Danyang fried chicken shop takeout for a Suyanggae Light Tunnel night

I went on a summer vacation to Danyang not long ago. When I checked out Danyang's Gugyeong Market, there were so many different black garlic foods to try!🧄 Since our evening plan was to tour the Suyanggae Light Tunnel, we decided to pack dinner at Gugyeong Market ahead of time, stop by the light tunnel, and then eat comfortably once we got to our lodging.

Why the nurungji shop, out of all the dakgangjeong stalls in Gugyeong Market?

But if you're carrying takeout around while sightseeing, the food is bound to cool down, right? Thinking about which dish would still taste good even cold, dakgangjeong (Korean fried chicken) naturally came to mind.

So I went looking around Gugyeong Market aiming for the best dakgangjeong in Danyang, and there were way more chicken shops than I expected, so it was hard to decide where to go. Then one place caught my eye — a chicken restaurant with 'nurungji' in it. Dakgangjeong and nurungji (crispy scorched rice) together? Such an unusual combo that I picked this place right away!

Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong

Turns out it's already been featured on several food shows, a proven spot!!

Nurungji made in-store at Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong

I was curious how exactly the nurungji got involved, and sure enough, they had a machine on one side of the store making nurungji in real time!

It was the first time I'd seen anything like it, so it was really fascinating, and more than that, the machine and surrounding area were kept so clean that I felt confident eating there. Watching the crispy-looking nurungji keep coming out was genuinely fun to watch, no boredom at all haha

Original or Black Garlic Double? Taste first, then order

Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong has two menu options: 'Original' and 'Black Garlic Double.' I fell into a happy dilemma over which flavor to pick, but luckily there was a sample bar set up in front of the store so I could taste them myself.

• Original: a classic, sweetish dakgangjeong topped with garlic bits. The garlic topping keeps it from being greasy and gives it a fresh twist. Strongly recommended for families with young kids!
• Black Garlic Double: a menu where you can really taste the deep, rich aroma unique to black garlic. That said, it's not overly spicy.

Since I usually love garlic and figured we'd come all the way to Danyang, we decided to go all in on the real black garlic flavor and chose the Black Garlic Double.

Black garlic makgeolli: 2 bottles for 10,000 won

At the counter they were also selling black garlic makgeolli (rice wine), and at the nice price of 2 bottles for ₩10,000, plus a pretty gift-wrapped package, I didn't hesitate to buy some as a gift for my parents.

How the takeout tasted back at the lodging after the Suyanggae Light Tunnel

We took the packed dakgangjeong out after touring the Suyanggae Light Tunnel and ate it back at the lodging. It had cooled down a bit with time, but honestly, dakgangjeong tastes even better once it's cooled, since the crispiness and seasoning flavor really come through! They thoughtfully included chicken radish too, so we could eat it all the way through without getting sick of it.

The portion was really generous, and the seasoning coated every corner of the fried coating evenly. It wasn't just the usual dakgangjeong you always see — it's Danyang's own version made with black garlic, a local specialty, which made for an extra special dinner🤤

On a sweetish, salty seasoning base, the black garlic aroma adds a subtle, deep layer — the scent isn't too strong or overwhelming, and it blends perfectly with the sauce. It's the kind of flavor that clicks with just about anyone.

The nurungji I'd been looking forward to was also loaded on generously, nutty and still crispy all the way through — picking it up alongside the chicken, I couldn't stop eating lol

If you're looking for a great restaurant at Danyang's Gugyeong Market, I highly recommend Danyang Heukmaneul Nurungji Dakgangjeong — the combination of crispy nurungji and rich black garlic seasoning is perfect!