Junggok-dong Chinese restaurant with a weekday wait: Miseong

What kind of restaurant is Jungsikdang Miseong?

Jungsikdang Miseong (중식당미성) is a Chinese restaurant in Junggok-dong, Gwangjin, Seoul, run by a chef who was head Chinese chef at the Blue House (the former presidential residence) and later at the Republic of Korea presidential office. With good ingredients and a carefully simmered broth, it serves Chinese food that tastes a little different from what you usually eat, so I wanted to introduce it to anyone looking for Chinese food in Junggok-dong~

Is there a wait on weekdays at Jungsikdang Miseong?

Yes. I went on a weekday soon after opening and there was still a wait. It had only just opened and it was a weekday, so I went in a relaxed mood, and there was a line?! Word of mouth must already be spreading. Go before it gets even more famous!

Exterior, parking and atmosphere inside

Jungsikdang Miseong stands out with its red arched exterior, and about 3 cars can park in front of the building. It uses both the 1st and 2nd floors, so it's a fairly big place!

Inside, the mood was clean and calm. The tables are spaced widely and the chairs are comfortable, so it looked like a nice place to eat without feeling rushed.

Blue House chef's uniform and presidential souvenirs on the stairs

The staircase up to the 2nd floor displays photos and souvenirs showing the chef's career. You can see a Blue House chef's uniform and presidential souvenirs, so it's fun to look around before your meal. Apparently he served three presidents. Wow, amazing..!

2nd-floor rooms: good for family gatherings and company dinners?

The 2nd floor also has room-style seating, which seems like a good fit for family gatherings or company dinners. Just the title of "a Chinese restaurant run by a Blue House chef" feels like it would win over your parents!!

Menu and how to order at Jungsikdang Miseong

The menu runs from meals like jajangmyeon (noodles in black bean sauce), jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) and fried rice to tangsuyuk (Korean sweet-and-sour pork) and a range of other Chinese dishes. You order at a kiosk, which is easy.

They say the kitchen prepares food in-house and carefully selects fresh ingredients for use that day. The attention to each dish, built on a richly simmered broth, stood out, and the dishes seem designed so they don't feel heavy. If you usually find Chinese food too seasoning-heavy, I bet you'll be curious about this lighter style~

What the two of us ordered

There were two of us, and we ordered the small aged pork loin tangsuyuk, uni jajang (jajang made with minced meat) and Miseong jjamppong. Plus handmade fried dumplings! Tangsuyuk, jajang and jjamppong are the core of a Chinese restaurant, right?!

Side dishes and the self-serve bar

The basic sides at Jungsikdang Miseong are zha cai (pickled mustard stem), danmuji (yellow pickled radish) and jasmine tea.

One side of the restaurant has a self-serve bar where you can easily grab extra sides and tableware. If you want kimchi or onions, help yourself there.

How was the small aged pork loin tangsuyuk?

The aged pork loin tangsuyuk at Jungsikdang Miseong has a crispy coating and thick-cut loin. The first dish to arrive was this small aged pork loin tangsuyuk.

Bite in and you get the texture of thick loin, with a light, clean pork flavor. Even with the sauce, the crunch of the batter holds up well, and I loved that texture.

Putting the served onion strips on top adds a sharp kick that goes nicely. The meat tastes good even without sauce, so I recommend ordering the tangsuyuk~

Is the uni jajang close to classic jajangmyeon?

The uni jajang at Jungsikdang Miseong is made with ground meat and packed with onion and meat. Chinese food in general has gone downhill, and it's hard to find a good jajangmyeon, but this was a proper, textbook jajangmyeon for the first time in a while.

It's a rarely seen uni jajang with minced meat, and the sauce and meat cling to the noodles, so it eats smoothly and softly.

How spicy is the Miseong jjamppong?

The Miseong jjamppong at Jungsikdang Miseong is defined less by strong heat than by a light but hearty broth. It's a bit different from the usual red jjamppong, with the deep flavor of a richly simmered stock anchoring it.

Meat and vegetables make the broth rich, and with the noodles it's a filling bowl! If you prefer a deep stock and clean flavor over a harsh, spicy jjamppong, I think it will suit you.

Who is Jungsikdang Miseong for?

Jungsikdang Miseong, run by a chef with experience as head Chinese chef at the Blue House and the presidential office, catches your eye for that résumé alone, but the Chinese food with care put into ingredients and broth is what stuck with me. If you're looking for Chinese food in Junggok-dong, order tangsuyuk together with a meal dish. And if you're searching for Chinese food in Gwangjin, or a family dinner spot near Gunja Station, I recommend Jungsikdang Miseong for its neat, well-made Chinese dishes!