Jongno 3-ga dumpling hot pot after a Seochon ginkgo walk: Jongga Mandu

What is the half-and-half broth dumpling hot pot at Jongga Mandu?

The half-and-half broth dumpling hot pot at Jongga Mandu (종가만두) lets you eat clear-broth meat dumplings and spicy-broth kimchi dumplings in one pot. It has suddenly gotten so cold lately that after being outside, the first thing I think of when it's time to eat is hot broth.

I went to see the ginkgo trees in Seochon, then had dumpling hot pot (mandu jeongol) at Jongga Mandu in Jongno 3-ga. Maru-ssi loves meat dumplings in clear broth, and I love spicy broth with zingy kimchi dumplings, so a half-and-half menu that covers both was perfect, and I was personally really satisfied. The place was already packed right when it opened, with a waiting list too, so its word of mouth is clearly huge...!!

• Mild meat dumplings in clear broth, and spicy, zingy kimchi dumplings
• A half-and-half dumpling hot pot where you alternate between the two broths, then finish with zingy kalguksu (knife-cut noodles)

Getting to Jongga Mandu and the wait

Jongga Mandu is a 4-minute walk from Jongno 3-ga Station Exit 15. It's on the ground floor, so you don't need to go into a building and hunt for the floor. Just look for the Jongga Mandu sign and walk in! Near the entrance there are chairs to sit on while you wait, and a spot to write your name on the waiting list.

What caught my eye here, close to the entrance, was

a spot where they fold the dumplings

You come for dumpling hot pot and the first thing you see is the dumpling-making station, so I was looking forward to the dumplings before I even sat down ♡

Inside Jongga Mandu and the side dish self-serve bar

From outside, Jongga Mandu looked small, but inside there are lots of tables stretching all the way back. At the back there's also a side dish self-serve bar. If you need more kimchi or pickled radish while eating, you can grab it yourself, and it went nicely with the kalguksu!

Jongga Mandu menu

The hot pots at Jongga Mandu are the clear dumpling hot pot, the spicy dumpling hot pot, and the half-and-half broth dumpling hot pot that lets you have both. We picked half-and-half without a second thought!

Besides the hot pots, there are boiled mandu and fried mandu, and one item that caught my eye was the smashed bibim kalguksu (mixed noodles with mashed dumplings). Noodles where you mash the dumplings and mix them in? I was curious how that would taste different from the hot pot.

The first side dishes are set out for you, and you know, if the kimchi is good, it's a great restaurant, right...? Maru-ssi and I got a kimchi refill that day haha

Half-and-half dumpling hot pot: how do the clear broth and meat dumplings taste?

The half-and-half dumpling hot pot at Jongga Mandu comes in a pot divided in the middle, with clear broth on one side and red spicy broth on the other, which gave me a hot pot (huoguo) kind of vibe, you know what I mean ★ You get handmade dumplings, shabu-style meat, vegetables and mushrooms, plus kalguksu noodles, so the table was already quite full before it started boiling.

I tried the clear side first. The first taste is milder than I expected, but a savory umami and a quiet depth linger in your mouth! As the vegetables and mushrooms cook, a little sweetness builds, so the longer it simmers, the richer it gets.

When you split a meat dumpling in half, it's packed full, and you can feel vegetables among the meat, so it wasn't dry. The mild charm of the meat dumpling really came through!

Spicy broth and kimchi dumplings

The spicy broth at Jongga Mandu, which I really love, hits you with its zing the moment you take one spoonful...

I didn't even drink, but it feels like a hangover cure...

Eating the kimchi dumplings with the spicy broth, the heat of the soup layers on top of the dumpling filling, so each bite was quite rich. Totally ★ my. kind. of. thing ★

On top of that, the dumplings themselves are really big, so even just two of them made me feel fairly full.

Finishing the dumpling hot pot with kalguksu

Once you've fished out a good amount of dumplings and vegetables from the Jongga Mandu hot pot, it's kalguksu time ★ you can't skip it. After the ingredients have been boiling for a while, the broth is much richer than at the start, and adding noodles brings out a thick, silky richness, a whole different charm. Honestly, no matter how full you are, you can't resist this, right?

Who should go to Jongga Mandu?

Personally, I think the half-and-half dumpling hot pot at Jongga Mandu is a classic Jongno old-school spot that everyone can enjoy even if you go with someone whose tastes differ from yours, and it's just right for a hangover meal or daytime drinking! And no matter how full you are, you absolutely have to have the kalguksu.

I definitely plan to come back for the boiled mandu and the bibim kalguksu too. That's how satisfied I was! If you want dumplings in hot broth in Jongno 3-ga and want to taste both broths, I sincerely recommend the half-and-half dumpling hot pot at Jongga Mandu ★