VISIT JEJU

When traveling, some people only visit local restaurants that have become famous through word of mouth from locals. 

Jeju has many specialties, including black pork and bomal, or top shell, is one of them.

Located in Yeon-dong, Jeju, Shinjeju Bomal Kalguksu makes kalguksu, or noodle soup, using fresh top shells harvested by Jeju haenyeos (women divers). 

So, the dishes are very fresh and hearty. 

Unlike other bomal kalguksu restaurants, they grind a lot of bomal to make the soup rich and flavorful. 

They also make their own noodles every day, using a mixture of seaweed and green laver. 

The side dishes, such as kimchi, are also exquisite, and you'll find yourself asking for more.

It opens at 8 a.m. and serves a hearty breakfast. 

It is also a great place for tourists arriving in Jeju early in the morning. 

It closes at 3 p.m., not available for dinner, but still busy for breakfast and lunch.

The menu includes bomal kalguksu, a rich noodle soup simmered with ground bomal and topped with rich perilla powder. 

Bomalguk, or soup comes with a side of braised and smoked black pork slices. 

Both are available in extra-large portions. 

The carefully prepared menu of chewy bomal is appealing whether you've eaten it many times or not.

Don't miss the black pork dumplings, which are carefully prepared in limited quantities every day. 

For the texture of the dumplings, they prepare the stuffings by mincing vegetables and black pork, and the dumpling wrappers are made by hand from dough enriched with ground seaweed and green laver. 

The result is succulent and savory meat dumplings. 

Braised and smoked black pork is prepared by cooking the meat for a long time and smoking it in a specially designed clay pot to give it a savory flavor. 

You can watch them make the noodles and the dumplings by hand, so you won't get bored waiting for your meal.

You might drop in for a quick bite, but the food was so hearty and comforting you might feel like you were eating at home.