Offal BBQ 1 min from Dangsan Station, heart grilled first: Chodaechang

I had plans with a friend at Dangsan Station, and since we were both on foot (no car!), we looked for a good place close to the station and found Chodaechang Dangsan Station (초대창 당산역점). I really love grilled offal like daechang (beef large intestine), makchang (abomasum) and teukyang (premium tripe), so I went in with high hopes. Conclusion first: it's a legit Dangsan Station daechang spot.

The staff grill everything for you, which made the meal so easy, and the portions are generous for the price, so I recommend it as a good-value place near Dangsan Station.

Where is Chodaechang Dangsan Station? 1 minute from Exits 11 and 12

Chodaechang Dangsan Station is right in front of Exits 11 and 12 of Dangsan Station, so it's really easy to find. It's a convenient spot even on rainy or hot days.

It takes less than a minute from the exit, and it's on the 2nd floor, so access is great. It's also an easy choice for an after-work get-together.

Head up to the 2nd floor and you'll see Chodaechang Dangsan Station. They were running various events too.

Chodaechang Dangsan Station atmosphere and seating

The restaurant feels clean overall. The tables are spaced fairly wide, so it wasn't rowdy and was good for talking. It looks fine for a company dinner or a get-together with friends near Dangsan Station.

Each table has a neat basic setup. The smell of meat didn't cling too badly, so we ate comfortably.

Chodaechang menu and ordering: Mixed Grill A ₩66,000, doenjang sulbap ₩7,000

You order through the kiosk at each table. The menu is laid out clearly, so ordering was easy.

• Mixed Grill A (daechang + teukyang + makchang + heart) ₩66,000
• Doenjang sulbap (soybean paste rice stew) ₩7,000

If it's your first time eating offal, I recommend the mixed grill so you can try several cuts.

Mixed Grill A grilled by staff: what's the order?

The food came out without a long wait. What amazed me was that a robot does the serving. These systems are more common now, but it still feels kind of fun every time I see one.

I'm so glad we ordered the mixed grill. You get heart, teukyang, makchang and daechang, a nicely varied set. And the biggest plus of Chodaechang Dangsan Station is that the staff grill it for you. Offal is hard to grill well, so it tastes much better when an expert does it.

First up: the heart

They started by grilling the heart. Heart gets tough if you look away for a second, so it was really nice that they timed it right.

The heart cooking over charcoal. Just watching the smoky flavor sink in already looks delicious.

Just as the heart was nearly done, they put the daechang and makchang on right away. They grill in order without any gaps, so the flow of eating was great.

First bite was the heart, of course. It's seasoned just enough that it tasted good even without salt. No funky smell, and the chewy texture was very satisfying.

I put a cheongyang chili (spicy green chili) on the provided sauce and took a bite. For greasy offal, cheongyang chili is the best. The spiciness really lifts the flavor.

How is the Chodaechang doenjang sulbap?

The doenjang sulbap (₩7,000) we ordered with the meat arrives bubbling hot. It's full of ingredients and the rice is already mixed in, so it's plenty as a meal on its own.

There's plenty of tofu too. The broth is spicy yet rich, so I think it would go well as a drinking snack.

How do the daechang, makchang and teukyang taste?

At Chodaechang Dangsan Station, watching the meat cook is part of the fun. The staff are really skilled with their hands.

The meat is seasoned, so it could burn easily, but they kept flipping it and it came out golden brown. Not having to grill it ourselves was really convenient.

Now the teukyang goes on too. Once the meat is done, they put it straight onto your small plate.

Bite into the daechang and makchang and savory fat spreads through your mouth. With the charcoal aroma added, the flavor is really good. Eaten with cheongyang chili, it wasn't greasy at all.

Teukyang is my personal favorite. The chewy texture stays the more you chew, and it's clean-tasting, so I kept reaching for more.

Again I topped one with a cheongyang chili and took a bite. The charcoal aroma and the texture of the teukyang go together really well.

At first I wondered if 640g would be too much for two, but before I knew it we'd cleaned it out. The meat quality is good, and since they grill it for you, we enjoyed it to the very end.

Verdict: who is Chodaechang Dangsan Station for?

If you're looking for a good restaurant near Dangsan Station, or a good daechang place there, I recommend Chodaechang Dangsan Station. The staff grilling let us eat comfortably, and I liked the mixed set that lets you enjoy daechang, makchang and teukyang all at once.

• Anyone looking for a daechang or offal spot at Dangsan Station
• Anyone looking for a company dinner spot at Dangsan Station
• Anyone looking for a date-night restaurant at Dangsan Station
• Anyone who prefers a BBQ place where staff grill for you

Next time I plan to come back and have a glass of soju with it.