Danyang chicken restaurant for kid-friendly original dakgangjeong

Gosu Cave, then Gugyeong Market dakgangjeong

We said we would get moving from Sunday morning, but took it slooow~ and even slept in, so it was already 10 a.m. I had heard Gosu Cave was harder than expected, and despite having visited Danyang more than five times, I had never gone. Gosu Cave followed by Gugyeong Market~ My legs ached after all that exercise, but I simply could not skip the black garlic nurungji dakgangjeong (sweet crispy Korean fried chicken with scorched rice).

How did we park and handle the wait?

We used the riverside parking lot. The parking lot inside Danyang Market is always crowded, but a short walk gets you easy parking. There is plenty to look around at in the market, and you need a waiting ticket for the dakgangjeong, so you should make this your first stop. It was less busy because it was Sunday, and we got our dakgangjeong in just 30 minutes!

• Location: 31-1 Dojeon 4-gil, Danyang-eup, Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea
• Hours: Daily 10:00–20:00
• Closes when ingredients sell out

The original flavor was great for kids

Most of the popular spots at Danyang Gugyeong Market set out generous tasting stations, but this one puts out even more. The flavors are original nurungji dakgangjeong and double black garlic! We had always ordered the double black garlic because my husband and I ate it better than the kids, but this time Hyeon and the kids ate well too, so we ordered the kid-friendly original.

They were making nurungji nonstop, too. After paying and taking a lap around, they had our dakgangjeong ready. We also got two bottles of black garlic makgeolli (Korean rice wine) to have with dinner. The box has a handle, so it is easy to carry around, and at around ₩10,000 for two bottles, it is an easygoing price for gifts too.

A delicious dakgangjeong and makgeolli pairing, even cold

So gorgeous, haha. The makgeolli has a generous shelf life, too. Its sweet style goes so well with the rich black garlic nurungji dakgangjeong. It is delicious hot, but still plenty delicious once cold, so one box keeps us going with rice side dishes and snacks that day and the next.

One generous box with nurungji and garlic chips

The original comes topped with garlic chips. There is plenty of nurungji in there too. Eating them together makes it many times nuttier, and the portions are generous—the piece size and quantity are simply not comparable to the dakgangjeong we order around home. Lots of people eat it right at their travel destination, and it comes with chopsticks and chicken pickles, too~

The kids ate it well, so I cut it into easy-to-eat pieces first. I was in such a rush that I could not even put on plastic gloves; I held each piece and cut it by hand. Can you see the meat inside?

We piled on plenty of nurungji and garlic chips, too. It is such a complete flavor that I could call it life-changing dakgangjeong. Danyang has so much to see, including scenic Gosu Cave and Dodamsambong Peaks, but when traveling with kids, I think Danuri Aquarium nearby and a Danyang Gugyeong Market food tour are unmissable because of this dakgangjeong.

A meal that continues after getting home

It is a little far from home for a day trip, but this is the kind of menu we always buy because, once home in the evening, there is no need to set out a meal: it is the kids’ rice side dish, while Mom and Dad have it as a drinking snack with black garlic makgeolli. It is also nice to bring back with makgeolli as a travel gift.

How did we drink the black garlic makgeolli?

The makgeolli is special, too. Buying local specialty drinks can feel like a burden once you get a few bottles or cans, but this is a collaboration with Daegang Makgeolli, known as a high-quality banquet drink served at the Blue House. Since this shop is so popular and keeps selling the makgeolli, it has a long shelf life and tastes good even as it matures over time.

I recommend shaking it well before drinking. Its gently noticeable sweetness whets the appetite, so it felt especially synergistic with the dakgangjeong. We drank one bottle with the chicken, and kept the other to have before this holiday as a little post-work drink.

Danyang Gugyeong Market has so many good places to eat, and even more dakgangjeong shops, but you can tell from the generous dakgangjeong samples alone. There can be a wait of up to an hour, and the owner is so cheerful too—definitely stop by here.