# Hongdae Chinese restaurant with Merlion decor: Ttasijia mala chicken

- By Suan (https://superchart.com/en/@after-rain-seat/)
- Written Sep 17, 2026
- Local places › Restaurants › Mapo, Seoul
- Sponsored: This post was written after a sponsored store visit.
- English edition: https://superchart.com/en/@after-rain-seat/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/
- Also in: [한국어](https://superchart.com/ko/@after-rain-seat/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/index.md)

## In short

Ttasijia Yeonnam is a Singapore-style Chinese and Asian restaurant on Donggyo-ro 38-gil in Mapo, Seoul, a short walk from Gyeongui Line Forest Park in Yeonnam-dong. Ttasijia Yeonnam stands out for its Merlion statue and orange-and-teal interior, and one visit covered shrimp gukbap (rice soup) with tiger prawns at 16,500 won, black vinegar guobaorou (sweet and sour pork, small) at 18,000 won and Ttasijia mala chicken (small) at 18,000 won, for a total of 52,500 won. The salty, concentrated soup, the deep tang of the black vinegar and the clear Sichuan pepper hit of the mala chicken all point to one verdict: Ttasijia Yeonnam is for diners who love bold, punchy flavors.

## Good to know

- **Location**: 1F, 13-1 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul (Hongik Univ. Station Exit 3, near Gyeongui Line Forest Park)
- **Shrimp gukbap (tiger prawn)**: 16,500 won
- **Black vinegar guobaorou (sweet and sour pork, small)**: 18,000 won
- **Ttasijia mala chicken (small)**: 18,000 won
- **Order total**: 52,500 won
- **Seating**: Outdoor tables available, cozy interior
- **Other menu items**: Shrimp broth fried noodles, shrimp noodle soup, chili clams, cereal shrimp, fried shrimp rolls, shrimp fried rice, olive fried rice, stir-fried water spinach, seasoned cucumber, fried mantou buns, steamed rice
- **Drinks**: 100% cold-pressed apple juice and more, plus a wide range of alcoholic drinks
- **Price reference**: ₩16,500 ≈ $12 · ₩18,000 ≈ $13 (2026-09-18)

*as written by the visitor on Sep 17, 2026*

## Ttasijia Yeonnam: a Singapore-style Chinese restaurant in Yeonnam-dong

Ttasijia Yeonnam is a Singapore-style Chinese and Asian restaurant at 13-1 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, Mapo-gu, Seoul, near Gyeongui Line Forest Park. Good food is basically my only joy in life, so I end up wandering around Yeonnam-dong pretty often since it's nearby... One time I was just walking past and was so surprised by this place that I actually stopped to take a photo. It's the kind of spot where you could show your friends the picture and say you're in Singapore and they'd probably believe you! So pretty! (I've never actually been to Singapore, to be clear.) Anyway, I looked it up later and it turned out to be Ttasijia Yeonnam, a well-known spot in Yeonnam-dong. So I ran right over.

![Exterior and entrance of Ttasijia Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-01-15brv-900.webp)

Even the entrance is no joke... I actually turned around mid-walk because I was so startled.

![Ttasijia Yeonnam storefront with Merlion statue](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-02-1jfhw-900.webp)

There's a Merlion statue and the whole place is so, so pretty. It's the kind of place where your mood lifts the moment you walk in.

![Carefully decorated interior details](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-03-12cq0-900.webp)

You can tell every corner was thought through.

![Interior with orange tones and teal accents](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-04-1yysf-900.webp)

### Outdoor tables and the orange-and-teal Merlion interior

Ttasijia Yeonnam has outdoor tables, and the inside is cozy too, so the atmosphere was great overall. It's mostly orange-toned with teal accents, and the color balance is just right — so pretty. Being near Gyeongui Line Forest Park, it also seems like a great date spot.

![Outdoor table seating at Ttasijia Yeonnam](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-05-1svhw-900.webp)

Isn't this basically Singapore... turns out you can travel abroad without leaving Korea.

![Storefront with a Singapore-style atmosphere](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-06-37v1x-900.webp)

## What's on the menu and drink list at Ttasijia Yeonnam

Ttasijia Yeonnam has a pretty extensive menu. Shrimp broth fried noodles, shrimp gukbap (rice soup), and shrimp noodle soup seem to be the main meal items. Beyond that there's chili clams, black vinegar sweet and sour pork, Ttasijia mala chicken, cereal shrimp, fried shrimp rolls, shrimp fried rice, olive fried rice, stir-fried water spinach, cucumber salad, fried flower bread, steamed rice, and more.

![Ttasijia Yeonnam food menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-07-4x93v-900.webp)

![Menu board listing dishes](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-08-kexbz-900.webp)

The drink menu is also pretty varied, and interestingly they even have 100% pressed apple juice. That looked really good too.

![Drink menu featuring pressed apple juice](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-09-xql4w-900.webp)

![Ttasijia Yeonnam beverage menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-10-1nefg-900.webp)

![Alcohol menu](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-11-1vfp3-900.webp)

The alcohol menu is pretty extensive too.

### What we ordered at Ttasijia Yeonnam and what it cost

- Shrimp gukbap (tiger prawn) ₩16,500
- Black vinegar sweet and sour pork (small) ₩18,000
- Ttasijia mala chicken (small) ₩18,000
- Total ₩52,500

![Table spread with shrimp gukbap, sweet and sour pork, and mala chicken](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-12-c9j6c-1200.webp)

All the dishes came out almost at the same time.

![](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-13-189s6-900.webp)

## Shrimp gukbap with tiger prawns, 16,500 won: salty, concentrated broth

Ttasijia Yeonnam's shrimp gukbap is ₩16,500 and comes with tiger prawn. First off, the gukbap (rice soup) — the visual alone was exactly my style. The broth is on the salty side, but the rich stock flavor was so good. It's refreshing yet savory, the kind of thing you keep spooning up — I almost ordered extra rice to mix in.

![Close-up of the rich shrimp gukbap broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-14-1792w-900.webp)

![A spoonful of shrimp gukbap broth](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-15-1oovi-900.webp)

It's kind of like a salty, bold version of seolleongtang (ox bone soup), but way deeper and richer? It felt like the ocean's briny freshness combined with a savory stock. Total taste match for me — I'd order it again in a heartbeat!

![Large tiger prawn in the shrimp gukbap](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-16-15e6n-900.webp)

There's one big, hearty tiger prawn in there too, with a deep yet subtle sweetness — really good. It's been a while since I had tiger prawn... and yeah, tiger prawn really is on another level compared to regular small shrimp...

![Picking up a piece of tiger prawn meat](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-17-nzyeh-900.webp)

## Black vinegar guobaorou (small), 18,000 won: two hefty pieces

The black vinegar sweet and sour pork is ₩18,000 for the small size, and you get two big pieces. I love sour sweet and sour pork in general, so I ordered it.

![Two pieces of small-size black vinegar sweet and sour pork](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-18-knif7-900.webp)

That signature crispy-yet-chewy texture of sweet and sour pork was so good. It even held up its texture pretty well after cooling down.

![Cross-section of crispy sweet and sour pork](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-19-1vzma-900.webp)

![Sweet and sour pork coated in black vinegar sauce](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-20-pepaf-m-900.webp)

The batter was just the right thickness and the meat was tender and tasty. The sauce is on the tangy side, but it felt subtly different from a typical sweet and sour sauce. Maybe because of the black vinegar, it wasn't that sharp vinegar bite — more of a deep, rich tanginess, which I liked.

![Picking up a piece of sweet and sour pork](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-21-ll6cp-900.webp)

## Ttasijia mala chicken (small), 18,000 won: a must if you love mala

The Ttasijia mala chicken is ₩18,000 for the small, and the portion is quite generous. And if you love mala, I really, really recommend this. It comes with fried chili peppers and peanuts, topped with a generous dusting of mala powder. Just looking at it screams bold flavor, right! Taste-wise, the mala flavor really comes through strong, with Sichuan pepper in there too giving it that authentic mala feel. And those fried chili peppers are seriously delicious too — crunchy like a snack.

![Mala chicken topped with mala powder and fried chili peppers](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-22-z7tsz-900.webp)

![Ttasijia mala chicken served with peanuts](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-23-o62e7-900.webp)

This isn't that mild, Koreanized version of mala — it's the real deal! That said, it's not so intense that your tongue goes numb; it's salty with a strong mala aroma rising up and great umami. Best of all, the chicken meat was great quality, super juicy and tender. The spice level isn't crazy high, but the flavor overall is bold, so this one was a total match for my taste too.

![Tender chicken meat inside the mala chicken](https://img.superchart.com/images/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken/tasijia-yeonnam-merlion-mala-chicken-24-1b7nk-900.webp)

I finished every last bit — almost embarrassingly clean.

## Is Ttasijia Yeonnam worth a visit? Final verdict

Ttasijia Yeonnam, a Yeonnam-dong favorite where you can enjoy Singapore's vibe and flavors! The salty, rich shrimp gukbap, the tangy crispy-chewy sweet and sour pork, and the mala chicken with unmistakable Sichuan pepper presence — every single dish was such a perfect match for my taste... I've never been to Singapore so I don't really know, but... if this is what the food is like... I feel like I need to go right now. I love bold, punchy flavors, so having all three dishes hit that mark was honestly shocking. If you're looking for a good restaurant in Yeonnam-dong, I highly recommend it!

## Where it is

- Ttasijia Yeonnam (따시지아 연남)
- 13-1 Donggyo-ro 38-gil, 1F, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea
- 서울특별시 마포구 동교로38길 13-1 1층
- 37.5621615, 126.9250274
- Google Maps: https://www.google.com/maps/search/%EB%94%B0%EC%8B%9C%EC%A7%80%EC%95%84%20%EC%97%B0%EB%82%A8/@37.5621615,126.9250274,17z

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