Beginner's hagfish BBQ at Dunchondong Station: Ppalgan Kkomjangeo

This is my story of eating garlic giant hagfish at Ppalgan Kkomjangeo, a great find near Dunchondong Station.

Where is Ppalgan Kkomjangeo near Dunchondong Station, and when is it open?

Ppalgan Kkomjangeo Dunchondong Station Main Branch (빨간꼼장어 둔촌동역본점) is at 8 Pungseong-ro 56-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul, about a 3-minute walk from Dunchondong Station, so it's easy to reach by subway. Have you ever tried kkomjangeo (hagfish, often grilled over charcoal)? It was one of those foods I'd only heard about and always been curious about, so today I finally went to try it.

• Location: 8 Pungseong-ro 56-gil, Gangdong-gu, Seoul
• Hours: Mon–Sat 16:30–23:00
• Last order: 22:30
• Closed: every Monday
• Parking: Dunchon Station traditional market public parking lot (paid)
• If you park at the Oscar commercial building lot, 1 hour of parking is covered when you order ₩60,000 or more per table

What did we order at Ppalgan Kkomjangeo?

On the day I visited, only the giant hagfish was in stock, so I ordered the garlic giant hagfish ✨ Even though we came early in the evening, the place was full of customers. It must be a popular spot! I started picking from the menu with a fluttering heart. Please check the photos for the menu!

What side dishes come with the meal?

The side dishes were lettuce and perilla leaf geotjeori (fresh, lightly seasoned salad), cold cucumber soup, and pickled perilla leaves. All of them were seasoned just right and delicious 🤤

I love tofu with kimchi, so I was happy it came as a standard side! It was so good that I ordered one more 👍

I liked that the grill was kept clean. Hagfish grilled over charcoal, how exciting! I couldn't wait 😋

How does the garlic giant hagfish arrive, and how do you grill it?

The garlic giant hagfish came already cooked once! It looked different from what I'd imagined, which was fun. I thought hagfish was the skinned, wriggling kind, but it wasn't! Maybe because it's giant hagfish, the pieces were really thick.

You grill it yourself, and the instructions are posted near the exhaust vent. The owner explained that you should grill hagfish like beef, probably because it gets tough if you grill it too long 😚

Since it's garlic hagfish, I could see minced garlic on the surface. We grilled tteok (rice cakes) alongside it too! The look was strange yet fresh. You shouldn't cut it into lots of pieces at the start; leave it at a decent length while grilling!

What did hagfish taste like for the first time?

The garlic giant hagfish was soft yet chewy, springy and nutty, like a well-grilled squid that isn't tough! Once it's cooked through, cut it into bite-size pieces. The part inside that I guess was cartilage had a really unusual texture and was delicious ☺️

Drinking with hagfish: somaek

Today's drink was somaek (soju mixed with beer)! We had Saero soju with Cass beer. My friend and I don't share the same soju taste, so Saero was the overlap, haha. Once the drinks started, the hagfish vanished in a flash 🤫

Are the steamed egg and DIY rice ball worth ordering?

We also ordered the steamed egg, and it was the textbook good steamed egg! Soft and full of savory flavor. A meal can't go without steamed egg, right?

And of course the rice ball can't be skipped either. I ordered it and made it myself with gusto. (It's a DIY rice ball, so you make it yourself.)

How are the dipping sauce and the garlic flavor?

The dipping sauce for the hagfish was a sesame-oil sauce with garlic, chili, salt and sesame oil. I like clean, mild flavors, so I was happy with the sauce! 👋

Dipped in the sauce, the nutty flavor went up a notch! The garlic hagfish doesn't have an overpowering garlic taste; it was a gentle garlic that lifts the savory depth. After tasting it, I definitely want to try the red (spicy) hagfish next time. I think half and half would balance nicely 👍

The first hagfish I ever tried, at Ppalgan Kkomjangeo in Dunchondong, was so good that I want to eat it again. There was no fishy smell or off taste, so it was a satisfying meal ☺️ If you're looking for a good hagfish spot near Dunchondong Station, I recommend it!