Korea: Lunch at Mandoo Bar via Midtown, Manhattan

Mandoo Bar Korean snack bar near Herald Square, Manhattan

Subway: Herald square, 34th street  

Location: 2 W 32nd St, New York 10001 (212) 279-3075

If ever you find yourself in K-Town (that’s “Koreatown” for you newbies who haven’t read SHILLA) and you’re looking for a quick, delicious meal, it’s hard to beat Mandoo Bar.

We’ve covered K-Town in the post linked above, so we won’t go into detail here about the many wonders of this great, vibrant neighborhood: suffice to say, when you’re in mid-town Manhattan and want something out of the ordinary, we highly recommend you pay K-Town a visit.

SHORT: Also, don’t forget that Korean food is the best food in the world.

BALD: Do you say that because you’re Korean?

SHORT: Me? I’m Korean? Oh! So I am! Sometimes, I forget. 

BALD: Short, you should’ve taken the kimchi out of your ears before you said that.

Mandoo Bar has been on 32nd st. for a few years now, and it was recently renovated giving it a light, clean, simple vibe. The word, “mandoo”, is Korean for dumplings and that is what they specialize in here; dumplings steamed and dumplings fried, dumplings with pork and dumplings with kimchi, dumplings in green casing and dumplings in orange casing. You name a dumpling, they make it.

BALD: I even had the dumpling with I-Pod filling here once.

SHORT: You’re lying.

BALD: Ask me what it was like.

SHORT: Do I have to?

BALD: Go on.

SHORT: Tell me, Bald, what was the dumpling with I-Pod filling like?

BALD: It was very nice, thank you.

SHORT: That’s it?

BALD: Yep.

SHORT: No joke?

BALD: Why would I joke about something like a dumpling with I-Pod filling? Now a dumpling with a violin filling, that’s funny.

SHORT: I should’ve listened to my mother about you…

Talk about f-r-e-e-e-s-h! As you can see, all the dumplings are made right there on the premises, in the front window, as you walk in.

SHORT: When these ladies are in full swing, they really stop the traffic. Watching their unbroken rhythm as they smoothly form the shape of the skin, scoop in the filling, mould the edges together and seal it all up like an envelope in a matter of seconds, is mesmerizing, like a little meditation. Isn’t it, Bald? (Silence) Bald?

BALD: (Waking as if from a little meditation) Where am I? Oh, yes. Remember the time I stopped here on a Tuesday afternoon, and I didn’t wake up until the following Monday?

There’s always plenty of flour thrown about to stop the skin of the dumplings from becoming too sticky, especially in New York’s humid summer months. It’s amazing to see how precisely they measure out the exact same amount of filling for each dumpling, and how uniform they all look once they’re lined up like a box of chocolates.

Different colored skins are used to identify the different fillings, e.g. green is for vegetarian, orange is for seafood, and white is for pork and kimchee.

BALD: The I-Pod ones I had were bright, cornflower blue with flecks of pistachio green dancing on a tempestuous, sea of burnt saffron.

SHORT: Seriously, why didn’t I listen to my mother?

SHORT: Aren’t they cute? Like a little army of legless mice getting ready to launch an attack on an unsuspecting cat.

BALD: And that, I suppose, is an example of a sane mind?  

SHORT: They are cute, though. You have to admit they’re cute. Look at them!

BALD: All right, they’re cute. Like babies curled up in their sleeping bags. Before we EAT them!

Mandoo has a very simple layout. It’s basically one, long room with Spartan looking wooden tables and benches against the wall forming a central aisle. It’s not trying to win any design awards, but it’s clean and simple, and allows you to get in and get out with a minimum of fuss.

SHORT: Mandoo bar is considered by Koreans to be more of a good quality snack bar than a full service restaurant. Their menu is simple, clear and quick to cook. Their banchan (complimentary side-dishes served in all Korean restaurants) are also simple and not as extensive as you generally find in a more formal setting. But the food is tasty and light – perfect for those days when you need to recharge quickly before taking on the Big Apple in the afternoon.

As we mentioned above, the banchan at Mandoo are simple and limited, as is the case with most snack bars in Korea. What you’ll usually get first at Mandoo is a bowl miso soup (not seen here – the liquid is tea), followed up by a side dish of sweet, yellow radish pickle (originating from Japan) and one style of kimchi (spicy marinated Korean cabbage, radish or cucumber), In this case we were given Kaktugi, a spicy radish kimchi. You might also occasionally be served a bowl of delicious, dark, brown sweet beans.

We ordered these Kimchi Mandoo (steamed dumplings filled with Korean kimchi, tofu, pork and other vegetables: 10 pieces for $10.00) as a shared appetizer.

SHORT: Back before we were married, we weren’t really able to share food. We used to get into terrible arguments.

BALD: But now we’re much better. Aren’t we?

SHORT: Yes. You’ve already had your five dumplings.

BALD: B****!

The filling for these dumplings is zesty and zingy, thanks to the chili in the kimchi. Dip one once in your soy sauce, pop it into your mouth and let all that steamy, moist, porky, spiciness go to work in your mouth. (For extra joyousness, have them with a bottle of Korean beer, like Obi.)

You can also have them fried, but we recommend the steamed version for reasons of both health and flavor. They’re actually surprisingly filling.

Bald always orders this dish at Mandoo – especially in the summer. It’s called Dotori noodle salad (acorn-noodle salad served with lettuce, cucumber, carrot, cabbage, tomato and house dressing: $10.00). Though acorn jelly and acorns generally are used in Korean cooking, this dish, with it’s unique combination of ingredients, does have a more Korean/Asian fusion quality to it, rather than being from a more traditional school of Korean cuisine.

BALD: This salad can actually be a meal in itself. I love the sweet, lemony dressing and the surprising combination of textures, ie: the smooth, cool noodles, the crunchy lettuce, the chewy nuts, the crisp strips of pear and other fruits and vegetables. The dressing, though, is what makes it unforgettable. Seriously, order this dish in the summer. You’ll thank me for it (you can thank me by check or money order by emailing me at the address listed on our site here.)

SHORT: He’s joking.

BALD: Not.

Short ordered Joll Noodles (chewy noodle with spicy house sauce with carrot, lettuce, cucumber and boiled egg: $10.00) This is a very popular Korean meal. The noodles are chewy and served chilled making it a much sought after summer dish. The sauce is quite spicy, sweet and vinegary, so if you’re not really into spicy dishes, it’s best to ask for less sauce, or to avoid the dish altogether.

SHORT: I love the contrast of textures in this dish. The noodles are really chewy, and the vegetables are crisp, so it’s fun to eat. I love spicy food, so I really like a lot of sauce. It has a great balance of sweet and spicy flavors.

And look at all the goodies they have stacked away in the freezer. If you like the mandoo from Mandoo bar, the good news is you can buy them frozen to take home with you. They’ll last for several weeks in the freezer, and it’s a relief to come home in the evening and just pop a handful of mandoo in the steamer for a quick, easy, light meal.

Our Overall Opinion of Mandoo Bar

1. This is one of our favorite Korean snack bars. The food is very fresh and prepared quickly – we’ve never had to wait long for our meals here, no matter how crowded it gets.
2. The atmosphere at Mandoo Bar is energetic and fun, but not really conducive to a romantic night out. The staff are extremely friendly, (especially our favorite server, John – say “hi!” when you see him), and they are happy to explain the menu.
3. The prices are very reasonable. You can have a filling, fresh, tasty meal for two for less than $30.00
4. Mandoo specializes in mandoo, (now there’s a surprise). If you haven’t tried mandoo, (Korean dumplings), Mandoo bar is an excellent place to get acquainted. They have a good variety of dumplings including pork, vegetable, shrimp, tofu and kimchi. They come steamed or fried and are made fresh on the premises.
5. Mandoo bar is conveniently located right in the middle of Koreatown in the heart of New York’s shopping district. It’s a very short walk to Macy’s, Daffy’s and the many, many shops of 34th street. 

Hope you enjoyed a quick side trip to Korea. Grab your passport-metrocard. We got another great trip planned already.

Coming?