Kimchi dumpling hot pot with clear broth in Goyang: Arirang

A filling lunch of beef shabu dumpling hot pot

When you're raising a baby, days out without the little one feel so rare, haha. That day my older sister, who lives in Siksa-dong, was changing her bed, so we went furniture shopping together. Luckily my mom watched the baby, so it was a rare, relaxed outing with just my sister and me!

We browsed furniture for a while and lunchtime slipped right by. Trying to decide what to eat, we headed to Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch, a Korean restaurant in Siksa-dong I go to sometimes when I'm craving dumplings. With hot broth, big handmade dumplings, and kalguksu (knife-cut noodles) to finish, it's the place I think of when I want a hearty meal.

Location and parking at Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch

• 📍 Location: 81-1 Dongguk-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi, South Korea, 1st floor
• ⏰ Hours: Daily 10:00 - 21:00
• 🚗 Parking: Parking space in front of the restaurant

We arrived around 2pm, past the lunch peak. Parking is always something I pay close attention to, and Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch has parking right in front, which made it easy to come by car. From what I could tell, there was space for about 9 cars.

There's a villa complex next to the restaurant, and the surrounding streets were fairly wide too. Being able to park right in front of the restaurant made a great first impression. When we parked in front, staff asked us to pull in close so other cars could park comfortably too. I'm the type who gets a little tired out if there's nowhere to park when I find a good restaurant, haha, so the easy parking was already a plus.

A friendly welcome from the owners right away

We opened the door and both the female and male owners greeted us really warmly. Honestly, at a restaurant the food matters, but how you're welcomed when you walk in changes the whole mood. Here it felt comfortable from the start. The dining hall was fairly spacious and clean overall.

The tables weren't cramped, and each one had a tablet for ordering, so we could look through the menu slowly and order right away. Maybe because it was a late weekday lunch, it wasn't crowded, so my sister and I could chat comfortably while eating.

With an ordering tablet at every table, we could take our time browsing the menu and order right away, which was convenient.

Menu and prices at Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu

Here are the prices for the main menu items.

• Gaeseong Son Mandu Hot Pot — ₩12,000 per person
• Gaeseong Son Mandu Hot Pot & Beef Shabu Set — ₩16,000 per person
• Gaeseong Steamed Dumplings — ₩11,000 / 6 pieces
• Gaeseong Fried Dumplings — ₩11,000 / 6 pieces
• Gaeseong Handmade Kalguksu — ₩10,000

We wanted to eat a bit more heartily that day, so we ordered the Gaeseong Son Mandu Hot Pot + Beef Shabu set for two. At ₩16,000 per person, it came to ₩32,000 total.

What's in the beef shabu dumpling hot pot set for two

When the set arrived, it was even more generous than we expected. The hot pot has 4 big dumplings plus a mix of vegetables and mushrooms. It also comes with beef for shabu-shabu, 2 steamed dumplings, and kalguksu noodles. Quite a hefty spread for two people.

You can choose meat dumplings, kimchi dumplings, or half-and-half. We went with kimchi dumplings that day. Normally I might pick half-and-half, but for some reason I was really craving kimchi dumplings that day, haha.

Clear broth by default, spicy if you want it

The hot pot comes out with clear broth at first. If you want it spicy, you can ask for chili paste (dadaegi) and wasabi and they'll bring it. We started out saying, "Let's make it spicy!" and asked for the chili paste.

But once we saw the clear broth bubbling away, we suddenly wanted something clean-tasting instead, haha. In the end we skipped the chili paste and enjoyed the clear broth as it was. The broth wasn't harsh at all — mild and clean, the kind you keep spooning up. Rich, spicy broth is great too, but sometimes this kind of clean broth just sits better.

If you're looking for a Korean restaurant in Siksa-dong to eat at with parents or kids, I think this would be a low-risk pick, since you can keep it mild with the clear broth or add chili paste to make it spicier depending on preference.

Big kimchi dumplings, packed full inside

Once the hot pot starts boiling, the dumplings are the first thing that catch your eye. They're really big here. If you're picturing a regular-sized dumpling, the size will surprise you, haha. Even one dumpling was pretty filling, and the filling was generous too, so eating handmade dumplings here was genuinely fun.

The kimchi dumplings we chose were even better after cooking thoroughly in the broth. They're good on their own, but I especially liked topping them with a bit of the spicy kimchi.

The kimchi here is spicier than you'd expect

The basic side dishes are kimchi and danmuji (pickled radish). They serve it on the table once, and after that you can get more from the self-service bar. The kimchi here is spicier than expected. I like spicy kimchi, so it was right up my alley.

A bite of mild dumpling, then a bite with spicy kimchi on top, then a spoonful of clear broth — the combo was perfect. If you find the clear broth too plain, you don't even need to add chili paste; eating it with this kimchi is enough to give it a spicy kick. It especially came in handy later with the kalguksu too.

Adding beef made it an even more filling meal

The reason we ordered the beef shabu set instead of the basic dumpling hot pot: the shabu-shabu beef that comes separately! Once the broth started boiling, we added the beef slice by slice to cook. After fishing out the vegetables and mushrooms first, adding the beef made it much heartier.

The dumpling hot pot alone is already a decent portion, and with the beef added, it was really generous for two adult women. It felt less like a light lunch and more like a "let's really eat well today" kind of meal, haha.

And of course, kalguksu to finish

We'd eaten the dumplings, the beef, and fished out all the vegetables and mushrooms, but it wasn't over yet — the kalguksu was still to come, haha. They add kalguksu noodles into the leftover broth from the hot pot and boil it up. Since the broth had absorbed all the flavor from the dumplings, vegetables, and meat, the final kalguksu was a real treat.

A chewy bite of kalguksu topped with spicy kimchi went really well together. We'd walked in hungry, but after the dumplings, beef, and kalguksu, we were both stuffed, haha.

We ended up packing the 2 leftover steamed dumplings

The set also comes with 2 steamed dumplings. We tried to eat them but... there was simply no room left, haha. We were both so full that we ended up packing the 2 steamed dumplings to take home. It seems a lot of customers end up with leftover dumplings like us, because there's a dedicated self-packing station right next to the counter.

Sometimes it feels a bit awkward to ask staff to pack up leftovers for you. Here you can pack up whatever you need yourself, which I really appreciated. Even if you order extra without realizing how generous the portions are, there's no need to worry about leftovers.

Would be nice to come with kids and parents too

My mom watched the baby that day so it was just my sister and me, but eating there made me think it would be nice to bring the kids and family next time. The default broth isn't harsh at all, and there are plenty of dishes — dumplings, vegetables, beef — that the whole family can eat comfortably. Adults can just add kimchi or chili paste to make it spicier for themselves.

The restaurant is spacious and fairly clean, and parking is easy, so it seems like a good option to keep in mind when looking for somewhere to eat out with kids or somewhere warm and Korean to take your parents.

What I liked about Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu in Siksa-dong

The women in my family love dumplings. That's why I end up going back whenever I'm craving them, and this time was no exception — we left completely full. In particular, that day I liked

• ✔ How easy parking was right in front
• ✔ Both owners being so friendly
• ✔ The spacious, clean restaurant
• ✔ Big, generously filled handmade dumplings
• ✔ The mild, clean broth
• ✔ The hearty spread from beef shabu to kalguksu

about this visit. And personally, the spicy kimchi was really my taste, haha. The beef shabu set was so generous for two people that we had to pack up the leftover steamed dumplings.

If you're craving something warm and filling for lunch, or looking for a dish to share with kids or parents, Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch, a Korean restaurant in Siksa-dong, is worth a visit. I'll probably be back myself next time I'm craving dumpling hot pot. :)