Hot days in Annandale: A good time for icy, spicy noodles

By James Moon

The dog days of summer are on us and that means one thing in Annandale’s Koreatown: It’s time for something spicy yet refreshing. That’s where a bowl of noodles called naengmyeon (“neng myun”) comes in.

Naengmyeon (literally “cold noodles”) are buckwheat noodles served icy and spicy. The main variety, called mul naengmyeon (“mool neng myun”), is served in a chilled broth with cucumber, pear, strips of beef, and half a hardboiled egg. The other main variety, called bibim naengmyeon, puts the same ingredients in a vinegared chili sauce; think of it as bibimbap’s noodle cousin.

Mul naengmyeon, eaten with mustard and vinegar, has a spiciness akin to wasabi, whereas bibim naengmyeon gets its kick from a fermented hot chili pepper paste. (Diners with low spice tolerance should stick to the mul variety without mustard.)

Naengmyeon is available in many of Annandale’s traditional Korean restaurants, but a good place to try it is Sorak Garden, at 4308 Backlick Road, a longtime local favorite for cold noodles. Another good place to sample the dish is Han Gang, at 7243 Little River Turnpike.