Yukdaejang

As huge fans of one of Yukdaejang’s relatively few dishes, we have become equally huge fans of Yukdaejang itself. Having established its U.S. presence in what was once a pretty boring Irvine plaza, the South Korean chain has expanded to seven restaurants in this country, with an eighth (and second Orange County) location planned for Buena Park. Compared with a growing number of local Korean competitors, Yukdaejang is focused on doing only a few things, but does them extremely well at reasonable prices.

The dish that keeps us coming back is cold, chewy Korean buckwheat noodles known as naengmyun, served with angus-grade brisket, a hard boiled egg, matchstick pear slices, and either a cold soup broth or a red pepper gochujang paste. If you like spicy, go with the latter – bibim naengmyun – otherwise try the mild broth, and prepare to have your mind blown by the combination of icy savory, sweet, and salty flavors. Adding smoky, peppery spice with the bibim version only improves the complexity, resulting in the rare cold noodle dish that feels like a full meal without any additions. It’s even great without the included egg.

Yukdaejang also excels as Korean Bo Ssam (pork belly wraps) – thick slices of actually delicious boiled pork served with vegetables and garlic, then hand-wrapped with cabbage for dipping in bean- or soy-based sauces. We also really enjoy their housemade mandu dumplings, which are large, packed with pork, and just thick and soft enough to easily bite through.