Chinese lunch in Apgujeong Rodeo: half Peking duck at Mirim Yangjang

A friend once brought me to Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong knowing I love Peking duck, so this time I went back to treat them instead. This is the story of a generous Apgujeong Chinese meal with half a Peking duck, fish-fragrant eggplant, and stir-fried water spinach.

Why we came back to Mirim Yangjang in Apgujeong Rodeo

I'm the type who gets drawn to any Chinese restaurant that serves Peking duck. A couple of months back, my friend knew I loved it and took me to Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong for a delicious meal. It was good enough that I remembered it fondly, so this time I went back to return the favor and treat my friend.

Walking in along a red carpet, there's a large sign reading 美林洋裝 (Mirim Yangjang) at the entrance, with Chinese-character patterns covering the walls and a standing PEKING DUCK sign — the atmosphere was clearly different from a typical Chinese restaurant. There's a fun story behind the name Mirim Yangjang: the original Busan location was once a women's tailoring shop (yangjangjeom), and the restaurant kept that old business name.

A basement dining room styled like a Hong Kong film

Inside Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong, deep wood tones paired with red accents gave off the mood of an old Hong Kong movie. Red velvet sofas and geometric ceiling lighting added to the effect, making it a good fit for an Apgujeong date spot too.

What I liked most was that it opens at noon for lunch, so you can get Peking duck even during the day. I usually picture Peking duck as something you need a group to order a whole bird for, but here you can order just a half, which made it much less of a commitment for two people.

Besides regular tables, there's also a room with round tables that seats several people. The mood isn't overly casual, so it seemed like a good option for group meals or work dinners around Apgujeong or Dosan Park too.

What two people ordered at Mirim Yangjang, and what it cost

The basic banchan (side dishes) were peanuts and tangy pickled onions. At the table, you check the menu and order via a QR code.

• Half Peking duck — ₩39,000
• Fish-fragrant eggplant stir-fry — ₩16,000
• Stir-fried water spinach (kongxincai) — ₩11,000

Half Peking duck: crisp skin wrapped in thin pancakes

Even as a half order, Mirim Yangjang's Peking duck came out generously piled with duck meat and skin on a wide plate.

The glossy brown skin caught my eye first, and picking up a thin piece confirmed it was properly crisp. Eating the skin is honestly my favorite part of Peking duck.

It's good on its own, but dipping it lightly into the sweet, rich sauce brought out the savory duck flavor and sweet-salty balance even more.

You place the duck meat and crispy skin on a pancake with julienned scallion, cucumber, and sauce, then wrap it up. Soft duck meat, crisp skin, and the refreshing crunch of cucumber and scallion made for a combination I kept reaching for.

Fish-fragrant eggplant stir-fry, 16,000 won

Among the other dishes we ordered, the fish-fragrant eggplant (yuxiang qiezi) had quite a presence too. Thick-cut eggplant pieces filled a hot stone bowl with a generous pool of sauce underneath, so it looked rich just from the presentation.

Lifting a piece with chopsticks brought up a glossy coating of sauce — a dish that anyone who likes bold yuxiang sauce would enjoy.

Stir-fried water spinach, 11,000 won

Hard to skip kongxincai (water spinach) stir-fry when you're out for Chinese food. It arrived heaped on a large plate, the stems still holding their shape without going too limp.

You get the crunch of the stems alongside the softer leaves, seasoned with a salty, fragrant sauce that kept me picking at it. Ordering a vegetable dish alongside rich flavors like the Peking duck and yuxiang eggplant made the whole spread work much better together.

Ending the meal with Hong Kong-style stir-fried egg noodles

The Hong Kong-style egg noodle stir-fry was provided through a receipt review event. Thin egg noodles stir-fried with bean sprouts, onion, and bok choy, and the portion was more generous than expected.

The sauce coated the noodles evenly, with the crunch of bean sprouts popping up throughout, making it easy to finish. After the duck and everything else, I was missing some carbs — the noodles at the end really rounded out the meal.

Is Mirim Yangjang a good lunch spot for two?

A couple of months ago, my friend bought me Peking duck; this time it was my turn to treat them to lunch. What I loved most was being able to order half a Peking duck without it feeling like too much for two people, plus having plenty of good Chinese side dishes like the eggplant and water spinach to round things out.

If you're craving Peking duck around Apgujeong Rodeo, or looking for something a little different from the usual Chinese food near Dosan Park, Mirim Yangjang Apgujeong is worth a stop.