OWL Magazine Korea

Hwacheon Makguksu & Mandu Jeongol: Hwacheon Makguksu

Hwacheon is a place famous for its mountain trout festival in winter. The mountain trout festival, held around January, has firmly established itself as a representative winter festival in Korea.

During a recent visit to Hwacheon, while exploring various places, we naturally ended up at a restaurant for lunchtime. There was a restaurant recommended by the locals called “Hwacheon Makguksu”.

“Hwacheon Makguksu: Serving Makguksu, Mandu Jeongol, and Nokdujeon”

As the name suggests, Hwacheon Makguksu is a restaurant that specializes in serving makguksu (buckwheat noodles). However, in addition to makguksu, they also offer various other menu items such as mandu jeongol (dumpling hot pot) and nokdujeon (mung bean pancake).

Here are some of the menu items offered at Hwacheon Makguksu:

  • Bibim Makguksu (Spicy Mixed Noodles): KRW 8,000
  • Dongchimi Makguksu (Traditional Pyongyang-style Cold Noodles): KRW 8,000
  • Pyeonyuk (Sliced Boiled Meat): KRW 25,000
  • Bindae Ddeok (Mung Bean Pancake): KRW 9,000
  • King Mandu (5 pieces): KRW 8,000
    • Mandu Jeongol
    • Small (serves 2): KRW 22,000
    • Medium (serves 3): KRW 33,000
    • Large (serves 4): KRW 44,000

During this visit, we ordered the “Large Mandu Jeongol” priced at KRW 44,000. It was quite generous and could easily serve four people. The abundance of dumplings made it feel like they kept coming endlessly as we enjoyed the dish.

After finishing the dumplings, you have the option to add noodles to create a delicious noodle soup. Once you’ve had the noodles, you’ll feel like you’ve had a truly hearty meal.

“Nokdujeon (Mung Bean Pancake): KRW 9,000”

Since we wanted to taste more than just the mandu jeongol, we added an order of nokdujeon, a mung bean pancake. It had a distinct and robust mung bean flavor.

“Spacious Interior Overall”

The interior of Hwacheon Makguksu is quite spacious, making it suitable for hosting group gatherings without any hassle. There are about four rows of long tables, allowing them to accommodate a large number of guests at once.

Since it’s a restaurant located in Gangwon Province, most visitors likely arrive by car. The parking space in front of the restaurant is ample, alleviating any worries about parking.

“Gangwon Province, Makguksu & Mandu Jeongol: Hwacheon Makguksu”

  • Address: 217 Pyeonghwa-ro, Hwacheon-eup, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon
  • Phone: 033-442-5255
  • Operating Hours: (Tue-Sun) 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Closed on Mondays
  • Website: Hwacheon Makguksu