Renovated Dangjin fish restaurant, mackerel & japchae: Hwadeogeuro Gan

Grilled fish is something you can never really make at home, but as a Korean food lover I always end up seeking it out! I heard that a place in Dangjin serving properly wood-fired fish had been renovated, so I visited Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Dangjin Wondang Branch (화덕으로간고등어 당진원당점).

Where to park at Hwadeogeuro Gan Godeungeo Dangjin Wondang

There is a large parking lot behind the restaurant, so you don't need to worry about parking.

I like grilled fish, so I came with high hopes. The main dish was satisfying, but the self-serve bar was far better than I expected, and I'd call this the best of the Korean restaurants around ₩10,000 in Dangjin!

The renovated dining room and set menu

The first thing I noticed when walking into the renovated restaurant was how clean and spacious it was. It looked good for a family meal, a workday lunch or a group gathering.

The menu was varied too: grilled mackerel set, grilled Atka mackerel set, spicy pork set, Jeju hairtail set, bracken and butterfish stew set and more, so there's something for every taste. I chose the grilled mackerel set.

What's on the Hwadeogeuro Gan self-serve bar?

The self-serve bar at Hwadeogeuro Gan Dangjin Wondang Branch has cream soup, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), japchae (glass noodle stir-fry), a bibimbap corner and lots of side dishes. After ordering, the self-serve bar was the first place I headed.

I knew it as a Korean restaurant in Dangjin, but the self-serve bar was much more generous than I expected.

Cream soup and tteokbokki

The cream soup was warm and ready, nice to scoop a bowl before the meal, and its smooth, nutty flavor was plenty to get my appetite going.

There was tteokbokki at the self-serve bar as well.

The rice cakes were chewy and the sauce wasn't too spicy, so anyone can enjoy it.

Japchae worth a refill

Japchae comes as a main side dish in the first serving and is also at the self-serve bar. The glossy noodles were springy and delicious, so I ate it as a main and then went back for a refill!!

It had plenty of meat, and the seasoning was great.

Build-your-own namul bibimbap corner

Personally, my favorite was the bibimbap corner. You can take as much of the various namul (seasoned vegetables) and other ingredients as you like and make your own bibimbap.

Picking the ingredients I wanted, adding gochujang (chili paste) and mixing it all up felt like being at a Korean buffet. If you like namul, you'll love it. The self-serve bar also had plenty of other side dishes. Each one was neat and clean, and I liked that you can bring more without feeling awkward if you run out.

The grilled mackerel set and how the mackerel tastes

When you order the grilled mackerel set, this tidy spread comes out first. The side dishes on the table can be refilled at the self-serve bar as much as you need.

Soon the main dish, the grilled mackerel, arrived. The golden-brown look alone got my appetite going.

When I picked the flesh apart with chopsticks, the inside was moist and the outside nicely crisp. There was hardly any fishy smell, so even people who aren't good with fish could probably eat it without trouble.

Eating it with warm rice, I couldn't help thinking grilled fish really is a "rice thief" (the kind of dish that makes you finish your rice). One bite of fish, one spoonful of rice, then japchae and side dishes from the self-serve bar on top, and it was the best!! My husband and I like eating lots of different foods at once, and I was amazed that for just around ₩10,000 you can eat this much variety and volume.

Is the side of tteokgalbi worth ordering?

I also ordered tteokgalbi as a side at Hwadeogeuro Gan Dangjin Wondang Branch, and it really earns a thumbs up. Kids will absolutely love it, so if you're visiting with young children, definitely order it!!

Leaving after the meal, I thought I'd like to try the grilled Atka mackerel set or the Jeju hairtail set next time. The menu is varied enough that I don't think I'd get tired of coming back, and it seemed like a great place to bring family.

A Dangjin Korean restaurant to take your parents

If you're looking for a hearty Korean meal in Dangjin, I'd recommend Hwadeogeuro Gan Dangjin Wondang Branch. The self-serve bar is better than expected, and the grilled mackerel wasn't fishy at all. I also loved that you can choose white or brown rice.

All through the meal I kept thinking I wanted to come with my mom and dad, so I highly recommend it as a restaurant to visit with your parents in Dangjin!!