Naengmyeon For Hot Days in the Portland Area

A bowl of *Naengmyeon*, or *Naengmyun*. Photo credit: wjlee4284 on Wikimedia Commons.

Naengmyeon, or Naengmyun, a chilled Korean noodle soup, is worth seeking out. It is cool, refreshing, savory, and full of perfectly chewy noodles.

Naengmyeon Memories

I first tasted naengmyeon when I was doing research for the Flushing section of my book, Food Lovers’ Guide to Queens. On a warm and rainy afternoon, I took the LIRR out to the Murray Hill stop on the Port Washington line and met up with my friend Sang Joon, and we headed to Kum Sung Chik Naengmyun specifically for their naengmyeon.

When we ordered, they gave us the option of arrowroot noodles along with buckwheat. Sang Joon recommended I go with the chewy arrowroot (it’s in the restaurant’s name, “chik”). I’m glad he did.

I remember wondering how tasty cold beef noodle soup could be. So I was delighted with how good it was; kind of a chilly comfort food. I had the mul-naengmyeon style, which was light, sweet, and sour. I remember really liking the bits of icy, slushy broth still in the soup, the cool beefy flavor, and the sweet pear topping. It was one of the more memorable meals during my book research.

Where To Find It in Beaverton and Hillsboro

With those memories still so sharp in my mind, I’m really glad to see that The Oregonian put together a short roundup of places where you can find naengmyeon in the area. Here’s their list:

Gangnam Korean BBQ, 2473 NW 185th Avenue, Hillsboro, 503-690-9551
JCD Korean Restaurant, 3492 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton, 503-644-7378 (about a half mile north of the Beaverton Central MAX station)
Nak Won, 4600 SW Watson Avenue, Beaverton, 503-646-9382 (about a half mile south of the Beaverton Central MAX station)
Spring restaurant, 3975 SW 114th Avenue, Beaverton, 503-641-3670 (about a half mile east of the Beaverton Transit Center)

Definitely read the article for a brief primer on naengmyeon and a little bit about these different local spots where you can find it. If there’s any time to eat it, it’s during this crazy heatwave we’re in right now.

And here’s how to make it: