Yay for delish Korean food in Rockville! I’m very excited to tell you guys about Mahdang today. If it’s your first time, I think their combos are the move. I highly recommend the Boodae Jeongol (Korean Army Stew) and Bossam (pork belly wraps). It’s $61.99, and you get SO much food, like this would feed 3 people easy IMO.
My friend and I got this set and barely made a dent, lol. Needless to say, we had a lot of delish noms to enjoy for days to come.
For those of you who don’t know what army stew is, it’s basically a huge piping hot stew with all kinds of goodies: ramen, rice cakes, kimchi, sausage, spam and more. It’s super flavorful, great for sharing, and it’s perfect for a cold day. It *is* a little on the spicy side though so I hope you like heat!
Let’s rewind a bit though and talk about army stew origins. After the Korean War, folks had to get creative with limited resources so they started mixing surplus army rations like Spam and sausage with Korean staples like kimchi and rice cakes. And voila! Budaejjigae was born.
As for ssam, the word translates to “wrap,” which is fitting because you’re supposed to wrap your pork belly and other noms inside their pickled Napa or greens for the ultimate bite. Enjoy your ssam and stew with a nice spread of complimentary banchan (Korean side dishes). And pro tip: ask for boricha instead of ice water! Boricha is barley tea (a FREE & popular drink in Korea), and it’ll warm you from the inside out.
NOW, onto parking. There’s a lot available, but I can see if filling up QUICK. There seems to be a good amount of street parking though. Have you guys been to Mahdang yet? Where do you like to get Korean food in Rockville?
If you’re craving something more interactive in the area, check out Yummy Bowl for AYCE Mongolian BBQ, where you build your own stir fry bowl from a big spread of proteins, veggies, and sauces. If you’re already in Rockville for Korean food, save room for something sweet after: Chateau de Rockville is a Korean-owned French-inspired bakery cafe on Rockville Pike with a creme brulee donut that’s hard to forget.
📍12300 Wilkins Ave, Rockville, MD