Sinnonhyeon tteokbokki shop, Set A dinner after a clinic: Deokjane

Where is Deokjane Bangatgan near Sinnonhyeon Station, and what is it like inside?

Deokjane Bangatgan (덕자네방앗간) is at 62 Seocho-daero 77-gil, Seocho-gu, Seoul, on the L1 floor of Gangnam Station I-Park 1st Tower, and it took me about 2 minutes on foot from Sinnonhyeon Station Exit 7. I stopped by a clinic in the Gangnam area after work and wanted to sort out dinner, so I headed to this Gangnam tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) spot.

It was dinnertime, so there were quite a few office workers and diners, but the tables for two and four were neatly arranged and it was easy to grab a seat. You order first at the kiosk by the entrance, then pick up your food when your number shows up on the display at the top.

Pickled radish, small plates, scissors and cutlery are all set out neatly at the self-service corner, so you just take what you need.

Deokjane Bangatgan menu prices and what Basic Set A actually includes

The wall menu showed à la carte tteokbokki at ₩6,000, fish cake and mul-tteok (rice cakes in broth) at ₩4,000 each, and fries and sundae (Korean blood sausage) at ₩6,000. Gimbap (seaweed rice roll) was ₩4,500 for the Deokja gimbap and ₩5,500 for tuna or cheese, and bibim mandu (spicy mixed dumplings) and jjolmyeon (chewy spicy noodles) were ₩9,000 each.

If you're alone or with one other person and want a little bit of everything, a set menu is the easy choice. I ordered Basic Set A for ₩20,500.

When I got the tray, it was packed: tteokbokki, one roll of Deokja gimbap, mixed fries, chewy sundae, fish cake broth and a can of Coca-Cola.

The menu listed fish cake in Basic Set A, but on this day the tray actually came with a plate of sundae alongside the broth, so it felt as generous as ordering several separate items.

Rice cake tteokbokki with potato salad at Deokjane Bangatgan: how is takeout different?

The most eye-catching thing about the tteokbokki here is the round scoop of potato salad floating on the red sauce.

Thick garaetteok (long cylinder rice cakes) made fresh each morning in the kitchen at the back and wide, flat fish cakes come in big pieces, so I snipped them into bite-size bits with the scissors.

With the rich gochujang (red chili paste) based sauce, the soft potato salad mellows the heat, and the two go together nicely without being too harsh.

One thing to know if you're planning takeout: the notice at the pickup counter says potato salad isn't included with takeout tteokbokki because it can spoil. If you want the potato salad combo as is, dining in is the better choice.

Sesame-scented Deokja gimbap dipped in tteokbokki sauce

The Deokja gimbap, the basic item in Basic Set A, was evenly brushed with sesame oil and had a nice shine.

It's rolled neatly with the basics (pickled radish, egg, ham, carrot and burdock), and the rice isn't too thick, so it was easy to keep picking at.

I put a piece of gimbap on my spoon, spooned plenty of the thick tteokbokki sauce over it and ate them together, and the seasoning was just right.

Basic Set A sides: chewy sundae, mixed fries and fish cake broth

The chewy sundae in Basic Set A was a classic style with no off smell, and it came with a separate dish of salt.

The mixed fries plate had sweet potato, gimmari (glass noodle rolls in seaweed), yakimandu (fried dumplings) and fish cake fries, all fried golden.

The batter stayed crispy, so they're tasty on their own,

and they're also a good match for dipping in the tteokbokki sauce.

Warm broth comes with it as standard, which was nice for cleansing the palate between snack dishes.

Deokjane Bangatgan hours, parking and takeout tips

The main branch is open daily 11:00–20:30, with a break from 14:30 to 16:00 and last order at 20:00. There's no dedicated parking, so if you drive you'll need a nearby paid lot; walking from Sinnonhyeon Station is easier.

If you have leftovers while dining in, you can pay for a container (₩500 each) at the kiosk and pack the food yourself. Also, whether a separate meal kit is sold wasn't clear from the in-store notices or the menu, so keep that in mind before you visit.