Jonggak Station dumpling hot pot with tofu kimchi mandu: Jongga Mandu

Today I'm telling you about my visit to Jongga Mandu (종가만두), a dumpling hot pot specialist and a great find near Jonggak Station. I really love handmade dumplings! Jongga Mandu is known for its handmade dumpling hot pot, so I went in with high expectations, and it did not disappoint. It's a real Jongno 3-ga dumpling hot pot favorite! Let me introduce its charms right now~

What are the atmosphere and the wait like at Jongga Mandu?

Even the outside of Jongga Mandu is neat and has a strong dumpling hot pot restaurant feel, so I was excited before even going in~ There were also chairs set out for people waiting.

When we went in at dinnertime, nearly every table was full. It seems to be much loved as a Jonggak Station restaurant~ Inside it was bright and filled with the cheerful chatter of customers, so we soaked up a lot of good energy there!

Jongga Mandu menu and how to use the self-serve bar

The menu runs from dumpling hot pot to various kalguksu (knife-cut noodle soup) and handmade dumplings, just what you'd expect from a dumpling hot pot restaurant. This time we tried the half-and-half broth hot pot!

The self-serve bar had kimchi, danmuji (pickled yellow radish) and small plates, all neatly arranged, which I noticed right away. Drinks are self-serve too: just grab what you want and pay when you leave.

What comes with the half-and-half broth hot pot?

The half-and-half hot pot at Jongga Mandu comes with handmade dumplings, beef, vegetables and noodles. It arrived not long after we ordered, and the ingredients were really varied.

You could tell at a glance that the dumplings were made with care, and the beef and vegetables looked fresh. It was a generous spread.

Clear or spicy broth? Can't decide? Go half and half

I was torn between the clear broth and the spicy broth, then thought, since we're here, let's enjoy both, so we ordered the half-and-half. The plus is that you get both the spicy kick and the mild, clean broth.

The handmade dumplings were four kimchi and four meat, plenty for two people! They went in as soon as the broth boiled and were cooked through for us.

The fresh vegetables I showed you earlier get simmered bubbling away too, so the flavor goes deep. Doesn't it already look delicious?

How was the beef in the clear and spicy broths?

Once the vegetables were cooked, the beef went in all at once. You could feel the quality from its fresh color.

Properly cooked, the beef was so tender and not tough at all, really delicious. In the clear broth, the mildness of the beef came through too! In the spicy broth, I got spicy beef, which was nice. I really thought ordering the half-and-half, two flavors at once, was a great decision, haha.

How do the kimchi mandu and meat mandu taste?

We can't skip the stars of the hot pot, the dumplings! Being handmade, they made me even more excited.

Kimchi mandu first~ They were packed with tasty kimchi and meat filling. There was a lot of tofu in particular, so they were soft and mild, which I liked~ Not harsh and not too spicy, just a moderate heat and a texture that suited me!

Next, the meat mandu. See how the filling is full of meat? One bite and the meat aroma fills your mouth. No gamey smell and not greasy, just a really clean taste~ These are handmade dumplings that anyone who likes mandu will surely be happy with.

How are the amount and texture of the noodles?

The noodles that came with the hot pot swell as they boil, so the amount gets huge, and the texture was soft like sujebi (hand-torn dough soup). At first the portion looked like the two of us could easily finish it, but as it boiled it kept expanding until it was enormous.

It's a hot pot that keeps you full to the very end, and we left stuffed! The noodles were so soft with a sujebi-like texture, I wondered if they're made in-house, and they were exactly my taste. From dumplings to vegetables, beef and noodles, we got to enjoy a truly satisfying full hot pot course!

If you're looking for a really good handmade dumpling hot pot near Jongno 3-ga or Jonggak Station, I definitely recommend dropping by Jongga Mandu. You'll surely fall for the charm of handmade dumplings and dumpling hot pot!