Mandu
Monday, July 5, 2010 at 07:11AM As you may have noticed, lately Mark and I have been venturing outside our gastronomical comfort zone to sample cuisine that we have neglected in the past (at least on this blog): Ghanian, Chinese, Greek, Turkish...in this same spirit of adventurousness, we decided to give Korean some love. Mark and I have walked/jogged by Mandu, on the corner of 18th and S Street, NW, countless times, but finally decided to give it a try last week.
Virtually everything about Mandu is tailored to fit into the surrounding Dupont Circle neighborhood. Like its neighbor Rosemary's Thyme (and so many other area dining options), Mandu offers a decent amount of patio seating, a definite plus in the warmer months. However, this particular evening was a little too warm for my liking, so we opted to sit inside. The minimalist decor (bare walls, simple furniture), is paired with a quietly polite serving staff, and together they set a reassuringly (if a little bland) familiar tone, one that was echoed in the kitchen offerings.
We started off with my favorite dish of the meal, a summer appetizer special, the bo ssam (below), which included slices of chilled, pressed pork belly and marinated radish, to be wrapped up in the accompanying lettuce leaves. I could see why this was specifically labeled for summertime - while I was initially put off by the temperature of the pork belly, it was tasty when paired with the crunchy, tart radish and wrapped in a crisp green blanket. The best part of the dish, though, was the reddish sauce served on the side - I can't even begin to guess what was in it, but it was wonderful - salty, yet a little sweet, with great tangy bite.
We also got an order of - what else? - mandu, or Korean dumpling (below), steamed, with beef and pork filling. The meat-filled dumplings were decent, though unexciting and a little underseasoned. Basically, they were no better or worse than any other dumplings I've eaten (from other Asian cuisines). But dipping each dumpling in the soy-sesame sauce helped out with a little flavor kick.
Between our appetizers and entrees, our server dropped off a tray of cold bites, or panchan (below) - from left to right, fish cakes (that tasted sort of like tofu upon first bite), soaked in a sweet marinade, bean sprouts, marinated cucumber, some sort of egg bite (similar to the sweet egg omelet Tamogoyaki in Japanese cusine), and marinated eggplant. We also got a little dish of kim chee (pickled, fermented cabbage). The panchan was a unique touch, and in the heat of the day, a welcome one.
Mark got the bulgoki, or grilled marinated strip loin, which was served with mixed vegetables and a side of steamed white rice. We both liked the sweetness the marinade imparted to the meat, as well as the subtle hints of sesame. Mark noted that the bistek tagalog (Filipino dish) that we had just sampled while visiting my relatives in California was reminiscent of bulgoki. The meat was a little chewier than I was expecting, but it was still pretty tasty. The grilled vegetables were unremarkable, but solid.
Always a sucker for a noodle soup, I ordered the beef somen noodle soup, with beef broth, scallions, bok choy, been sprouts, egg and sliced ribeye. I wasn't blown away by it, as the broth could have been more flavorful, and the meat could have been leaner and less chewy. That being said, I polished off the whole bowl and was fully content.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Mandu. This is probably a good place for newcomers to the Korean cuisine (like me), but I think there are probably more authentic - and more exciting - Korean offerings elsewhere in the District and suburbs (although I should note that we were not particularly daring with our menu choices, and there may be much better, more inspired options available). Regardless, my trip to Mandu taught me that Korean food really hits the spot in the warm weather months. It may not be the place for real connoisseurs of Korean cuisine, but I'd recommend it for those wanting to give it a first try.
Asian, D.C., Korean in Reviews: On The Town
Reader Comments (6)
Let me recomend Mandu's dolsot bibim bap for next time you go. Also, the sojutinis are quite tasty!
Aw, we should have just gone with you! I was actually eyeing the bibim bap...
I have to say, I was really not impressed. I thought the food was pretty bland. The appetizers were good, so I'd probably go back for happy hour and drinks, but not for a full meal.
WT-
Yeah...I thought it was fine (for the price), but definitely would like to try other Korean options. Any recommendations?
I haven't had other Korean, but have heard there's a place near Foggy Bottom that's pretty good. But I don't have more info than that. :) Was definitely bummed that I wasn't more dazzled...several friends had raved about it. Just didn't please my palate.
I got you (as you can see by my description of the dumplings and the soup). But I did genuinely like that bo ssam. I'd be up for trying that place in Foggy Bottom with you sometime (I think it's called Yee Hwa)! Mark and I also have some leads on good Korean BBQ in the suburbs...