Sokcho restaurant for garlic fried chicken: Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip

For a great spot in Sokcho Central Market and a Sokcho dakgangjeong recommendation, I visited Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip (서민갑부 시장닭집). Garlic and deodeok (Codonopsis root) flavors are said to be their signatures. It is close to the entrance too, so the access is great great.

I took a trip to Sokcho on a weekend at the start of autumn. Sokcho Market was on our itinerary too! If you are market lovers like us, hahaha, you absolutely have to go.

Sokcho Central Market parking and the weekend atmosphere

Cars are not allowed in, so you must park at a nearby parking lot and walk in! 🚶♂️ 🚶♂️ 🚶♂️ 🚶♀️ 🚶♀️ 🚶♀️

Because it was Sunday, it was incredibly crowded.

There were so many good food spots, so I looked around enthusiastically.

Ordering garlic dakgangjeong and half fried chicken

My pick today was Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip! I ordered garlic dakgangjeong and half fried chicken!! I tend to prefer new flavors or signature items. And I love fried chicken too, haha. How about choosing flavors to suit your own taste too?^^

Take a look at the Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip menu too!!!!!!

You can eat inside the shop too.

It was clean, and the dishes were clean too! Whenever I visit a market, market chicken is always one of the foods that catches my eye. This time, I visited Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip, which became even more famous after being featured on television.

The item I especially wanted to try was garlic gangjeong! I took it out and tried it, and the savory aroma of freshly fried chicken immediately got my appetite going. With the market's warm, homey atmosphere and the generous portion, it suited both a snack and dinner perfectly.

Still piping hot, hahaha.

How did the garlic gangjeong taste?

Above all, the garlic gangjeong tasted amazing. When you bite into the chicken, the outside is crisp while the meat inside is moist and tender. It is coated in a sweet yet salty gangjeong sauce, with a subtle, pungent-yet-nutty garlic flavor coming through.

The garlic flavor was not overly spicy or intense, so it was fine to eat with children too, and I loved how the savory chicken and garlic sauce came together the more I chewed. I especially liked that the sauce did not sit separately on the chicken but clung to it in a pleasantly sticky way. The sweetness comes first, followed by salty umami and garlic's distinctive flavor.

With sauce added to the crisp coating, it was a combination of sweet, salty, savory, and gently pungent flavors all at once, so I kept reaching for more. Garlic lovers in particular should be satisfied with this one.

Market chicken that was tasty warm or cold

I think the appeal of market chicken is that you can enjoy it easily and without fuss. It has the comforting, old-fashioned flavor unique to market chicken, quite different from flashy chicken chains, and the garlic gangjeong felt a little more addictive with its sweet seasoned flavor.

It was best while warm, when the crisp texture was still alive, and even after reheating the leftover chicken, the sauce's umami still came through well. Personally, it was delicious cold too. It was also just right with beer or a fizzy drink.

Overall, Seomin Gapbu Sijang Dakjip's garlic gangjeong was delicious: crisp market chicken with sweet-savory seasoning and garlic flavor. Rather than being aggressively spicy, it is built around sweet and salty flavors with fragrant garlic added in, so I think it would have relatively few people who dislike it. It was a great menu item to pack up from the market and share heartily with family! If you like Sokcho Market chicken or dakgangjeong, I would recommend trying this garlic gangjeong at least once.