Paju Munbal-dong dumpling date: hot pot, camping kit – Bubyeokjeong

On a date with my partner not long ago, we were craving something hot and brothy, so we headed to Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu (부벽정평양만두), a mandu hot pot spot in Paju.

Where is Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu in Paju, and is there parking?

Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu sits on the ground floor along the main road in Munbal-dong, Paju, where the big cafés cluster.

Great location, a big parking lot and a modern exterior: a Paju mandu hot pot place that has it all.

What is the dining room like at Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu?

The interior is clean white with wooden tables and chairs standing out in contrast.

Partitions divide the space so it never felt stuffy, and the tables are spaced widely, which made for a comfortable, pleasant mood.

You can even see the mandu-making space through a clear window, which shows how seriously they take their dumplings.

What is on the menu at Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu?

The menu centers on hot pot (jeongol), mandu soup, jjabagi (a thick stew) and makguksu (buckwheat noodles), with plenty of sides like mung bean pancake and braised beef shank slices (suyuk). It serves the classics of North Korean food, dumplings and noodles. Here is what we picked this time:

• Pyeongyang mandu hot pot (for 2)
• Pyeongyang bibim makguksu
• Mung bean pancake (nokdu bindaetteok)

The table was neatly set with tableware and sauces, which was handy.

Basic side dishes to go with the meal were white kimchi, napa cabbage kimchi and white pickled radish.

If you run out, you can refill at the self-service corner.

Pyeongyang mandu hot pot (14,000 won per person)

Next, the broth for the Pyeongyang mandu hot pot for 2 was set on the induction burner. The broth is made with 1++ grade Korean beef, and you can choose mild or spicy. It is ₩14,000 per person.

The vegetables included bean sprouts, napa cabbage, shiitake, bok choy, perilla leaves, wood ear mushrooms, white wood ear mushrooms, braised beef shank and enoki mushrooms.

A plate also came with 8 Pyeongyang handmade mandu and coils of noodles. We added the vegetables, beef shank and mandu to taste, turned up the heat and got the hot pot going.

Pyeongyang bibim makguksu, spicy buckwheat noodles (12,000 won)

Meanwhile, a bowl of Pyeongyang bibim makguksu arrived, ₩12,000 per bowl. The neatly coiled noodles were drizzled with fragrant sesame oil and topped with seasoning sauce, pickled radish, beef shank and a boiled egg.

Mung bean pancake (10,000 won)

The mung bean pancake looked wonderfully crisp, and one pancake is ₩10,000.

How was the food at Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu?

In the bibim makguksu, the faint aroma of buckwheat came first, and the noodles had a nice springy bite. The sweetness doesn't stick out, so the nutty sesame oil and the spiciness blend cleanly. It suited my taste well.

The mung bean pancake had crisp edges, and the more I chewed, the more the rich nuttiness of mung beans came through. The inside was moist and not very oily, so

it never felt greasy. With their house-made special seasoned soy dip, the flavor tasted deep and rich.

The hanwoo broth and handmade mandu in the hot pot

Once the hot pot came to a boil, the sweetness of the vegetables surged and the broth felt a step deeper.

The broth was built on a clean, savory flavor. It was mild and gentle rather than harsh, and the more I ate, the more comfortable my stomach felt.

The Pyeongyang handmade mandu have thin skins with a pleasantly chewy texture. The filling of tofu, minced meat and vegetables was moist and not heavily salted, so the nuttiness of the ingredients stood out clearly and I never got tired of it.

The bean sprouts and bok choy were crunchy and the mushrooms were fragrant. The beef shank pulled apart in tender strands and still tasted of beef.

Cooking the noodles with a 5-minute hourglass

The next step was the noodles. We boiled them using the 5-minute hourglass on the table, and going just a little past 5 minutes gave us perfectly cooked noodles.

The moderately thick noodles were springy, and the texture was fantastic.

Topping them with napa cabbage kimchi was refreshing and cleaned up my whole mouth, a great way to finish.

Takeout kits and the dessert corner at Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu

After the meal we headed to the takeout and dessert corner. (Takeout is a kit type with no waiting, so it's super easy. I highly recommend picking one up on your way to go camping!)

The dessert corner offers nostalgic snacks and misutgaru (a roasted grain drink), among other things. It is kept very hygienic and tidy, and I wrapped up the meal with a sweet, cold glass of misutgaru.

It serves neat, solid food, so if you are looking for a good mandu hot pot in Paju, I recommend Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu.

Who should try Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu in Paju?

• Anyone curious about North Korean-style mandu hot pot with a clear broth
• Anyone looking for a place to eat with kids or older family members
• Anyone who wants a clean, spacious restaurant
• Anyone looking for a mandu shop that also does takeout