Yeonnam-dong dim sum for two: comparing shumai at Panda Dim Sum

Panda Dim Sum is a Chinese restaurant tucked into an alley in Yeonnam-dong. You can get a half Peking duck for around ₩30,000-something, plus a variety of dim sum like truffle shumai and flying fish roe shumai.

Where is Panda Dim Sum and what are its hours?

Panda Dim Sum is at 22 Donggyo-ro 38an-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor, about 8 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station. It's open daily 12:00–21:00, with break time from 16:00 to 17:00 and last order at 20:10.

• Address: 22 Donggyo-ro 38an-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, 2nd floor / about 8 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station
• Hours: daily 12:00–21:00, break time 16:00–17:00, last order 20:10
• Parking: not available; if driving, use public parking lots near Yeonnam-dong

Climb up to the 2nd floor of the red brick building and a panda doll hanging from the door handle greets you first.

Inside Panda Dim Sum: the window seats

Stepping inside, Panda Dim Sum was bigger than I expected. One wall facing the entrance is entirely covered by a large screen, and another wall has panda animation artwork hanging on it. I couldn't help wondering if the mood is different at night — not sure, but once the lights dim, that screen probably really comes alive.

At my window seat, the buildings and houses right across the alley were fully visible through the floor-to-ceiling window. It was a daytime window view with strong sunlight streaming in long through the glass.

Panda Dim Sum menu and prices

• Peking duck: half ₩39,000 / whole ₩75,000
• Dim sum: flying fish roe shumai ₩8,500, xiaolongbao ₩8,000, corn shumai ₩9,000, truffle shumai ₩9,000, chaoshou dumplings ₩8,000, truffle handmade spring rolls ₩5,000
• Rice bowls: braised pork rice bowl ₩14,000, black pepper beef rice bowl ₩15,000, mala mapo tofu rice bowl ₩12,000
• Noodles: chicken dan dan noodles ₩13,000, Chinese tonkotsu ₩13,000, mala mixed noodles ₩13,000
• Mains: crispy yulinji (fried chicken) ₩18,500, yuzu mayo shrimp ₩24,000
• Salads: soft tofu cold salad ₩7,000, berry sweet and sour pork ₩19,500

What the two of us ordered at Panda Dim Sum

Half Peking duck for ₩39,000, truffle shumai for ₩9,000. That's what we started with. But the truffle shumai was so good we immediately added flying fish roe shumai for ₩8,500. Total: ₩56,500.

Truffle shumai, 9,000 won

The truffle shumai at Panda Dim Sum has minced beef filling that holds onto its juices. One bite and the moisture bursts through your mouth. It's beef but with a somewhat springy texture, and the truffle aroma is just right — not overdone.

Half Peking duck, 39,000 won: the skin is the highlight

The half Peking duck came out as a whole spread on the table. The skin is thin and crispy, and the more you chew, the more the savory duck fat aroma rises up. Adding the sweetness of sugar to that savoriness felt like eating a handmade cookie. It's the kind of flavor that keeps your hand reaching for more. The portion of skin wasn't small either, so the two of us enjoyed it without any regrets.

The meat wasn't thinly sliced but was soft and clean-tasting. Dipping it in the sauce, or eating it with soy-sauced ginger, kept that clean flavor intact.

Wrapped in the chewy wheat pancake with cucumber and scallion, the soft duck mixed with a crunchy texture that kept us eating more and more. You'd think dry meat would call for a beer, but the meat here was so tender that even eating it alone, without the pancake, gave a nice chewy texture.

Flying fish roe shumai, 8,500 won

After trying the truffle shumai, with its thin, soft skin and that small dumpling packed with umami, I couldn't not order another kind of dim sum. So I added the flying fish roe shumai I'd been debating from the start. In comparison, this one has the springy texture of juice-filled beef along with shrimp flavor.

Frequently asked questions about Panda Dim Sum

Is half a Peking duck enough for two people?

The portion of skin and meat is generous, so two people can eat well and still add a couple of dim sum dishes without any regrets.

Is there parking at Panda Dim Sum?

There's no parking at the restaurant itself; you'll need to use a public parking lot near Yeonnam-dong.

Truffle shumai or flying fish roe shumai: which is better?

Truffle is about aroma, flying fish roe is about texture. They're different enough in character that ordering both keeps you interested all the way through without getting tired of either.

Visit details at a glance

• 8-minute walk from Exit 3 of Hongik University Station, 2nd floor in a Yeonnam-dong residential alley
• Visited as two, half Peking duck ₩39,000
• Truffle shumai ₩9,000, flying fish roe shumai ₩8,500, total ₩56,500
• Dipping the skin in sugar is the kicker
• Order truffle and flying fish roe shumai together — different aroma and texture keep it interesting to the last bite
• Recommend the floor-to-ceiling window seat during the day

Final verdict on Panda Dim Sum

I think I'll keep thinking about the Peking duck skin and truffle shumai at Panda Dim Sum. The clean-tasting duck paired with a dumpling or two of dim sum fit really well with the daytime hour. Solid protein intake achieved, and next time I want to order nothing but a full lineup of dim sum.