Half-and-half dumpling hot pot for two in Siksa-dong, Goyang: Arirang

The heat had finally let up and I found myself craving a hot bowl of mandu (dumpling) hot pot. I'd been here before with a friend and remembered it fondly, so I headed back to Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu.

Where Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch is, and its opening hours

Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch is open daily from 10:00 to 21:00, with last order at 20:00. There's dedicated parking right in front, so driving over isn't an issue.

Located near Dongguk University Hospital, this Siksa-dong favorite is a Korean restaurant I hadn't visited in a while — so good to be back 🫡🫡

Going outside the busy lunch rush meant I got a table with no waiting. Plenty of tables and lots of overall space, so there's no rushed feeling — you can take your time over the meal.

Menu and the price of the half-and-half mandu hot pot

Arirang Gaeseong Son Mandu Siksa Branch offers a Gaeseong hand-made dumpling hot pot & beef shabu set (for 2–4 people), as well as a mandu-hot-pot-only menu. There are also sides like steamed mandu and fried mandu, plus kids' mandu soup and tteokguk (rice cake soup).

We ordered the half-and-half mandu hot pot (*12,000 won) for two. I thought about adding rice (*1,000 won) but held off since the menu comes with noodles anyway 🤔🤔

Takeout and delivery are available, and writing a Naver receipt review earns you a choice of rolled dumplings, fried dumplings, drinks, or beverages.

Soju and beer for 1,900 won

Come on, everyone in Siksa-dong — gather here!!! Drinks cheaper than soda?? Soju and beer at 1,900 won? Does a place like this even exist anymore??

I was genuinely shocked by the drink prices. Come have a drink with your steaming hot pot, everyone~~

The self-serve kimchi bar, refilled again and again

There's a self-serve bar with kimchi, pickled radish, and broth. FYI, this place is a kimchi (fermented vegetable) champion. Exactly the kind of kimchi that pairs with kalguksu (knife-cut noodles)!!

The kimchi tastes as good as it looks. The cabbage leaves are crisp, and the salted seafood seasoning is deep and appetite-boosting. This is exactly the kimchi kalguksu deserves. I refilled it more times than I can count 🙃🙃

What comes in the half-and-half hot pot: 4 dumplings, 1 of them steamed

The dish we ordered comes half meat dumpling, half kimchi dumpling. Vegetables, mushrooms, and dumplings are neatly arranged in the pot. Even before tasting the broth, you can tell just by looking that it's rich.

Each serving of mandu hot pot comes with 4 dumplings — 3 go into the pot, and the remaining 1 arrives steamed, served alongside the kalguksu noodles.

Here's how the steamed mandu and noodles look. Since they say the dumplings are hand-made, I guess this look makes sense — the filling is packed generously.

A rich broth I wanted to keep simmering with endless refills of vegetables 😵‍💫😵‍💫 Honestly wanted to take home 2-3 servings and enjoy it comfortably with a soju at home...

Every table has soy sauce, and scooping up broth-soaked vegetables and dipping them in soy sauce is just so good~~

Meat dumpling or kimchi dumpling: which tastes better?

Hand-made meat and kimchi dumplings!! The meat dumpling was packed with meat and delicious, while the kimchi dumpling had meat mixed with kimchi for a savory taste. I usually prefer meat dumplings, but the kimchi ones were good enough to make it a close call. Dipped in soy sauce, one bite after another 😝😝

Finishing the pot with kalguksu noodles, and why we'll be back

After filling up on the hot pot ingredients, it was noodle time. I added a bit more broth, brought it to a boil, and dropped in the kalguksu noodles... but I was so busy scooping them out the moment they were cooked that I barely managed to snap a photo of the tiny bit left. A meal I was sad to see disappear so fast ㅜㅜ

This is a place that crosses my mind whenever I crave mandu, and after a long-overdue visit, I filled up properly. Once the weather turns cold, let's come back for hot pot again 😊😊