Samcheong-dong Sujebi 삼청동수제비

Torn by hand and served in a small crock, the sujebi (hand-pulled dough soup) has pieces of every thickness, some soft and slack, some chewy, all in one bowl. Overall it leans soft rather than springy, so anyone expecting a bouncy dough may find it limp. The anchovy broth with clams, zucchini and potato is slightly thick and mildly seasoned, with a trace of perilla at the end. Mealtimes bring a queue outside, but bowls come out quickly from a big pot, and ordering stops early when ingredients run out. Inside, photos are limited to your own food. A small lot sits across the street, though walking over from the Samcheong-dong lanes or Gyeongbokgung is easier. The shop has stood at the entrance to Samcheong-dong since 1982, and a thick gamja-jeon (potato pancake) or seafood scallion pancake pairs well with the soup and its two kinds of kimchi.