Please, if you know, tell me why I had never been to Mandu in all the years I've been in DC. Walked by, biked by, even drove by. Never stepped foot into this place until the last week. Forgive me! Forgive myself!Mandu is a locally owned family Korean restaurant on 18th Street NW (1805, across the street from the BP). This location is in the middling border area between Dupont and Adams Morgan. Anyway, Mandu is great! The happy hour is one of DC's best (according to me anyway). Two dollar beers and half off "sojutinis." Soju is Korean rice vodka, and the sojutinis come in various fruity flavors. Appetizers are only $3.00.
Even if you miss happy hour (until 7pm), the regular menu is totally vegan friendly and generally the bee's knees. I had the veggie bibim bap. Felt as if I was cheating on Mt Pleasant's own Adam Express, but this affair was totally worth it. It was served warm (hot!) in a clay pot. The vegetables were served over rice. Simple, plentiful and tasty. Sorry I don't have other adjectives to describe it. Palatable, delicious. Whatever. All of the above. Very impressed and sad that I had never ignored Lauriol Plaza occasionally to try this place out. A+ for you Mandu.
