Delicious Korean Noodle Soup @ Express Bus Terminal: Veteran (베테랑)

As winter sets in, I find myself craving warm soupy foods more often than not. I’d have to say 칼국수 (kalguksu) has always been one of my favorite go-tos to satisfy this craving. Kalguksu, which translates to “knife noodles,” is a Korean noodle dish made with knife-cut noodles and served in a hot broth. As far as additional ingredients are concerned, pretty much anything goes! I’ve had it prepared so many different ways, from seafood to chicken (similar to western style chicken noodle soup). Traditionally it’s considered a summer dish, but how could you resist a hold bowl of noodle soup on a cold winter’s day?!?

A while back I had heard of 베테랑 (Veteran) through the grapevine, a kalguksu restaurant located in 고속터미널 (Express Bus Terminal). It came highly recommend, so I finally got around to checking it out. With only 3 items on the menu, I immediately knew this place had promise. Of course, I ordered the kalguksu which was served minutes. What I got was a beautiful color palette of food. Each bowl comes with a generous helping of soft chewy noodles served in an eggy broth, similar to egg drop soup. It is topped with 김 (dried seaweed), 고추가루 (hot pepper flakes) and 들깨가루 (perilla seed powder).

Mixed all together, you get a savory bowl of noodle soup bursting with flavor. I’ve had a lot of different kinds of kalguksu, but never one quite this flavorful. I particularly enjoyed the eggy broth, it definitely makes the dish a bit heavier and more filling. To be honest it’s a good amount for ₩7,000 and it’s hard for me to finish a bowl by myself. Personally I like to order a bowl of kalguksu and an order of 만두 (steamed dumplings) to share with someone.

The dumplings are pretty good (10 pieces for ₩6,000), though nothing particularly special. They’re pretty basic, but the last time I ordered them the edges were a bit on the sharp side. It also gets packed around lunch time, but the service is fast so the wait isn’t usually very long. Other than that, the food is great and definitely worth a try! So if you’re looking for something to warm you up this winter, Veteran has exactly what you need.