Corn shumai and half Peking duck at Panda Dim Sum, Yeonnam-dong

I love dumplings and dim sum in general, so whenever I hear about a good Chinese restaurant I tend to seek it out. Panda Dim Sum in Yeonnam-dong kept coming up as having a solid menu lineup and good value, so I went to check it out.

What is Panda Dim Sum in Yeonnam-dong like inside?

Panda Dim Sum is a dim sum-focused Chinese restaurant on the 2nd floor of a building on Donggyo-ro 38an-gil in Yeonnam-dong. From the entrance, cute panda character props greeted me, which made for a fun little browse. The interior was clean and comfortable too, so it seemed like a good spot for hanging out with friends or a date.

Panda Dim Sum menu and prices

Once I sat down and looked at the menu, there were way more options than I expected. For meals, there was braised pork belly (dongpo rou) rice bowl, black pepper beef rice bowl, and mala mapo tofu rice bowl, and the noodle lineup was solid too, with chicken dan dan noodles, Chinese tonkotsu, and mala mixed noodles.

The dish menu also had everything from main dishes like crispy yurinji (fried chicken), yuzu mayo shrimp, and Peking duck, to berry sweet and sour pork, plus lighter options like cold soft tofu salad. The drink selection — gaoliang liquor, highballs, beer, and more — made it a decent place to enjoy a drink with your meal too.

Corn shumai, 9,000 won: how was the first plate?

After some deliberation, I ended up ordering corn shumai, truffle shumai, and a half-size Peking duck today. The first to arrive was the corn shumai (₩9,000).

As soon as I opened the steaming dim sum tray, a sweet aroma of popping corn wafted up. With the first bite, the moist, tender meat filling came through along with the pop of corn kernels — such an appealing texture. Corn really lifted what could've been a bland dim sum texture into something rich and enjoyable for pretty much anyone. There was a savory, subtle sweetness that made it a great first dish.

Truffle shumai, 9,000 won: how it differs from the corn shumai

Next up was the truffle shumai (₩9,000), with its subtle truffle scent.

As soon as it landed on the table, that distinct, luxurious truffle scent slowly spread out. The outside was chewy and the inside was packed with juicy filling, and the more I chewed, the more the truffle aroma enveloped my whole mouth. If you're someone who enjoys truffle flavor, this is definitely worth trying at least once. The savoriness of the meat and the distinct aroma blended cleanly, so I never got tired of it even down to the last piece.

Half-size Peking duck at Panda Dim Sum: portion and taste

Then came today's main dish, the half-size Peking duck.

Even at half size, the portion was more generous than I expected, which was satisfying. The nicely browned duck had this glossy sheen that looked delicious just to look at.

The crispy, savory duck skin paired well with the light, moist meat. Wrapped in a thin pancake with the accompanying vegetables and special sauce, all kinds of flavors came together in each bite.

There was no gamey duck smell at all, just clean flavor that got more savory the more I chewed. Getting to enjoy the lightness of dim sum and the richness of Peking duck in the same sitting made for a satisfying meal. Both the food and the relaxed atmosphere of the space made for a great experience.

What to order next time at Panda Dim Sum

If you're looking to enjoy dim sum or Peking duck without spending too much, this place is worth keeping in mind. Next time I come back, I'm thinking of trying meal items I missed this time, like the mala mixed noodles or the yurinji.