Changwon izakaya for tebasaki and random ice cream: Ganppa Maekju

Why Ganppa Maekju works as a second round in Sangnam-dong

A second round at Ganppa Maekju in Sangnam

On days when eating dinner in Sangnam-dong and just heading straight home feels like a waste, a light beer for round two always hits the spot. This time we went to Ganppa Maekju, a bar in Sangnam-dong.

Even from the outside, the place felt more relaxed and easy to walk into than I expected. Sangnam-dong has so many bars that picking one can be a headache, and I was looking for somewhere I could sit comfortably and chat over a beer rather than somewhere loud and chaotic. Ganppa Maekju looked like a solid choice for a second round, so in we went.

Inside Ganppa Maekju: the room and the menu

Inside, the space was neatly arranged and the tables were spaced out nicely, which I liked. It was a good spot to sit with friends, chat, and have a drink, and the overall atmosphere was comfortable. Some bars in Sangnam-dong get too chaotic, but this one felt like a place you could actually relax in. Looking through the menu, there were more options than I expected, so it was fun choosing.

There were plenty of snacks that go well with beer, and set menus too, which made ordering easy for a second round. Rather than agonizing over each item, going with a set lets you try a variety of snacks at once, which seemed like a good option. This time we ordered tebasaki (fried chicken wings) and beer. Since it was round two, we wanted something that paired with beer rather than something too filling, and the moment I saw tebasaki on the menu I knew that was it.

Beer poured at your table, Ganppa Maekju style

After ordering, the beer came out first, and what was fun was that instead of just pouring it, they actually pressed/squeezed it out for us. Watching the beer come together was surprisingly entertaining, so I took some photos — it was more fun than I expected.

Little touches like this really do make the atmosphere at a bar better. Once the glasses were filled, we clinked them together with friends, and that first cold sip made me think it was a good call to come for round two. The beer wasn't too heavy and went down cleanly, pairing well with the food. Especially on a day like this, when the weather made me crave a cold beer, it was exactly right.

How was the tebasaki at Ganppa Maekju?

While we were having our beer, the tebasaki we ordered arrived. It looked delicious right from the start. Tebasaki uses the chicken wing, which makes for a great beer snack, and the outside was nicely grilled and easy to eat. Looking at the photos again, it's a dish that just screams 'beer.'

Taking a bite, the outside was cooked nicely and the inside was juicy. You could really taste the chewy texture unique to chicken wings, and the seasoning wasn't overdone, so it went well with beer. Personally, bar snacks that are too intense get tiring after a few bites, but tebasaki was easy to keep picking at with each sip of beer. Chatting with friends and grabbing one piece at a time, the plate emptied before we knew it. Snacks you can just pick up with your hands really are the most comfortable choice for drinking.

The review event and the random ice cream

They were also running a review event, so I took part. It was nice that they took a pretty photo for the review too. At bars, usually you just take food photos and that's it, but being able to leave with a photo commemorating the visit was fun. If you visit with friends, it seems like a good way to keep a photo of the occasion.

Another fun part of Ganppa Maekju was the random ice cream. Seeing an ice cream item on a bar menu felt kind of cute, and I figured it'd be nice as a palate cleanser at the end, so I ordered it. Since it comes out randomly, there was some fun in waiting to see what flavor we'd get. Eating something sweet while drinking made my mouth feel refreshed, and it paired better than I expected. This kind of item seems like a good thing to order at the end of a second round after dinner.

The gyoza that beat expectations

Among everything we ordered, the one I personally liked quite a bit was the gyoza (pan-fried dumplings). It was tastier than I expected, which made me happy. The outside was crisply fried and the inside was moist with a generous filling, and it paired well with the beer. The tebasaki was great too, but the gyoza was the kind of taste that kept my hand reaching back, so it disappeared even faster. The combination of crispy outside and soft inside was great, and it was perfect for eating one at a time with beer.

I don't think snacks need to be elaborate for a second round, and having menu items like these was actually satisfying. It was a good lineup for having a beer, nibbling on snacks, and chatting.

Is Ganppa Maekju worth a second round with friends?

Overall, spending time at Ganppa Maekju that day was more relaxing than I expected, and I was satisfied. The tebasaki and gyoza paired especially well with the beer, and small touches like the beer being poured fresh at the table and the random ice cream made the visit memorable. When looking for a second-round spot in Sangnam-dong, it can be hard to decide where to go, but this place is a good option when you want beer and light snacks without anything too heavy. It worked well as a second stop after our first meal when we wanted to keep chatting, and it was a comfortable place to have a casual drink with friends.

The tebasaki paired well with beer, and the gyoza was more delicious than expected, which was satisfying. The gyoza especially, with its crispy texture, seemed to keep calling for more beer, so between all the chatting it disappeared fast. The beer was nicely cold, and being able to pick from a variety of snacks was great. Most of all, I liked that the atmosphere wasn't overwhelming, so I could sit comfortably. If you're trying to decide where to go for round two with friends in Sangnam-dong, Ganppa Maekju could be a solid choice. Time flies when you're chatting over a cold beer with a plate of tebasaki.

On top of that, having gyoza together and finishing with a random ice cream made for a satisfying, well-rounded visit. Personally, I liked the tebasaki-and-gyoza combo, and if I come back, I'd like to try some of the other snacks too. It was a good place to visit when you want a not-too-heavy drink in Sangnam-dong or need a comfortable spot for round two, and overall it was a satisfying time.