Paju Unjeong restaurant for Pyeongyang cold noodles: Bubyeokjeong

Why we came back to Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu in Paju Unjeong

A few days ago I got a craving for good mandu jeongol (dumpling hot pot) and headed to a Paju Unjeong spot everyone talks about. It's Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu, the Paju Publishing Complex/Heyri Village/Unjeong/Ilsan flagship location — a genuinely large restaurant with a wide parking lot right out front, so parking was easy.

They're open every day from 11:00 to 21:00, with a break time on weekdays from 15:00 to 17:00 — just avoid that window.

Walking in, there's a takeout counter right at the front, tempting you with a bunch of neatly packaged menu items — you could easily eat a bowl here and still grab some to take home.

How long is the lunch wait? 10 minutes, with a dessert zone and misutgaru

Even though the interior of Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu was quite spacious, it was completely full at lunchtime. So we put our name in at the kiosk up front and waited about 10 minutes before getting seated.

Next to the dining area there's a dessert zone, so after the meal you can scoop a little something into a cup on your way out. They had nostalgic old-school Korean snacks set out, which gave the place a nice cozy feeling.

There was also misutgaru (roasted grain powder drink) — cold, and dispensed from a spinning machine. We decided to save it for after the meal.

Ordering Pyeongyang mul-makguksu and bibim-makguksu at ₩12,000 each

After a short wait, our number was called and we went in. Once seated, we looked over the menu. The house specialty is Pyeongyang mandu jeongol (dumpling hot pot), available in mild and spicy versions, along with Pyeongyang mandu-guk (dumpling soup) and mandu jjabagi, among others.

We'd been meaning to try the Pyeongyang mul-makguksu (₩12,000) and Pyeongyang bibim-makguksu (₩12,000) for a while, so we ordered one of each. It's basically Pyeongyang naengmyeon, but calling it 'makguksu' was an unusual touch. Apparently the broth is clear, brewed from 1++ grade Korean beef, and the noodles are made from 100% pure buckwheat — a refreshing bowl either way. We also ordered mung bean pancake (₩10,000) and Pyeongyang plate mandu (₩8,000).

There's a self-serve side dish bar off to one side where you can grab more if you run out — handmade-tasting danmuji (pickled radish), white kimchi and napa cabbage kimchi. There's also extra broth there if you want to top up your bowl.

In a glass booth off to one side of this Paju Unjeong restaurant, a staff member was pinching dumplings nonstop — since everything here is handmade, that got me even more excited to eat.

The bibim-makguksu and ₩10,000 mung bean pancake arrive

The bibim naengmyeon came out first. No separate broth here — just a small splash of broth, sesame oil, seasoning sauce, and a slice of braised beef shank (aronsatae suyuk) on top. With naengmyeon radish and half a boiled egg on top, the visual was simple.

And here's the mung bean pancake — made from mung beans soaked and ground in-house, pan-fried in lard. Just looking at it, there was no way it could taste bad.

What the mul-makguksu broth tastes like: mild but never watery

Now for what I'd call this Paju Unjeong restaurant's signature dish — the Pyeongyang naengmyeon, or mul-makguksu. A clear broth, pure buckwheat noodles, a slice of braised beef shank, radish and half a boiled egg — simple in appearance.

But one sip of the broth and my eyes lit up. It's mild without being bland — there's a distinct point to that mildness, which makes me think even people trying Pyeongyang naengmyeon for the first time could enjoy this broth.

Then the plate mandu arrived, completing the spread. The plate mandu comes as four genuinely large dumplings — just one was already filling. We took the rest home and boiled them into mandu-guk, and I gave it an instant thumbs up!

Then I properly tasted the naengmyeon. The broth alone stood out, but the noodles themselves also had good nutty flavor and texture. It's the kind of taste I'd recommend to anyone who loves naengmyeon.

I've eaten Pyeongyang naengmyeon at plenty of famous places, and I'd rank this one in the top three. I personally dislike bland broths, but this one hits just the right level, which makes it genuinely appetizing.

The one letdown: the bibim-makguksu comes with no broth on the side

The bibim naengmyeon at this Paju Unjeong restaurant not coming with its own broth was a little disappointing, but the seasoning and the noodles themselves were both delicious, making for a light, easy meal. Of course, if there are two of you, you can just borrow some broth from the mul-makguksu — no problem at all.

After finishing the naengmyeon, having a bite of the crispy, savory mung bean pancake left me feeling like I had nothing left to want in the world.

The mandu were also great — a soft, tender wrapper with mild, well-balanced filling that was easy to eat without feeling heavy.

They're light and easy to eat, so I'd definitely recommend ordering some mandu alongside your naengmyeon.

Finishing with free misutgaru and old-school Korean snacks

To finish off, we grabbed some misutgaru and a few old-school snacks on our way out of this Paju Unjeong restaurant. The misutgaru was rich and sweet, perfect for after a meal. The mandu jeongol here is great, but the Pyeongyang naengmyeon is just as good — definitely worth a visit.

Bubyeokjeong Pyeongyang Mandu hours, parking and address in Paju

• Address: 129 Jimok-ro, Building La, 1st floor, Paju-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea
• Hours: 11:00–21:00, last order 20:00
• Break time: weekdays 14:30–17:00, no break time on weekends
• Parking: large lot in front of the restaurant