Songwol Naengmyeon

Songwol Naengmyeon is a cold noodle restaurant passed down for two generations, from 1988 to the present. It is a restaurant specializing in naengmyeon, or cold buckwheat noodles. It has three simple menu items: yeolmu naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles with young summer radish kimchi), mul naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles), and bibim naengmyeon (spicy buckwheat noodles). Yeolmu is the stem of young radish and is used as an ingredient in kimchi, one of the traditional Korean fermented foods, as well as salads, naengmyeon, and bibimbap. Harvest usually begins in early summer, so it can often be found on dinner tables in the summer. The combination of naengmyeon with ice, young radish, and cool dongchimi (radish water kimchi) creates a wholesome and refreshing taste. This restaurant is also popular among locals and visitors may have to wait in line during peak hours, but manages their table turnover in an organized fashion so their customers in queue won’t have to wait for too long.