Ssangmun-dong Pandas 쌍문동판다쓰

Warm pu'er tea arrives in place of water, a good counterweight to the oily dishes. Fish-fragrant eggplant (eohyang gaji) carries so much plump shrimp that the eggplant almost plays a supporting role, and its sauce clings to rice, working as both a meal dish and a drinking snack. The jjamppong (spicy seafood noodle soup) keeps its wok smoke without turning heavy, and jjamppong-bap swaps the noodles for rice. Adding fresh noodles to the dried tofu-skin salad lets the spicy, tangy dressing coat a chewy strand, and the dish holds its texture even as takeout. Orange mayo shrimp goes the opposite way from the chili broth, with a sweet-tart cream sauce.