Mul-naengmyeon

Chewy buckwheat noodles in an icy, tangy broth — Korea's signature cold noodle dish for summer heat.

Mul-naengmyeon ('water cold noodles') is how Koreans beat the summer: thin, chewy buckwheat noodles served in a chilled, slightly tart beef-and-radish broth, sometimes with shards of ice floating on top. It traces back to the northern regions of the Korean peninsula, and Pyongyang-style versions are revered for their restrained, clean broth. It's the traditional finish to a Korean BBQ meal, eaten to cleanse the palate after grilled meat. The bowl comes garnished with cucumber, half a boiled egg, and a slice of pear, and you season it yourself with vinegar and mustard oil at the table. The noodles are famously long and resilient, so scissors are offered to cut them.