Sumang Son Kalguksu in Seogwipo: Perfect Pre-Hike Meal
Today is the day I hike an oreum (volcanic cone) for the first time since moving to Jeju. I decided to go to Mulyeongari Oreum, and looked up a place to eat lunch on the way. Since it's in the mid-mountain area, there weren't many restaurants, but I stopped by Sumang Son Kalguksu, which had the best reviews among them.
It's a small place with a tight parking space that only fits about three cars, and there are only about six tables inside. The completely unpretentious exterior and interior actually raised my expectations that this might be a hidden gem.
I felt great ordering because of the cheap price of 7,000 KRW. My choice was the bajirak kalguksu (clam knife-cut noodle soup).
It came out with kimchi shortly after ordering. When I tasted the broth, it felt a bit bland. So I sprinkled in some black pepper, and a spicy, refreshing flavor came through. The noodles had a great bouncy, chewy texture, probably because they are hand-pulled. For kalguksu, the kimchi is actually more important than the noodles themselves. I'm not sure if they make their own kimchi, but it was perfectly crisp and paired wonderfully with the soup.
The flavor is milder than the kalguksu you'd eat in Seoul, but the more I ate, the spicier it got. Even though I stirred it well, there must have been chili peppers hiding at the bottom. Since it tasted a bit under-seasoned, I poured in some kimchi juice, and only then was the seasoning perfect even when eating just the noodles. I suspect they might intentionally make the broth mild so you can eat it with the kimchi.
The most impressive part was the clams. They were large, and the portion was huge. They give you a makgeolli (rice wine) bowl on the side, and it quickly filled to the brim with empty shells. Because it was served in a small stainless steel bowl, I thought the portion would be small, but boy was I wrong. I was so stuffed I worried if I'd even be able to walk.
Mulyeongari Oreum has a lot of stairs, which can be a bit tough for people who don't exercise regularly. You need to fill your stomach before or after going, and this restaurant's kalguksu is just perfect for that. It's only a 5-minute drive away, the food comes out fast, and it tastes great. Parking is a slight issue, but I imagine if there are a lot of customers, people just park along the street. It might obstruct traffic a bit, but it doesn't seem like a busy road, so it should be fine.
In conclusion, the combination of Mulyeongari Oreum and Sumang Son Kalguksu is a great way to spend a fun half-day in Jeju.