Kid-friendly Chinese spot in Unjeong, Paju: Mimi China gganjjajang

Jjajangmyeon (black bean noodles) is honestly one of those meals that's hard to mess up when eating out with kids, right? This time we headed to Mimi China in Unjeong with Chェche and Chacha!

Honestly, we first went because it was an awkward hour for dinner and we just wanted to feed the kids some jjajangmyeon, but the jjamppong turned out to be amazing.... It felt like a proper Chinese meal after a long time! And more than anything, Chェche and Chacha literally gobbled up their jjajangmyeon, so I immediately thought we had to come back with them again!

Where is Mimi China in Unjeong, Paju, and how to get there

• Address: 71-1 Cheonjeongguro, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Coming from Haesol Maeul: turn left toward the optical shop at the Garam Maeul 1-danji and 4-danji intersection heading toward Bethel Church, go straight, pass under the overpass, and Mimi China is there
• Coming from Bethel Church: turn right toward the optical shop at the Garam Maeul 1-danji and 4-danji intersection heading toward Haesol Maeul, go straight, pass under the overpass, and Mimi China is there
• Signature menu: handmade mandu, jjajangmyeon, jjamppong, tangsuyuk, and more

Who runs Mimi China? From Yongmun Gaekjan in Icheon

I thought Mimi China was just a newly opened Chinese restaurant, but it turns out it carries on the know-how of Yongmun Gaekjan, a restaurant in Icheon famous for ten years. The former owner of Yongmun Gaekjan cooks here personally, and the signature dishes are still handmade mandu (dumplings) and jjajangmyeon. Maybe that's why everything felt so solidly executed! It's a great spot in Unjeong whenever you're craving jjajangmyeon or jjamppong.

They have kids' tableware and high chairs ready to go, so it's great for families like us dining with kids, and also good for choosing whatever each family member likes — jjajangmyeon, jjamppong, or tangsuyuk.

Inside Mimi China: clean, comfortable seating for families

Walking inside, the whole place felt clean and comfortable. The tables were spaced generously, which made it easy to dine as a family, and honestly, table spacing and atmosphere matter more when you're with kids — this place let us eat without worrying about it! High chairs were also ready, which made it comfortable to visit with kids like we did.

Overall it wasn't flashy, just a clean and comfortable Chinese restaurant vibe, which I loved — perfect for a family to drop by for a bowl of jjajangmyeon or jjamppong at mealtime. And Mimi China is known for its handmade mandu, so I really wanted to try it. But since we arrived a bit late, the handmade gunmandu (fried dumplings) was already sold out... They make them by hand, so once the day's batch runs out, that's it.

That was genuinely disappointing, so we decided to come a bit earlier next time to make sure we try it! Spoons and chopsticks come individually wrapped for hygiene, and if you need extra side dishes, scissors, or tongs, you just grab them from the self-serve bar 🤍

Gganjjajang, jjamppong and tangsuyuk at Mimi China: all winners

What we ordered that day was gganjjajang, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk! As each dish came out one by one, it already looked so good just from the visuals.....

Chinese food is happiest when you spread out a bunch of dishes and share them together, I think. First, we ordered the gganjjajang for Chェche and Chacha, and they really ate so well haha

Kids just won't eat something no matter how much you tell them to, if it's not tasty, right....? But that day they ate the jjajangmyeon so well that even we were surprised haha

The black bean sauce was savory yet rich, and it went so well with the noodles that I found it delicious too when I tried it. Mimi China's black bean sauce is stir-fried using meat juices and vegetable extracts, which I think is why the sauce has such a different depth of flavor... There's a subtle sweetness that comes through too, so it's not greasy at all — I loved that!

Mimi China's seafood jjamppong: worth a whole bowl to myself

For me, the jjamppong broth was incredibly delicious. You could really feel the refreshing seafood-based flavor come through — it wasn't just spicy, but deep and rich with a clean finish that kept pulling my spoon back.

A bite of jjajangmyeon, then a bite of tangsuyuk.... but I kept coming back to the jjamppong broth in the end. Mimi China describes its jjamppong as using broth simmered for a long time,

and when I actually tried it, I understood why the broth was so rich. There was, of course, a variety of seafood, and even bean sprouts were included, making the contents even heartier and cleaner-tasting!

Thick-cut Korean pork loin tangsuyuk at Mimi China

And the tangsuyuk looked a bit different from what I usually eat, just from the visuals.

Thin batter on the outside, really thick pork tenderloin meat on the inside! When you bite in, it's not all batter — you actually chew into real meat, and there was almost no pork smell at all, just soft and delicious.

Especially since the meat was thick but not chewy, Chェche and Chacha ate it up well too haha

The kids devoured the gganjjajang, the tangsuyuk was great for the whole family to share, and I was completely won over by the jjamppong broth lol — all three dishes we ordered that day were a total success! Next time, the handmade gunmandu for sure!

Eating at Mimi China with two kids: the verdict

Honestly, when I go to a Chinese restaurant with kids, I usually think it's a win if there's just one dish the kids like and one dish the adults like. But this day was different haha Chェche and Chacha ate everything from the jjajangmyeon to the tangsuyuk so well, and we also enjoyed the gganjjajang, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk without a single miss. Especially me — I still think about that refreshing jjamppong broth.

The one thing I was disappointed about that day was not getting to try the handmade gunmandu........ It's one of Mimi China's signature dishes, but it was sold out, so I guess that just means I have to go back. Next time, I'll visit a bit earlier to make sure I try the gunmandu too. Between the jjajangmyeon the kids loved, the thick tenderloin tangsuyuk, and the refreshing jjamppong broth, Unjeong's Mimi China was satisfying all around — our family is definitely going back 🤍

Mimi China Q&A

Q. Are there dishes kids would enjoy?

Our Chェche and Chacha really ate the jjajangmyeon and tangsuyuk well haha The tangsuyuk meat was especially soft, which made it easy for the kids to eat.

Q. What was the tastiest dish at Mimi China?

Personally, the jjamppong for me! The seafood-based broth was refreshing with great umami, so I kept reaching for it.

Q. Can you always order the handmade gunmandu?

When we visited a bit late, it was already sold out ㅠㅠ It's a popular dish, so if you want to make sure you get the gunmandu too, it's best to arrive a little earlier.

Q. Would you go back?

Yes lol I'm curious about the handmade gunmandu we missed this time, and I want to have the jjamppong again, so I'm planning to visit a bit earlier next time!