Yeongdeungpo izakaya for charcoal skewers and seafood ramen: Kaken

Where is Kaken, and is it busy on weekend evenings?

Before going to see the fireworks festival, I looked for an izakaya in Dangsan for dinner in Yeongdeungpo. I chose Kaken (카켄), where I could have charcoal-grilled skewers with draft beer. It is on the first floor at 237 Dangsan-ro, set slightly back from the main road; I almost passed it at first, but found it by looking for the sign above.

I arrived around 5–6 p.m. on a weekend, and the restaurant was already full. The original post said Naver reservations were available from 5–7 p.m., and that you could choose your seat when reserving. This reservation information may be useful if you want a table seat.

Is the atmosphere good for conversation?

The interior was fairly dim, with quiet music playing. It was nice for talking together, and not loud enough to make it difficult to give my order to the staff. On one side, ordered skewers were being grilled over charcoal.

I sat at a bar seat directly facing the open kitchen. It was enjoyable to watch the food being prepared while I ate. Besides the bar seats, there were tables for two and four.

What is on the menu, and how much did my order cost?

The recommended dishes seemed to change with the season or the fish available that day. There was seasonal aged sashimi and grilled fish, as well as a charcoal-grilled assorted skewer set made with domestic chicken.

There were also fried dishes, nabe (Japanese hot pot), and pasta. Along with draft beer, I could choose sake and highballs. Here is what I ordered that day and the prices at the time of my visit.

• 10-skewer assortment: ₩28,000
• Seafood ramen: ₩9,000
• Cass draft beer, 500 ml: ₩5,500

What complimentary side dish was served?

The complimentary side dish was braised quail eggs and konjac. Both were good, but I especially liked the konjac and had several refills. It stood out enough that I still think about it.

The country-of-origin information was posted somewhere easy to see. When I checked, most of the ingredients were labeled as domestic.

How are the charcoal skewers grilled, and what were they like?

From the bar, I could see the skewers being grilled. Charcoal was lit on the side farther from the door, and the charcoal stacked like a tower seemed to be for grilling primitive-style fish. That day, I ordered yakitori (Japanese grilled chicken skewers) instead of grilled fish.

My skewers were grilled directly over charcoal. I could see them being grilled while sauce was brushed on in front of the fire, and I liked the flavor of that sauce as well.

I ate the 10-skewer assortment one at a time with draft beer. I do not like skewers that are overly charred and bitter or dried out, but these generally felt juicy.

Which skewers from the assortment stood out?

The negima was a skewer of chicken with scallions between the pieces. The scallions cut through the richness, and the sweet-savory tare sauce was evenly brushed on, making it easy to enjoy.

I liked the texture of the chicken cartilage enough to consider ordering more. The chicken skin was brushed with sauce and grilled until crisp yet chewy, and it was my companion's favorite skewer. The bacon tomato was sweet and savory, so it worked well as a palate refresher between the other skewers.

The chicken tenderloin was soft and juicy. The shichimi sauce and mayonnaise on top also went well with it. The gingko nuts felt chewy after being seasoned and grilled over charcoal.

I liked that the chicken hearts were plump, and the shrimp was also juicy rather than dry. The garlic was fine, but my favorite was the king oyster mushroom. The sauce-coated, grilled mushroom was juicy and chewy, almost like eating meat. I did not take photos of the king oyster mushroom or garlic because I was busy eating them.

How was the seafood ramen with the skewers?

After eating the skewers, I wanted something spicy, so I ordered the seafood ramen. I chose it because I wanted a simple accompaniment rather than a large additional meal.

I expected something like a seafood mix, but it included white clams. I was happy because I like those clams, and the broth simmered with them was good too.

The noodles were cooked with a firm bite, which suited my taste. There were several shrimp, and the white clams were chewy. I was satisfied with it as a way to finish the meal after the skewers.

How do parking, restrooms, and corkage work?

There is no parking at the restaurant, so you need to use a nearby paid parking lot. A door inside the restaurant connects to the building restroom. The men's and women's restrooms were not separate spaces, but were divided into stalls. It was convenient that I did not have to go outside to use it.

The original post listed the hours as 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. the following day, and until 4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Corkage was listed as ₩20,000 per bottle, with no alcohol restrictions.

How was the trip to the fireworks festival after dinner?

After finishing dinner, I took a taxi for about 15 minutes to see the fireworks festival. That was the travel time when I went that day. I had fond memories of watching fireworks with music before, so I watched near the speakers again this time.

There were so many people that getting home was difficult. Still, I remember it as a day when I had skewers and seafood ramen at Kaken before enjoying the fireworks festival.