Jonny Dumpling is located in Itaewon and is famous for its scrumptious Chinese dumplings. Pay a visit to the restaurant and you will be offered soft and delicate crispy-coated dumplings at a reasonable price.

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

The rainy season has come, complete with wetness and a summery chill, prompting people tend to search for comfort food. With their chubby shape and delicate texture, dumplings have always been a favorite among Korean during windy days.

Dumplings, either fried or steamed, are simple in taste and appearance, and usually inexpensive. Found almost anywhere in Seoul, it's not hard to find a decent place that serves these recipes. But if you want to have some traditional Chinese dumplings full of taste and aroma, Jonny Dumpling is the place for you.

Located in a narrow alley near to the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, Jonny Dumpling is already famous among dumpling lovers. The restaurant is not spacious, with about 10 small tables for four, but is cozy and comfortable. As the color red represents wealth and success in China, the wall and dimly lit lights all had a shadowy red tone.

Jonny Dumpling offers a total of seven different dumpling dishes. The king-sized steamed (1,500 won for one big piece) is one of the favorites, but it will not be for sale for a month due to an injury to the chef. Another favorite is the fried shrimp and pork dumplings (4,000 won for eight small pieces and 5,000 won for 10 bigger pieces).

We ordered the fried shrimp and pork, the boiled egg and vegetable (4,000 won for 10 small pieces and 5,000 won for 13 bigger pieces) and the dumpling soup (5,000 won), considering the rainy weather.

The boiled egg and vegetable dumpling was moist and juicy, with a soft and healthy filling made with eggs, leeks and mushrooms. The flour wrap was tender and thin, securing the aroma and warmth of the filling inside.

Dumpling soup is a well-known dish to Koreans, with its refreshing broth and steamy hot dumplings. The dumpling soup at Jonny's, however, was quite different. The broth was spicy and had a special tang to it. The dish also comes with several mussels that complimented the dish with a deep and savory taste. Like the boiled dumplings, the ones in the soup were also very soft and tender. Dumpling soup is recommended on a rainy day, for the broth is perfect to melt down the chilly weather.

The fried shrimp and pork dumplings were a treat. The flour wrap was thin and light, and because it was so delicate, the frying process transformed the outer wrap to a thin and crispy chip. In contrast with the crunchy wrap, the filling was steaming hot and very juicy. Made with a small whole shrimp, leeks and tree ear mushrooms, the filling was perfect with the light and crunchy flour wrap. Just as you take a bite of the dumpling, the juicy interior fills your mouth with the aroma of the combination of the shrimp, pork and vegetables.

The overall experience was scrumptious, and despite the nasty rainy weather, many people visited the restaurant for its homemade fare.

If your order is more than 20,000 won, they deliver the tasty dumplings within the Itaewon area. Order more than 100,000 won and they will deliver it anywhere in Seoul.

Jonny Dumpling is located across from the Hamilton Hotel, Itaewon. Walk past the Industrial Bank of Korea and turn right at the first corner. The restaurant is on your left. For more information call (02) 790-8830.

sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr