Semi-basement Japanese restaurant in Mangwon-dong: kimchi nabe, Padong

I was wandering around Mangwon-dong trying to decide what to eat when I got a craving for Japanese home-style food and found Padong. Two of us went and ordered futomaki, salmon rice bowl, and kimchi nabe — the mains weren't the huge-portion type, so it actually worked out well to order a few dishes and split them. Three dishes between two people was just the right amount to try a bit of everything.

Padong 📍 47 World Cup-ro 17-gil, B1, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea

Where is Padong and how do you find the alley entrance?

Padong sits in an alley in Mangwon-dong, in what looks like a converted semi-basement house, so it has a cozier vibe than your typical restaurant. The building itself is nicely done up and doesn't feel hidden away, so it wasn't hard to find.

It felt like a good spot for a date in Mangwon-dong, or for anyone wanting a quiet Japanese home-cooked meal.

Parking near Padong: the Mangwon-dong public lot

How much Padong parking cost: 9,000 won for 2 hours 20 minutes

Unfortunately Padong doesn't offer its own parking. If you're driving, I'd recommend the Mangwon-dong public parking lot — you can get a discount with a receipt from shopping at the market!

That discount only applies within 2 hours though, so if you go over, parking can run you around ₩8,000–9,000 — worth knowing if you're driving. I didn't realize this and ended up paying ₩9,000... I'd parked for 2 hours 20 minutes.

Inside Padong: a cozy converted semi-basement house

Padong is in a semi-basement, and it has that distinctive feel of a converted house.

It's clean without feeling like a stiff, formal restaurant, and it fits well with the cute, quirky vibe Mangwon-dong is known for. It's a comfortable place to eat with a friend, too.

Also a good spot to enjoy Japanese dishes on a date.

I was happy to find a clean restroom inside, too !!

There are cute little miniatures around too — a charming little space !

What two people ordered at Padong: futomaki, salmon rice bowl, shrimp tempura kimchi nabe

First, soup and side dishes come out :)

• Futomaki
• Salmon rice bowl
• Shrimp tempura kimchi nabe

Futomaki with a gentle shiso aroma

First up, the futomaki (thick sushi roll) we ordered. Eating it in one bite, the shiso came through faintly along with all the fillings, which I loved.

The tuna was fairly fresh, and with all the ingredients coming together at once, there was real fun in taking a big bite! Futomaki is really only good when all the flavors hit together in one bite, and I liked this combination.

Shrimp tempura kimchi nabe loaded with cheese

And then there was the shrimp tempura kimchi nabe (kimchi hot pot), which I personally really liked. The cheese was piled on generously, so it looked like a cheese bomb right from the start. Spicy kimchi nabe broth with shrimp tempura and cheese all together.

Even though it's Japanese home cooking, it had a slightly Korean touch, and above all it went really well with rice. A spoonful of the spicy broth followed by rice — the kind of flavor that keeps you coming back for more.

Salmon rice bowl with no fishy taste

The salmon in the salmon rice bowl was nutty and had almost none of that typical fishy taste, so I enjoyed it a lot. If you like salmon,

this is an easy, approachable style to eat. Scooping up rice and salmon together, the nutty, soft flavor paired well.

Is Padong in Mangwon-dong worth a visit?

Padong felt less like a place to fill up on one big main dish, and more like a place for ordering 2–3 dishes and sharing a variety of Japanese home cooking. As two people, ordering futomaki + salmon rice bowl + kimchi nabe was just right.

• ✔️ Cozy converted semi-basement house atmosphere
• ✔️ Futomaki, salmon rice bowl, kimchi nabe combo
• ✔️ Portions good for sharing several dishes
• ✔️ Salmon rice bowl, nutty with no fishy taste
• ✔️ Futomaki with an appealing shiso aroma
• ✔️ Spicy kimchi nabe piled with cheese

If you're craving Japanese home cooking in Mangwon-dong, or want to try a little of several dishes like futomaki and a salmon rice bowl, Padong is worth a visit. We ordered three dishes and split them, which meant we could try a bit of everything without breaking the bank 😊