Paju dumpling spot, first Pyeongyang mandu before cafés: Bubyeokjeong

Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu: location and opening hours

Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu (부벽정평양만두) is at 129 Jimok-ro, Ra-dong 1st floor, Paju, Gyeonggi. It is open 11:00–21:00. The weekday break time is 14:30–17:00, and there is no break time on weekends.

I had never had Pyeongyang mandu (Pyeongyang-style dumplings) before, and I was curious about the taste, so I went. Why did it take me so long? How did I not know about this dumpling place? Anyway, here's my post on Bubyeokjeong, a dumpling spot in Unjeong, Paju.

Is parking easy at Bubyeokjeong?

There's a big parking lot plus a second lot, so parking was no worry. Just search it on your navigation and it shows right up. Our group came at 5pm on a weekday evening, right when the break time ends.

A handy stop before the big Paju cafés

Lots of big Paju cafés are clustered around Bubyeokjeong. I came while doing a café tour, and it was easy to find. Before heading to those cafés, a bowl of gentle, tasty Pyeongyang mandu would be a good idea. Shall we go in?

Bubyeokjeong atmosphere and dessert corner

Step inside and, unlike how it looks from outside, it feels comfortable, spacious and a little upscale.

The dessert corner for guests caught my eye right away.

There are nostalgic old-fashioned snacks and cold misutgaru (roasted grain drink), and after your meal you can help yourself in a paper cup. It felt homey even before we'd eaten.

For a second I mistook it for one of the big Paju cafés! We came for dumplings and mung bean pancake, and this atmosphere? Wow.

Baby chairs, aprons and the self-service bar

There are baby chairs for people eating with little ones, and neat aprons too. There's also a separate self-service bar, and I loved how tidy it looked.

How do you order at Bubyeokjeong?

You sit at a table and order on the kiosk. The signature dish is the mandu jeongol (dumpling hot pot), but today I came for dumplings, mung bean pancake and makguksu, so I saved the hot pot for next time.

After ordering, there's also a guide to eating Bubyeokjeong's food even more deliciously,

made into a booklet and placed on every table. I read it while waiting for the food.

The basic side dishes came out first. Now let me introduce Bubyeokjeong's signature dishes.

Pyeongyang bibim makguksu, ₩12,000: how is the 100% buckwheat noodle?

The Pyeongyang bibim makguksu (spicy mixed buckwheat noodles) is ₩12,000.

It has a handmade seasoning sauce and pure 100% buckwheat noodles, with the buckwheat aroma blending in. It was really good. The 100% buckwheat noodles were exactly to my taste.

Half-plate beef shank suyuk ₩17,000 and Pyeongyang water makguksu ₩12,000

The half plate of aronsatae suyuk (boiled beef shank) is ₩17,000: tender beef shank paired with fragrant chives.

The Pyeongyang water makguksu (buckwheat noodles in cold broth) is ₩12,000. It has a deep broth simmered from Korean beef, pure 100% buckwheat noodles, and that buckwheat aroma on top.

The cool broth, like that of Pyeongyang naengmyeon (cold noodles), went well with the noodles.

Pyeongyang mandu plate ₩8,000: my first Pyeongyang dumplings

The Pyeongyang mandu plate is ₩8,000.

If you're curious what mild, plain dumplings taste like, definitely try them.

I liked this flavor so much that I decided to get some to take home.

Overall impressions and takeout

The signature water makguksu, bibim makguksu, beef shank suyuk, and the Pyeongyang mandu on top: nothing let me down, everything was delicious. After the meal, I took my one cup each of snacks and cold misutgaru from the dessert corner and headed home.

After paying, be sure to register your parking.

The Pyeongyang mandu was so good that I wanted my family at home to try it too, so I got some to take away.