Peking Dumpling

I love mandoo (dumpling)! I’ve been coming here for years (even when I used to live in oc!) They have a mixture of either meat or veggie steamed dumplings. They’re pretty big and give 6 pieces per order. They are cash only! It looks pretty ghetto but those are always best spots to eat!

I have nothing bad to say about this tiny dumpling kitchen tucked inside the Hannam supermarket. Years ago I worked with a girl who moved here from Korea and she introduced me to this little gem…6 years later I continue to call on this place when its a dumpling I crave! Bring cash, it’s $ 7 for half a dozen large dumplings (wang mandoo, veggie or beef… they’re both delish), but they’re worth so much more!

In the 2003 Korean film Oldboy, the protagonist Oh Dae Su is fed a steady diet of fried mandoo, a food that he detests the most, while he’s imprisoned. After his release, he visits various restaurants serving the dish to get clues and determine where he was held captive.
I don’t know too many people like Oh Dae Su, that hates mandoo. But, I also don’t know anyone that’s been locked up in a room for that many years either. Still, I like mandoo in all forms and shapes, especially the Wang Mandoo (King Dumplings).
Peking Dumpling sells just that and they’re located inside the Hannam Chain Supermarket on Olympic Blvd in Koreatown. It’s been there for years and much to my surprise, really untouched, based on 2 lone Unilocal reviews written a couple years back.
The Wang Mandoo is decently sized, yet the bun is more fragile and thin. Less carbs, but the filling is still very tasty. It’s about the size of my fist, so it’s not too big. With less dough, it’s not as thick, but I actually like that.
Everything, is made in house, as the ladies were making them on the spot, during my visit. The Meat and Vegetable are both $ 6 per 6 dumplings, which is not bad for a dollar each. Honestly, these days I’m favoring the Vegetable Wang Mandoo at these types of places. They just taste better. I used to pass on the veggie option, but not anymore. If possible, Soy Sauce and Pickled Radish on the side would also be swell.
Peking Dumpling also sells Vegetable Dumplings with barley mixed into the bun. It’s supposed to be healthier for a buck more. The ones filled with Red Bean are also available as well, including regular Barley Bread and Corn Bread. Interesting, as I’m curious as to how the plain bread tastes like. They come in a pack of six for $ 3. One more awesome thing, if you like Jajangmyeon Sauce, you can get some for $ 4. With all this variety, doesn’t this warrant a visit, especially if you’re in the area?

This little shop is where my family frequents to get wang mandoo (king dumplings). Both the meat dumplings and the veggie dumplings are pretty big and tasty. I’ve also had the steamed red bean buns, but I’ll stick to the king dumplings here. You get six per order for $ 6 but sadly they don’t let you mix and match. During peak lunch hours, I had to fight through Korean ladies cutting in line to place my order.

Located inside Hannam Market, this place has DELICIOUS dumplings and not the weak sauce potsticker kind. The ladies make everything from scratch and the dumpling dough is soooo tasty! The meat ones are the size of a softball and the vegetable ones are a bit smaller and shaped like leaves. Back when they were a dollar each I would’ve given this place 5 stars, but the last time I had dumplings from here, prices went up and the quality was not as high as before. A little bit of soy sauce and a half dozen of these bad boys and you’re set for lunch and dinner!