Mangata serves up the taste of the Vikings, but refined

Tucked away in a traditional Korean house in central Seoul's Samcheong-dong, Mangata serves up Scandinavian-inspired food that starts at Swedish meatballs and goes beyond to deliver rich flavors not often found in Korea.

Kottbuller served at the Scandinavian restaurant Mangata in Jongno District, central Seoul. [WOO SANG-JO]

[AMBASSADOR’S TABLE – RESTAURANT REVIEW]

Swedish cuisine is best known for its meatballs. But is that all it has to offer?

While it’s rare to find a Swedish dining experience in Korea, there’s a Scandinavian restaurant in Samcheong-dong that serves Swedish dishes — including its take on the classic meatball.

Samcheong-dong is a charming, culturally rich neighborhood in central Seoul's Jongno District, surrounded by historic landmarks like Gyeongbok Palace and Changdeok Palace. The area is filled with winding alleys lined with hanok, or traditional Korean houses. Many have been transformed into cafes, restaurants and shops — and at the end of one alley sits Mangata.

The interior of the Scandinavian restaurant Mangata in Jongno District, central Seoul [WOO SANG-JO]

Though housed in a hanok, Mangata’s interior does not feel traditionally Korean — which chef Kim Do-hyung said was intentional. Sleek and minimal, the space features wooden furnishings throughout, including tables, chairs and paneling, creating a modern and serene atmosphere.

“I had the desire to do something un-Korean in a neighborhood that feels deeply Korean,” Kim told the Korea JoongAng Daily during a visit to the restaurant, which was recommended by the Swedish ambassador to Korea.

After spending about seven years working at a Scandinavian restaurant in the United States, Kim returned to Korea and opened Mangata in 2019. The name of the restaurant is a Swedish word referring to the shimmering, road-like reflection of the moon on water. It’s a word that best captures the feeling he aims to convey, Kim said.

While his menu draws broadly from Scandinavian cuisine — with flavors from Sweden, Norway and Denmark — his focus is primarily on Swedish food. What drew him to Swedish cuisine, he explained, was its similarities to Korean dishes, such as the use of fermentation and acidity.

One of Mangata’s signature dishes is Kottbullar, Swedish meatballs. Chewy and with texture, they’re different from the dense meatballs often found in Italian eateries or the mass-produced versions served at Ikea, thanks to a blend of breadcrumbs and grain flour — two ingredients often used in traditional Swedish recipes.

The dish is served with smooth potato puree carrying a faint smoky aroma, a vinegar-based cream sauce at the bottom and cucumber pickles and raspberry pickles. The raspberry pickles, inspired by Swedish lingonberry jam, isn’t too sweet or sour despite its bold appearance. While the chef recommends eating all the components together, I found that each had too strong a personality to blend harmoniously.

Skagenrora served at the Scandinavian restaurant Mangata in Jongno District, central Seoul [WOO SANG-JO]

Another dish, Skagenrora, a shrimp salad, has been on the menu since day one. The dish features creamy shrimp salad with dill along with slices of salt-cured salmon and pickled mussels. Homemade sourdough bread is served on the side to enjoy with the shrimp. The salad itself was just simple and clean in flavor. While Sweden is known for its fermented seafood, the seafood served that day had a noticeably fishy taste.

Other menu items such as Anka Risotto and Smorgasbord couldn’t be tested.

Both Skagenrora and Kottbuller are available à la carte, while the meatballs are also featured as one of the main courses in the Chef’s Tasting Course, priced at 77,000 won ($56). The restaurant is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with a break from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]