Outdoor makchang grill, Daemyeong-dong, Daegu: ₩3,100 drinks, Anjirang

Anjirang Gopchang Makchang in Daemyeong-dong: why I drove there and then had to call a driver

On the evening I came back from Busan, I went to Anjirang Gopchang Makchang Apsan Branch (안지랑곱창막창 앞산 본점), a place I'd saved on my Daemyeong-dong list. It was a sudden craving, the week before last, right after getting back from Busan, so off I went for dinner.

Makchang (grilled beef tripe) is one of those foods I absolutely have to go eat whenever the craving hits, so this time I drove instead of going somewhere in my neighborhood. And in the end I drank and had to pay for a designated driver ^^..

Why? Because I just couldn't resist a glass of somaek (soju mixed with beer) at Anjirang Gopchang Makchang, with its open-air vibe. On top of that, the self-serve bar was full of vegetables to go with the meat, and drinks for ₩3,100, for real? And the pre-grilled, already seasoned makchang got set up so fast that the drinks just went down on their own, haha.

Anyway, everyone, even one or two drinks means never drive afterward! I called a driver while paying, got one right away, got home comfortably, kept going for a second round, and had a headache all the next day. A legend ^^.

My boyfriend's review of Anjirang Gopchang Makchang

Below is the review from my boyfriend, who came along.

A corner spot in the Anjirang alley, with the same vibe as before

It's been a while since I visited Anjirang, Daegu's famous spot! The atmosphere was similar to before! I remember eating really good seasoned gopchang in Anjirang in the past, so maybe that's why I came with high expectations again. Anjirang Gopchang Makchang sits on a corner of the alley, so I liked that I could take in the whole Anjirang alley at a glance.

Seasoned gopchang vs. raw makchang: which was better?

The weather has been getting warm, so we ate at the open-air tables, and the atmosphere was totally great, with a gentle breeze that put me in a good mood. We had two kinds of meat, seasoned gopchang and raw makchang. The seasoned gopchang was, as expected, exactly the taste I remembered, really good.

But the real kicker, as expected, was the raw makchang. Of all the makchang I've had lately, it had the least of that typical makchang smell, and it had a nutty (?) richness.

I don't dislike makchang to begin with, but it was a taste I'd never experienced, so it was really good.

Sauces, side dishes and grilled pineapple

I liked that Anjirang Gopchang Makchang has a wide variety of sauces to eat with the meat (the mayonnaise + teriyaki sauce mix was especially good) and plenty of side dishes too (the jangajji, Korean pickles, were especially good). The pineapple that comes along was sweet and tasty when grilled, too.

₩3,100 drinks: a bargain for somaek fans

Drinks were a mere ₩3,100, so it was a total bargain. For someone like me who loves mixing somaek, I was happy to be able to make it at such a cheap price.

Steamed egg and doenjang jjigae rice to finish

The steamed egg we ordered alongside was rich and warm, and we enjoyed it. The doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew) rice to finish was filling too. The nostalgic Anjirang feel plus gopchang and makchang that were much better than I expected! It was a totally happy dinner.

Is Anjirang Gopchang Makchang in Daemyeong-dong worth recommending?

Lots of people ask to be taken next time to Anjirang Gopchang Makchang in Daemyeong-dong, and I recommend it to you too.