Crystal shrimp dumplings and shumai in Gangnam: Sinbok Myeongwan

I was craving Chinese food so badly on a weekday lunch that I went to Sinbok Myeongwan, a well-known spot near Gangnam Station. This time, instead of my usual order, I tried crystal dumplings (sujeongdal mandu), shumai, and mala tofu — and the combination turned out way better than I expected.

If you especially love dim sum, this lineup is great for sharing a few different kinds over a light lunch. Here's my review of my weekday lunch at Sinbok Myeongwan near Gangnam Station~~

Where is Sinbok Myeongwan, and what is on the menu?

Sinbok Myeongwan is close enough to Exit 1 of Gangnam Station that it's easy to get to during a weekday lunch break. Since it's tucked inside a building, I'd recommend checking the exact location beforehand if it's your first visit.

Sinbok Myeongwan has quite a wide range of dishes, from noodle dishes like beef knife-cut noodles and lamb knife-cut noodles, to fish-fragrant eggplant rice bowl, fried rice, mala tofu, and of course dim sum.

Seating at Sinbok Myeongwan for solo diners and groups

Being near Gangnam Station, the vibe suggested a lot of office workers stop by for lunch. There are seats good for eating alone and tables for groups too, so it seemed like a solid weekday lunch option overall.

Since I came with a few people that day, we ordered a bunch of dishes we wanted to try. With dim sum, one kind is never enough, so it's always nice to order a few different ones together, haha.

What do Sinbok Myeongwan's crystal shrimp dumplings taste like?

The first dish we ordered at Sinbok Myeongwan was the crystal dumpling (sujeongdal mandu). You order and pay right at the table — so smooth, haha. Check the menu and prices for reference~~!

Doesn't the name itself sound pretty? The translucent, chewy-looking dumpling skin caught my eye first. Taking a bite, the skin was chewier than expected and had a really nice texture.

Inside were shrimp and chives, giving it a clean but subtly savory flavor. The skin wasn't too thick, so it paired well with the filling. Personally, out of everything we ordered that day, the crystal dumpling was the first thing I reached for again. If you love dim sum, this one's worth ordering too.

Sinbok Myeongwan's shumai topped with flying fish roe

And you can't skip the shumai! Sinbok Myeongwan's shumai comes topped with flying fish roe, so it's colorful from the first look.

One bite and the shrimp-and-pork filling felt moist, with the roe adding a fun popping texture. I usually find shumai a bit disappointing when the skin is too thick, but here the skin worked well with the filling.

The size was also slightly bigger than one bite, so you end up eating it slowly! Ordering the crystal dumpling and shumai together was fun — both are dumplings, but the textures were different enough to enjoy switching between them.

Sinbok Myeongwan's mala tofu, eaten with rice

Another dish we had that day was the mala tofu. If you like mala flavors, this is worth ordering at least once. The soft tofu paired with the distinct mala aroma and spicy kick made it a great match for rice.

Rather than hitting you with an overwhelming mala punch, it left a subtle numbing sensation when you ate the tofu together with the sauce. Personally, I think dishes like this taste best eaten with rice.

Spooning a bit of the sauce over rice made it salty and spicy in a way that kept me going back for more. Even other reviews of Sinbok Myeongwan's menu mention enjoying the mala tofu, so it's clearly a dish people seek out.

The dim sum combination that worked for a weekday lunch in Gangnam

This time at Sinbok Myeongwan I ordered the crystal dumpling, shumai, and mala tofu, and the combination worked better than I expected.

The two dumpling dishes were clean and chewy, good for eating in between bites, while the mala tofu was spicy and rich, tying the overall meal together.

Especially if you're visiting with a group, ordering dim sum alongside a cooked dish to share like this seems like a better move than just ordering one main dish each.

That wraps up my Sinbok Myeongwan review! I'd recommend it to anyone near Gangnam Station looking for Chinese food for a weekday lunch, or anyone wanting to try several kinds of dim sum :)