Self-cooked cheese fried rice with dakdoritang in Cheonan: Sottture

Cheonan restaurant recommendation, Seongjeong-dong dakdoritang (Korean spicy chicken stew) 📍Sottture Dakdoritang

Today I visited Sottture Dakdoritang in Seongjeong-dong, Cheonan! Dakdoritang is such a great meal, and it works as a drinking snack too.

Getting there and business info

• Address: 31 Seobu 19-gil, 1F, Seobuk-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do
• Hours: Mon–Sun 11:00–23:00
• Break time: 15:00–16:00 (no break time on Sat/Sun)
• Last order: 22:00

There was a cauldron boiling away out front, and I thought they were cooking chicken outside the whole time — but up close it turned out to be a model, haha, totally fooled me,,,,,

Oh, and Sottture Dakdoritang in Seongjeong-dong, Cheonan gives ₩5,000 off for lunch or takeout! Try going during lunch hours to get the discount.

Where to park?

There's a parking space behind the restaurant, which made things really convenient.

Vibe and group seating

True to a Seongjeong-dong local spot, the restaurant had quite a lot of tables. They're mostly 4-person tables, but they can be pushed together, so it looked perfect for a group of 8+ having a Seongjeong-dong get-together.

Menu lineup

As the name suggests, the signature dish at Sottture Dakdoritang is dakdoritang, offered in whole-chicken or half-chicken sizes. There are side menu items too, so if you can't handle spicy food, something like pork cutlet is also an option.

Whole chicken for two, honest review

• Whole chicken (2-3 servings) ₩35,000
• Flat mandu (dumplings) ₩5,000
• Self-cooked cheese fried rice ₩4,000

My husband and I came together, just the two of us, so we ordered the 2-3 serving whole chicken. They said they'll pack up leftovers too, so if you have a big appetite, go for the 1.5-chicken option :)

When the dakdoritang first arrived, the boiled egg sitting on top was so cute. It was even made really well, great quality, haha, so cute haha

They told us to let it boil for about 3 minutes after it arrives before eating. It was already fully cooked when it came out, so we didn't have to wait long, which was nice.

So how's the broth?

The broth wasn't a clear-style broth — it was thick, which was totally my type. They simmer the chicken stock for a really long time, so the broth is full of rich, deep flavor.

There's a guide on the wall about how to eat it best, and thanks to the spicy broth it's perfect as a drinking snack too — great as a first stop for a Seongjeong-dong group dinner, where you can enjoy the full course with flat mandu and fried rice.

The potatoes were fluffy and delicious, and the rice cakes were chewy and well seasoned throughout, good as an appetizer of sorts. I could see why it's known as the dakdoritang spot of Seongjeong-dong, Cheonan :)

The chicken wasn't small at all — it was pretty hearty, so there was plenty of meat. Generous enough for two, and definitely enough for a bigger group at a Seongjeong-dong dinner or gathering. If we'd also added ramyeon noodles we probably would have had leftovers, so we skipped the noodles and finished the whole chicken instead :)

I actually love dry chicken breast, so the big chunks of breast meat suited my taste — but since the chicken is on the larger side, if you don't like dry meat, I'd recommend focusing on the thighs and wings.

Dip the flat mandu in the broth

We added flat mandu as a side, and the inside is almost empty — more like a fried snack than a filled dumpling. It's more hollow inside than the yaki-mandu style.

Since it's fried, it's a bit greasy, but dipping it in the dakdoritang broth cuts the greasiness and leaves just the savory flavor!

Just like it said on the wall, wrapping chicken meat in the flat mandu gives you an amazing combo of texture and savory flavor. I liked it more soaked through than just quickly dipped and wrapped.

Self-cooked cheese fried rice — broth control is key

We added cheese to the self-cooked fried rice, and I really recommend getting it this way! They give you a really generous amount of cheese, and once you make the fried rice, the cheesy flavor makes it so much better.

🍯 Fried rice tip: shred the chicken breast meat finely and add it to the fried rice! It brings the texture to life and makes the fried rice way better. I'd also recommend cooking it with almost no broth. I put in about this much broth and it turned into pretty much porridge.

Drain off the broth completely first, then fry while adding broth back in little by little. Since it's self-cooked and not made by staff, I admit my skills were a bit lacking,,😇

Still, my rice-frying skills looked pretty professional, haha. Anyway, the trick for tasty fried rice: ⭐drain almost all the broth, then add it back in as you fry — note that down!⭐

The broth is so good that the fried rice turns out to be a real treat too. When you visit Sottture in Seongjeong-dong, Cheonan, make sure to try the fried rice crisped in the pot lid!

Final thoughts

Rich, spicy broth plus generous meat — Sottture Dakdoritang in Seongjeong-dong, Cheonan, nailed it! With the lunch/takeout discount and parking available, I'd recommend it as a spot for a Seongjeong-dong group dinner or a family gathering. If you're looking for a good dakdoritang restaurant in Seongjeong-dong, give it a try :)