Uijeongbu chicken restaurant with a clean-fried finish: Dalgom's

You know how there are foods at a market that are strangely hard to walk past? I’m a huge fan of dakgangjeong (sweet crispy fried chicken), especially haha ( ˃᷄˶˶̫˶˂᷅ ) 💗

This time, I stopped by Dalgom's (닭강정 달곰's) in Uijeongbu Jeil Market and got some dakgangjeong to go. To give you the conclusion first: the chicken I had this time was seriously so delicious. At first, I thought it was simply a dakgangjeong shop in the market, but once I tried it, I understood why people look it up as a great dakgangjeong spot in Uijeongbu.

Most of all, I took home three flavors that day—cheese-seasoned, sweet, and chili-garlic dakgangjeong—and each one had such a clear personality that it was fun trying them one by one.

Dalgom's location and hours inside Uijeongbu Jeil Market

It is regularly closed every Monday, and open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 to 21:00.

Dalgom's is located inside Uijeongbu Jeil Market, making it an easy place to stop while looking around the market. You can use the Jeil Market parking lot!

It looked so clean from the outside! Markets usually have that cozy, old-fashioned feeling, but Dalgom's had none of that—it had a very modern, clean exterior!

A tidy cooking area I saw while ordering takeout

Rather than eating there that day, I ordered in-person takeout. ( ˃᷄˶˶̫˶˂᷅ ) 💗 While waiting after placing my order, I took a quick look around the shop, and one thing surprised me a little.

It was the kitchen. When you think of a shop selling chicken or dakgangjeong, it uses oil, so you sometimes wonder whether the kitchen is kept clean, right? But the kitchen I saw as I walked by felt much cleaner than I expected.

It was so tidy that for a moment I thought, “Is this really a chicken shop?” I was a little surprised haha (*ˊᵕˋ*)੭ ੈ❤

Taste matters to me when I eat, of course, but I also quietly pay attention to whether the cooking space is well maintained, so this really caught my eye. '◡' Since dakgangjeong is fried in oil, I think the oil used and how cleanly it is maintained affect the flavor a lot. At Dalgom's, the oil did not taste heavy or stale while I was eating. Instead, it had a clean finish, which I liked.

Sharing the origin information! haha Dalgom's keeps everything neat and tidy too '◡'

Three flavors: cheese-seasoned, sweet, and chili-garlic

I got a little greedy and ordered three flavors this time: cheese-seasoned dakgangjeong, sweet dakgangjeong, and chili-garlic dakgangjeong! If I had to pick the thing that impressed me most about Dalgom's, though, I would talk about the oil.

When eating dakgangjeong or chicken, you can sometimes taste that distinctively heavy oil flavor in the fried coating. But the dakgangjeong I had that day was clean, with almost none of that feeling.

It was the kind of taste that made me think, “Ah, this is what clean oil tastes like.” My mouth did not feel overly greasy even afterward. Maybe because of that, I thought it would be good not only for adults who already love dakgangjeong, but also to share with children. With kid-friendly cheese-seasoned and sweet flavors, it would be nice to take home for a family snack too.

Savory, salty cheese-seasoned dakgangjeong

I started with the cheese-seasoned dakgangjeong, which I love. The savory, salty cheese flavor paired surprisingly well with the crisp texture of the chicken. If eating only sweet dakgangjeong feels a little too much for you, I would recommend the cheese-seasoned flavor too.

Sweet dakgangjeong with classic appeal

Then there was the sweet dakgangjeong with that most classic appeal! This sweet sauce is exactly what comes to mind when you think of dakgangjeong haha. The sauce coated the outside well, while the chicken itself still had a good texture, so I kept reaching for it. I meant to have just one or two pieces, but somehow I kept picking at it. Personally, I think this sweet flavor would be the safest choice for children too.

Chili-garlic dakgangjeong with pepper and garlic flavor

Lastly, the chili-garlic dakgangjeong seemed like a good fit for anyone who likes a more punchy flavor, just as its name suggests. The pepper and garlic added a different kind of appeal from the sweet dakgangjeong.

Rather than choosing just one of the three, I would recommend taking home several flavors to try. Alternating among all three meant I did not get tired of them, and it was fun because each flavor was so distinct.

A takeout order that felt good for the flavor and kindness too

Before visiting, I also looked through receipt reviews and saw that there were really so many. What impressed me was that many felt like natural reviews from customers who had actually tried the food. Once I visited and ate there myself, I thought, “Now I understand why people leave reviews.”

The food was delicious, but the owner was also genuinely kind. Flavor matters at a restaurant, but when the owner is kind while you order, it just puts you in a good mood, right? That side of Dalgom's felt lovely too. So even on my way home with my takeout, I was thinking, “I should eat here again next time.” ( ´●ᗜ●`*)

Dalgom's: satisfied with all three flavors

The best part of trying three flavors at Dalgom's was that it was not just one that tasted good—each flavor was delicious in its own way. The cheese-seasoned one had a savory, salty charm; the sweet one had that lovely, classic dakgangjeong sweetness; and the chili-garlic one offered a different experience with its pepper and garlic flavor.

Above all, I loved how clean the oil tasted in the fried coating. I happened to see the kitchen while ordering takeout, and I still remember being surprised by how much cleaner it was than expected. So when I want dakgangjeong in Uijeongbu, I think I will come back to Dalgom's.

Especially if you are planning to visit Uijeongbu Jeil Market, I would recommend it as a good place to pick up something while you browse the market. I really recommend choosing all three flavors at once and trying them like I did haha. The flavor was great, of course, but the clean fried coating and kind owner stayed with me too, so I would like to try other flavors next time.