Mapo tofu and half Peking duck for lunch in Suwon: Mirim Yangjang

Have you ever tried Peking duck?

Watching the drama The Tyrant's Chef, there was one dish that especially caught my eye — Peking duck. Seeing them slice the crispy roasted duck skin so thin on screen made me wonder, "What on earth does that taste like?" I'd been curious for a while, and today I finally got to try it. Haha.

I headed to Mirim Yangjang (미림양장) at Time Villas near Suwon Station. The moment I arrived in front of the shop, there was a sight that immediately grabbed my attention — ducks hanging in a row. It instantly reminded me of what I saw when I visited Hong Kong once. "Ah... this is going to be good!"

Mirim Yangjang's Hong Kong vibe, open kitchen, and Busan flagship

I liked that Mirim Yangjang has an open kitchen right from the entrance, so you can see the cooking happening inside. Watching the process unfold in front of you somehow makes you trust it more. I also learned that Mirim Yangjang's original location is in Jeonpo-dong, Busan — running into a place famous in Busan here in Suwon made me strangely happy. Hahaha.

Half Peking duck and mapo tofu, ordered at noon

After sitting down and looking over the menu at Mirim Yangjang, we ordered half a Peking duck and mapo tofu. It was around noon when I visited, and even though it was a bit early for lunch, there were quite a few customers. Luckily there wasn't a wait, so we got a table easily. And finally, the Peking duck arrived!

How was the duck skin and meat?

Since the drama made such a big deal about how thin the Peking duck skin is sliced, I was honestly most curious about the skin. Seeing it in person, it was roasted to a crisp, and one bite gave me exactly that crispy, nutty, savory-salty taste. It was way better than I expected — "Oh, so this is why people eat Peking duck!" The duck meat attached to the skin had its own charm too. It was tender and soft, easy to chew, and went down really nicely.

Wrapping it in the thin pancakes, and the sweet bean sauce

I tried wrapping the duck meat, julienned cucumber, and sweet bean sauce in the thin pancakes that came with it. The pancakes were packaged in parchment paper, one sheet at a time, making them easy to peel off and eat. The crunch of the cucumber, the crispy duck skin, the tender meat, and the sweet bean sauce all together made for a truly unique combination. Hahaha. It felt totally different from the Chinese food I usually eat, so I kept making more wraps without realizing it. I also tasted the sweet bean sauce on its own, and it felt richer and deeper than the usual sweet bean sauce I've had before. I could tell why it paired so well with the duck.

Mapo tofu with a hint of mala spice

The mapo tofu also exceeded expectations. Compared to typical mapo tofu, it had a subtle mala (numbing spice) aroma rising up, giving it that distinct Chinese-food fragrance and depth. But it wasn't overwhelming or too intense — it was spicy with a slight sweetness and umami that kept me reaching for more.

My experience at Mirim Yangjang

I'd been wondering, while watching the drama, "What could that Peking duck possibly taste like?" — and today, trying it myself, that curiosity was properly resolved. In particular, the combination of crispy, nutty duck skin + tender duck meat + crunchy cucumber + sweet bean sauce + thin pancake was a whole new world. Running into that familiar Hong Kong visual again at Suwon Station, and actually tasting the Peking duck I'd only seen in a drama, made me feel like I was on a little trip. Haha. If I visit again, I'd love to try other Chinese dishes alongside the Peking duck. A curiosity sparked by a drama turned into a really satisfying meal today.

Visit info for Mirim Yangjang Time Villas Suwon Branch

• Address: 134 Sehwa-ro, Gwonseon-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea, 3rd floor
• Hours: Daily 10:30–22:00
• Convenience: Parking available