mary eats

Earlier this week the New York Times posted an article concerning the most summery of Korean Summer dishes, naeng myeon.

Interviewed by Elaine Louie, restaurateur Kim Jung Hyun disclosed the delicious fact that his first serving of naeng myeon (at the tender age of 3) changed his life. He went on to open five naeng myeon restaurants in Korea, Paraguay, and NYC.

Prior to moving to Korea, only ice cream and smoothies made it into my culinary lexicon of cool dishes. Yet naeng myeon’s seductive and delicate beef broth contrasting with the thin slice of ripe, succlent pear won me over from the first slurp. It is a curious mesh of ingredients that pulls you in bite after bite, as you desperately scramble to place your finger on just what is so addictive.

Kim’s secret to longevity (now retired and a cool 71)? Three bowls a day, every day.

I love naeng myeon too, but perhaps not to this extent. Now that the monsoon is near it’s end and the first days of “bok,” or the dog days of summer, have passed, chilled noodle dished are about all I can consider for lunch and dinner. Maybe I’ll make it to 51.

Naeng Myeon- a cold soup of thin buckwheat noodles in a cloudy broth served with a crown of seasoned beef, sliced crisp Asian pear, a shaving of lightly pickled radish topped with a hard-boiled egg. Condiments like vinegar and mustard are served on the side.

Naeng Guk Su- a cold noodle soup in a kimchi water broth served with sliced fried egg and slices of beef.

Kimchi Naeng Myeon- a chilled noodle soup chock full of kimchi. Do not try kissing anyone after eating!

Memil Guk Su- cooked buckwheat noodles chilled and served with a dried fish and seaweed broth.

Pyeongyang-Naeng Myeon- the brother of naeng myeon, this version with a beef and radish broth originates from the N. Korean capital of Pyeongyang.

Dongchimi Naeng Myeon- a non-spicy version of the kimchi naeng myeon made with white kimchi and a generous helping of plain old water.

Ham-heung Naeng Myeon- cold chewy sweet potato noodles topped with a fiery chili sauce. Also hails from N. Korea, the region of, wait for it, Ham Heung. Did you already guess that?

Bibim Naeng Myeon- a lunch time favorite of mine sees the same chilled chewy noodles topped with chili sauce and the fantastic four; sliced pear, radish, seasoned meat, and a halved hard boiled egg. Be sure you have a nice large glass of water by your side for this one.

Hoe Naeng Myeon- love sashimi? Chilled buckwheat noodles topped with a fiery sauce and adorned with raw or fermented skate (white fish).

Where to eat in Seoul? Most of the Korean “diners,” Kimbap chunguk, Kim bap nara, and so on, have a wide collection of chilled noodle dished. Look for patrons slurping from large silver bowls and say, “I’ll have what she’s having.”

For a restaurants specializing in buckwheat noodles, head to Hyegyo in Sinsa-dong.

Or the noodle extravaganza, Hamhangboga in Mapo-gu

Finally there is a cold noodle haven in the basement of the Seoul Finance Center.
Sanbong Neungmyon is open 11:00 AM ~ 20:00 PM. Phone: 02-775-8853

You still have plenty of summer left. Get out there and slurp.