Mandu Factory

Call me spoiled the only mandu I can eat is what my mom makes by hand but one day while shopping at Assi I see the Mandu Factory.  But it looks good so I give it a try and I love it!  
Besides mom's mandu this is the ONLY mandu I will eat.  I can't stand any other mandu except mom's and Mandu Factory!  So take it from this spoiled kid.  This place is great!

Maaaaannnnnnndddddddddduuuuuuuuuuu!

Great big balls of Korean dumplings!

I was in Assi getting some victual in case I become a shut-in because of the upcoming storm. It was a long day and frankly shopping on an empty stomach just made me hungrier. Luckily for me I spied this new food stand, Mandu Factory, that opened up inside Assi's food court. Fresh handmade Korean dumplings made right on the spot! And made by Korean grannies (and a middle-aged lady)! Korean food is best when it's made by Korean grannies. I don't know what it is, but little old ladies bent over patiently slaving away at the tedious task of chopping, slicing, dicing, mincing, pounding, stirring, filling, and other mindless chores make the best food bar none.

There is a choice of two different kinds of filling: meat or kimchi. With both types of fillings, the fillings are mixed with glass noodles, garlic, and other stuff. The meat is, I believe, pork. You can get a wang mandu (which means king dumpling) for $2. The wang  mandu is the size of a grown man's fist. You can get 6 pieces of the "small" dumpling for $4. The "small" dumpling is about the size of my palm. It's still big. Normally they're steamed, but if you want them fried, you can get it fried for an extra dollar. I was blown away by the cheap prices.

As for the flavor . . . it's good. It's really fresh because they made it right there. As I walked up, I saw the ladies standing around a table with a large tub of filling making more dumplings. The Korean mandu is not always like Chinese dumplings. The wang mandu covering is more bread-like because it's meant to be a street snack that you eat out of your hand. The bread-like exterior makes it easier to hold and not fall apart. The filling was really tender and juicy. The mandu reminded me of home and of my childhood. And that's the best compliment I can give.