Traditional North Korean dumplings served in South Korea: Restaurant Gaeseong Mandu Koong (Traditional Dumpling House) (14. December 2023)
Usually, I don’t really follow the advice of the tour guides from walking tours since it’s very often driven by price only, but this time, and due to the fact that the place is also listed as a Bib Gourmand place in the Guide Michelin app, I decided to give this place a try! Apparently, while they do have various different dishes, their mandus (i.e., dumplings) are their expertise. Interestingly enough, apparently, the owner used to be living in the part of North Korea, which has, after the attack by North Korea, been rezoned to be South Korea, so she couldn’t return, and, hence, started this restaurant and has basically ‘imported’ the North Korean way of doing dumplings.
The “Gaeseong steamed assorted dumplings (pork dumplings, kimchi dumplings, mushroom dumplings)” (19’000 KRW) and the “Gaeseong steamed mushroom dumplings (stuffed with mushrooms, various vegetables, seasoning)” (18’000 KRW) are both worth trying. The first thing, which struck me, when trying, was the thinness of the dough. Usually, dumpling dough is relatively thick, however, in this case, it was rather thin. Secondly, the servings are quite rich, i.e., these are definitely among the biggest dumplings I have tried so far. Last but not least, it’s nice to try a few different dumplings – and I even liked the mushroom ones.
The place is simple, but appealing, and mostly visited by locals. You don’t really see many tourists, which is always a good sign. This also comes with certain challenges, like you need a translation app to tell them that you want sparkling water (which they don’t have; you get Sprite) or a refill of your tea cup.
It’s clear that the place advertises through its recognition by the Guide Michelin, and admittedly, this is quite smart, so, you should absolutely try this place when in Seoul.
What I absolutely love about the place as well, is the fact that the dumplings are actually prepared freshly in the shop, and you get to eat them right then and there.
To sum it up, the Gaeseong Mandu Koong is a place worth trying – you can’t really book in advance, though, but you have to queue outside, hence, make sure to bring warm clothing when you’re in Seoul in winter time.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Gaeseong Mandu Koong (Traditional Dumpling House)
11-3 Insadong 10-gil
Jongno-gu
Seoul (KR)
Tel.: +822 733 9240
E-Mail: mlee62@hanmail.net
Homepage: https://www.koong.co.kr/2020/eng/koongstory/greeting.php
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
