Gwangju Chinese restaurant dinner, ₩3,000 fried dumplings: Mayway

Today I visited Mayway, a Chinese restaurant in Cheomdan, perfect for when you want jjajang, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk all at once haha

They have a solo set here where you can try jjajang + jjamppong + tangsuyuk all together, which was perfect for someone like me who wants to try multiple menu items 👀 I ordered the solo set along with fried dumplings and grapefruit cream shrimp so I could taste a variety. If you've been looking for a good jjamppong spot in Ssangam-dong or Cheomdan, Gwangju, let me walk you through the atmosphere, the menu lineup, and how everything actually tasted!

Where is Mayway in Cheomdan, and what are the hours and parking?

Mayway is located at 6 Cheomdangangbyeon-ro 87beon-gil, Unit 102, Gwangsan-gu, Gwangju, and operates daily from 11:00-22:00 with a break time of 15:00-17:00 and last order at 21:30. There's no parking, but up to 20 people can be accommodated for groups, and there are also solo seats.

Since it's open every day and has everything from solo seats to group tables, it works whether you're dining alone or with several people. There's no dedicated parking lot though, so if you're driving, I'd recommend checking for nearby parking beforehand!

Mayway's storefront and interior

The restaurant was easy to spot even from a distance! It had a clean overall exterior with full glass windows, so you could see the interior atmosphere from outside. When I visited there was still a grand opening notice up, since it's a new Cheomdan Chinese restaurant that opened on July 15, so everything looked fresh. I visited in the evening, and once the lights came on the exterior stood out even more haha

Walking inside, it was a Chinese restaurant neatly decorated in wood tones :) The tables weren't too close together and the space felt fairly spacious, making it comfortable to eat. There were several tables good for 2-4 people, and you could push tables together for larger groups too, so it seemed fine for group gatherings or family meals in Cheomdan! One side had partitioned spaces, which let you eat a bit more comfortably.

What's at Mayway's self-serve bar?

Mayway's self-serve bar has basic side dishes like pickled radish, onion, and kimchi, along with small plates, bowls, and even a rice cooker. Since you help yourself to as much as you need, it's convenient to refill when side dishes run low.

There was a separate self-serve bar on one side. You could help yourself to as much pickled radish, onion, and kimchi as needed, and there were plenty of small plates and bowls available too.

There was also a rice cooker at the self-serve bar, so it seemed like you could get extra rice if you ran out. I didn't actually refill it myself, so it's worth checking this in person. The whole self-serve bar was tidy, and the side dishes were kept covered or refrigerated, which gave the impression they cared about hygiene and upkeep.

Is Mayway a good place to eat with a baby?

Personally, what I liked was that they had separate baby dishes prepared! From small forks that are easy for kids to use to cute little spatulas, families visiting with children could use them comfortably haha. There was even a baby chair, so it seemed like a good option for anyone looking for a Chinese restaurant for family meals in Cheomdan.

And they play baseball games on a big TV screen too, which is always a plus while eating◡̈

After sitting down, I brought over as many basic side dishes as I needed from the self-serve bar. It was nice being able to easily get more if they ran short. And they gave us fried sweet potato on the house! It was served while we waited for our order, and it came out golden and crispy, easy to pick up piece by piece haha. It was a great light appetizer before Chinese food.

QR ordering at the table and what we ordered for dinner

We could order this way. It was convenient not having to call a staff member over, and I liked being able to check the order details right away haha. We ordered fried dumplings, the jjajang + jjamppong + tangsuyuk set, and grapefruit cream shrimp through the QR code, and payment was made at the counter on the way out.

Once everything we ordered arrived, the table was packed full. We ordered two solo sets of jjajang + jjamppong + tangsuyuk, a half order of grapefruit cream shrimp, and fried dumplings. The solo set was a great combination when you want to try multiple dishes, since it lets you taste jjajang, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk all at once. Adding the grapefruit cream shrimp and fried dumplings on top made for a pretty generous spread for two lol

How does Mayway's jjajang, jjamppong and tangsuyuk solo set taste?

Mayway's solo set comes with jjajang noodles (black bean noodles), jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup), and tangsuyuk (sweet and sour pork) each portioned separately in one bowl. We ordered two solo sets and each had one.

The solo set came out like this, with jjajang, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk each divided into their own sections in one bowl. I liked that instead of just having one dish, you could try three signature Chinese menu items at once. Especially when you're torn between jjajang and jjamppong, this way you don't have to pick just one lol

The jjamppong had a red broth with onions and various toppings, and the noodles were generously portioned too. Even as part of a set with jjajang, the jjamppong didn't feel skimpy at all, and it was nice to sip the broth between bites of jjajang.

The jjajang sauce had big chunks of onion and other ingredients, and the sauce itself suited my taste well. Personally the noodles were a bit disappointing, but the jjajang sauce was good enough that I wanted to mix it with rice. This was a jjajang where the sauce stood out more than the noodles! It was also nice to sprinkle on some of the chili powder from the table to taste.

The tangsuyuk felt a little different from the tangsuyuk I usually have at other Chinese restaurants. It was fried into thick, bite-sized pieces, and cutting into one showed the meat inside was quite thick. If you're used to a different style of tangsuyuk this might feel a bit different, but the thick meat gave it a satisfying chew.

Half grapefruit cream shrimp and five fried dumplings for 3,000 won

The grapefruit cream shrimp caught the eye right away with all that pink sauce piled on top 🍤 Plump shrimp were fried crispy and generously coated with a sweet and tangy cream sauce. Sliced almonds on top added a nutty flavor and extra texture too. Rather than having a strong distinct grapefruit flavor, it was more like enjoying whole fried shrimp in a sweet and tangy style, which made it an easy dish to add on.

We also added 5 fried dumplings as a side. They came out golden and fried, closer in look to crispy fried dumplings than the usual pan-fried ones. The outside looked crispy, and cutting one in half showed the filling packed with meat and vegetables. Especially at ₩3,000 for 5, it was a side you could add on without much guilt while eating jjajang or jjamppong.

Paying at Mayway and final verdict

After finishing the meal, you pay at the counter. Ordering by QR code at the table and paying all at once on the way out made things simple. There were also phone charging cables prepared near the counter, handy to use during the meal if needed, and Naver Pay was accepted too!

Overall, the menu lineup was varied, making it a good spot to enjoy several Chinese dishes at once, from jjajang, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk to grapefruit cream shrimp. In particular, having the solo set was great for when you can't decide between jjajang and jjamppong alone. Adding side dishes like fried dumplings made for a generous spread :) Ordering conveniently by QR at the table and the self-serve bar made the place easy to use, so it was a good spot for family meals or when visiting with several people who want to try a variety of dishes ㆅ