There’s a branch of Baengnyeong Myeonok in Songdo, so I went to check it out.

On the way

Summers these days are incredibly hot.

On the way

There are still empty lots around.

Umbrella-slash-parasol

Thankfully I have a UV-cut parasol, which is what makes going out possible at all. The Montbell rain/sun umbrella I use is small, but having it versus not having it makes a huge difference… under the parasol it even feels cool, if only for a moment… Don’t just head out without one because it’s a hassle; get yourself a proper UV-cut parasol and make it through the hot summer safely, everyone… (The only problem with this parasol is that the creases don’t smooth out easily… the UV-blocking fabric is stiff, so it can’t be helped… and when you’re being cooked alive, that’s hardly a big deal anyway…)

Pigeons

Looks like they’re by the water because of the heat…

Park

The kind of scenery you see whenever you go to Songdo…

Baengnyeong Myeonok

There’s an explanation too.

Inside

The view is great… Canal Walk is pretty much dying, but this place was packed… what even makes a commercial district work…

Side dish containers

Self-service…

Naengmyeon

It was so hot that I came for naengmyeon with a layer of slush ice on top… it’s not so cold that it makes your teeth ache; the ice slowly melts as you spoon it up. Thanks to that, I could enjoy the cold broth right to the end. The noodles have just the right amount of chew, making them a pleasure to slurp down. You could call it a flavor built on decades of know-how… Baengnyeong Island-style naengmyeon is something I’ve only ever seen in Incheon; it’s lightly salty and sweet with a good dose of umami, a crowd-pleasing style anyone would be happy with… (Couldn’t we just call it Incheon-style naengmyeon…) The original is Bupyeong Makguksu, and it seems the owners’ children run the branches, with one shop each in Jemulpo and Songdo… Anyway, it’s a taste I think of every summer, and it has a charm different from Pyongyang naengmyeon, so it’s worth trying at least once… Byeongane Ongjin Naengmyeon in Juan is delicious too.

Set

Just take a reasonable amount.

Inside

Clean and tidy.

Another delicious meal this year.

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