksu', where we will go this time, is the most famous Makguksu restaurant in Gapyeong. It was even introduced on the famous food cartoon, 'Parasitic Houseguest'.
'Songwon Makguksu' is located in the downtown of Gapyeong. It's easy to find the restaurant for tourists going a trip by the train or bus, because it's near the Gapyeong Bus Terminal and train station.
This Makguksu restaurant is over 30 years old and indoor atmosphere and design of the restaurant made me feel its traces of time. It looks old but has the tradition of Makguksu. Cold Makguksu is popular in the summer, but the restaurant was pretty crowded even in the winter. Probably it's because of fame of the restaurant.
There were only Makguksu and steamed pork on the menu. We ordered Makguksu for 2 people. It costs 6000 won per person. Double portion of Makguksu costs 7000 won.
A pot of warm water was provided after we ordered our meal. The water was thick and had savory taste, so I asked what it was. I was told it was boiled water with buckwheat noodles. In the most of restaurants, these days, they add flour into the buckwheat noodles, so boiled water with buckwheat noodles doesn't taste good. However, boiled water of Songwon was savory enough with rich buckwheat.
Whenever I go into Makguksu restaurants, I found side dishes were just cabbages or Radish Kimchi. Songwon's Kimchi has very sour and simple tastes.
At Songwon Makguksu, the noodle dough is not prepared in advance. It's started to be made and the noodles are pulled and boiled after we order the noodles. If you get a perfect timing with other dishes, you would get it faster, but usually you need to wait for 10~15 minutes. Makguksu was served when I was about to hear my stomach growling.
On the fresh buckwheat noodle, spicy, sweet, and sour sauce, savory sesame seeds, chopped cucumber, and radish Kimchi were added. The savory aroma came out from ample sesame seeds and it made my mouth water.
When you order Makguksu, a pot of cold meat broth will be provided along the noodles. When you don't add anything to the noodles, it's a Bibim Makguksu. When you pour meat broth, it's a Mul Makguksu. You can choose either way to eat Makguksu. If you want strong sauce, choose Bibim Makguksu or if you want smooth noodles
The noodles of Makguksu are not that sticky because they were made of buckwheat flour, not flour. You can easily cut them off, so scissors are not offered.
This is a 'Bibim Makguksu' that I had. Tastes are not that different in each restaurants, but Songwon Makguksu has a unique specialty. Savory sesame seeds and much sesame oil make the noodles taste very savory and spicy. It has stronger taste than restaurants in other regions, but this strongly spicy taste attracted me keep eating noodles. The noodles are tender enough for the elders who have weak teeth.Strong spicy sauce and tender noodles are in great harmony.
My wife chose 'Mul Makguksu' with pouring cold meat broth. Pour little amount of meat broth like a picture above. Then, you would enjoy the taste of sauce well, as it is.
It had less strong taste than my Bibim Makguksu. It tastes spicy, sweet, and sour. It also tastes better and more simple with cold meat broth.
You would think of hot soap during the winter trip, but buckwheat noodles would be the delicacy to try at least once during the travel. Especially, Songwon Makguksu features unique sauce compared to the ones in other regions. It's the good restaurant to stop by for the tourists traveling without cars, because it's located near the train station or bus terminal.
Address : 363-1, Eupnae-ri, Gapyeong-eup, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 가평군 가평읍 읍내리 363-1)
Telephone : 031-582-1408
Open hour & Holiday : 11:30 am ~ 7:30 pm, Always open
