Ah, who doesn't love handmade dumplings? Dumplings are showcased front and center at Hwangsaengga Kalguksu, a super famous (Michelin Bib Gourmand) dumpling and noodle shop not too far from Gyeongbokgung Palace.
A team of dumpling chefs methodically wrap these HUGE wang mandu (jumbo dumplings) right near the front entrance of the restaurant. You can't miss them.
And it is so mesmerizing to watch.
But First . . . you must wait in line
This place is so popular they have rows of chairs outside to let people sit while they are waiting.
Even though we showed up pretty early (well before lunch), we still had to wait about 30 minutes before we could enter the restaurant.
The menu is small, with just a few variations of noodles and dumplings. Their most famous dish is the "kalguksu", a type of noodle soup where the noodles are cut by a knife before being boiled in the soup.
The dumplings are HUGE! Way bigger than the Chinese ones I'm used to eating.
The house made knife-cut noodles are thick, chewy, and delicious.
The broths were flavorful, clean, and healthy. We each ordered a kalguksu with a few wang mandu, and just enjoyed some kimchi on the side.
These noodles + dumplings were very good, and it was nice to enjoy lunch here (in spite of the lines). It was super fun to enjoy such traditional foods in such a legendary place.
Hwangsaengga Kalguksu
78 Bukchon-ro 5-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul
