By Karen Song
Korea Times Intern

During summer when doenjang jjigae and kimchi jjigae are too hot to eat, why not try eating a cool dish of kimchimaribap or rice in ice-cold kimchi soup?

``Ibuk Sonmandu Jip" (Northern Style Mandu House) is famous for kimchimaribap, literally translated as rice into kimchi soup. Situated in an alley behind Seoul City Hall, you can find several signboards (in Korean) showing the way to a small traditional ``hanok'' house as if at the end of a labyrinth. The restaurant itself is not a hole in the wall, but its location is like a hole-in-the-alley.

Inside, the hanok, a traditional open space, as well as electric fans and air conditioner, keeps the place pleasantly cool. There is an open yard with tables and chairs, surrounded by traditional 'L' shaped rooms that allow one to sit on the floor. Even during noon when the sun shines directly from above, tree branches and bamboo blinds draped over the yard protect customers from the sunlight and uncomfortable humidity.

The restaurant's cuisine is that of Pyonyang, North Korea, showing off its 20 years of tradition. It also specializes in hand-made manduguk (Korean dumplings in soup) and mung-bean pancake.

As simple as the menu, posted on the wall, was the speedy service. An ajumma would pop out with the your dish in less than a minute from taking the order.

We tried kimchimaribap (7,000 won), which consisted of rice in a soup of kimchi and ice cubes. The kimchi was well pickled in the northern style, never spicy but refreshing. The sesame seeds plus the right amount of sesame oil on top brought out its uniquely savory flavor.

There were also enough ice cubes to keep the food cold while eating it. The food's appearance isn't something even Koreans find appealing, but once you get over the unappetizing look of the dish and actually try it, you'll be surprised at how good it is. One foreigner who went to the restaurant said she didn't want to sample the dish at first, but when did was surprised that she couldn't stop eating it.

We also ordered handmade mandu (8,000 won) and manduguk (8,000 won). Mandu are filled Korean dumplings that are steamed, while manduguk features mandu in a soup. The restaurant's dumplings are quite different from the normal mandu you taste around Korea, since it had a very thick layer, almost double the normal. It was also very chewy and had lots of filling of grinded pork, bean sprouts, and Korean leeks.

To get to Ibuk Sonmandu Jip, take subway line 2 or 5 to City Hall station and take exit 4. Walk to the back of City Hall building and go in to the alley near 7-Eleven. Closed on Sundays. Call (02) 776-7350.

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