Restaurant Review: Bapboda Wang Mandu
By Gabriel Ward
Residents of Gwangju on the hunt for some new and tasty eats should look no further than the new giant dumpling take-out store that has opened its doors in the Pungam-dong area.
Opened on May 31 and close to the World Cup Stadium, Bap Boda Wang Mandu arrived just in time for summer, allowing local residents the chance get their fill of fast, delicious, and innovative fresh food.
Owner and operator Jeung Jeong-ju set out on his latest adventure having spent years working in the hospitality industry in Korea. He decided that he wanted to do something different with his time, assessed his options, and came to the conclusion that a niche giant dumpling shop was the way to go.
“I want to be the mandu king” stated Jeong-ju when asked why he had opened such a different store. “No one else has a shop like this in this area. I am the first!”
Giant dumplings, or wang mandu as they are called in the native Korean tongue (wang meaning ‘king’), found their origins in China. The Chinese call them jiaozi and, as I’m sure you’re aware if you have been in Korea for any amount of time, they have been adapted over the ages and now come in a variety of styles, shapes, sizes and with various fillings.
Typically they consist of ground meat and/or vegetables wrapped in a rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping the top. The dumpling is then steamed over 10-15 minutes. At about the size of a regular hamburger, they are a hearty fill.
Jeong-ju’s new establishment is colorful but basic. At present, the menu consists of only three items: gogi mandu (pork and vegetable), kimchi sae-woo mandu (kimchi and shrimp), and a sweet red bean-filled dumpling the name of which name escapes me.
The store has been earmarked as a take-away-only enterprise but there is a six to eight-seater table and chairs inside for the lucky ones. Being next door to a Family Mart also gives you the option to utilize the convenience store’s outdoor furniture too, where, if waiting for your mandu, Jeong-ju with gladly furnish your table with the usual complimentary sides such as kimchi, rice cakes and fresh vine tomatoes. Beer and other drinks can also be purchased form the mart to enjoy with your mandu.
Through the plate-glass shop frontage, passersby can watch Jeong-ju and his friendly staff make these traditional mandu before they are taken outside and cooked in front of the shop on the sidewalk. Jeong-ju has purchased special steaming equipment to cook his mandu in a traditional way.
At only 1,000 won per serving, they certainly give you that extra option for a light lunch. For 2,000 won, you can have a heavy meal. Being a steamed snack, they also add a healthier choice to your list of favorite munchies.
One last thing that must be said: Although a new store, at Bap Boda Wang Mandu – early afternoon or late at night – you still get that feeling that you are eating at one of Korea’s traditional little hiding places.
Trust me and try it out. This stuff is delicious!
An earlier version of this article ran
in the July, 2011 print edition of Gwangju News.
Bapboda Wang Mandu can be found across the road from Woo-mi Gwangjang Apartments, next to Family Mart in the Pungam-dong area of Gwangju.
Tell a cab driver “Pungam Jigu, Woomi Gwangjang ka juseyo,” from anywhere in the Gwangju area and you will be dropped off right outside.