We’ve mentioned Mandoo in our Favourite Sydney Eats and we’ve been talking about it but we never actually blogged about it sooo *drum rolls* for some of the most delicious, authentic Korean dumplings you’ll get in Sydney.
Food
These deep fried pork dumplings for $13 are the perfect ratio of crispy batter, oozing oil and juicy peppered pork filling. When you bite into it, they’re not too oily that they become overwhelming, but more of a healthy dose of oil flavour.
We always order these BBQ galbi pork bun dumplings for $13. It’s like eating into a fluffy pillow. They’re very soft and airy, with another good amount of juicy and tender, sweetened and seasoned pork filling. We also love the pattern and size of the bun.
Another favourite of ours was the kimchi with pork dumplings for $13. Surprisingly they were not soggy. The dumpling pastry was thick enough that it retained the moist consistency of the fermented radish. It had a tangy spice flavour – the usual of kimchi – but it was not overwhelming, especially when balanced with the savoury pork and mild dumpling skin.
The prawn with pork dumplings for $13 are massive and succulent, filled with a good balance of savoury pig and sweet crustacean. The dumpling pastry is a little thinner than the previous, but still able to retain all the moisture and flavours of the filling.
This is a staple in Korean dining, a complimentary side dish of kimchi. This was made in-house, with subtle tanginess, moderate spice and crunchy textures.
We also got two noodles: one being a beef bone noodle soup for $13. This was one of the more flavourful Korean beef soups we’ve tried. At other Korean restaurants, the soup is often bland or a diluted shadow of what it could be, especially when we compare it to our Vietnamese punchy pho, but this dish from Mandoo hit the spot.
This is one of the best spicy cold noodle we’ve had in Sydney. For $12 there is a large quantity of noodles, beansprouts, cabbage and sauce. The mouthfeel is cold and slimy, with a slight tang, sweet and spicy flavour profile.
Service
The service is very prompt. Even during peak hours on a Saturday, we only had to wait 30 minutes for a table. This is amazing considering there are only 20 seats in this corner shop and it is normal in Korean culture to sit at a table for age. This means everyone dining at Mandoo is very mindful of others waiting in queue.
Review
This is one of the most underrated places. We love coming back for our kimchi and galbi dumplings.
Thank you for reading. Happy eating!
Thank you for reading. Happy eating!
