Siheung Korean restaurant for cockle salad: Jeongjeong-a Sikdang

A great dakbokkeumtang spot in Jeongwang-dong

I used to think chicken meant fried chicken... but me!!🍗 I fell for dakbokkeumtang (spicy braised chicken) and got completely hooked on seasoned cockle salad at the original, real-deal spot that is Jeongjeong-a Sikdang Jeongwang Branch in Jeongwang-dong, Siheung!

• Monday–Saturday 10:30–22:00
• Closed every Sunday
• Free parking support in the building parking lot and the outdoor public lot beside Hwashin Officetel

From outside, I thought it would be a tiny place, but once inside, it turned out to be a good-sized restaurant. And you know that feeling the moment you walk in—the unmistakable aura of a great local restaurant!!🤩 Looking through the reviews, it is already famous among people living in Jeongwang-dong 👏🏻 The space is roomy, with generously spaced tables, so it is great for group company dinners too 👍🏻 Very, very good for a family meal as well.

Ordering small dakbokkeumtang and cockle salad

A banner that inspires confidence 🫶🏻 It assures you that even the ingredients are fresh ✨ The three of us ordered a small dakbokkeumtang, seasoned cockle salad, and fried rice. The dakbokkeumtang is supposed to be so good, but reviews said the cockles were delicious too, so we had to order them. We chose spice level 2, haha 🔥

The basic side dishes were simple, but that mulkimchi (water kimchi) was so good that we asked the owner for more—I think we practically had a plate each 😆

Dakbokkeumtang that gets deeper as the broth reduces

The dakbokkeumtang arrived ❤ Can't you tell just by looking how rich that broth is? The chili oil floating on top already says it is seriously good! The smell of the sauce had my salivary glands going wild 🤭

There was plenty of sauce and broth, so we ladled some broth out to help it reduce faster. If you need it later, just add back the broth you set aside. Maybe that is a tip everyone already knows?💡

I boldly picked up a drumstick first 🐓 One bite of that chicken leg meat, thoroughly soaked in sauce, filled my mouth with spicy, savory heat and clean-tasting chicken—haha. With dakbokkeumtang, if the sauce has not really seeped into the meat, what is even the point? It gets even better as you boil down the broth, but the seasoning had already soaked in beautifully at this stage. Plenty delicious already 😎

It was spicy, sweet, and savory all in one bite. Even for a spice wimp like me, level 2 was just right, and the seasoning itself had such a savory depth that I happily dug in, haha 😄 As we kept reducing the broth while eating, it became richer and deeper, with an addictive pull that kept bringing me back 🥳

Definitely add the noodles

Not putting noodles in this sauce should be a crime!!! We added noodle noodles, and they came lightly pre-boiled, so there was no fuss and no wait—we could eat them right away. One slurp and they are even better than ramen, so please add them 😍

The cockle salad that threatened the star dakbokkeumtang

Everyone!!! If you come to Jeongjeong-a Sikdang Jeongwang Branch, ❗️the seasoned cockle salad is very important too. You absolutely, definitely have to order it. The best cockle salad of my life!!! Wow—it was seriously insanely good, hahaha 🧡

It was my first time being shocked after trying seasoned cockle salad!!! 🫪 Seriously, owner, what did you do to these cockles? Hahaha. It tasted good enough to threaten the dakbokkeumtang, the main star. It was so incredibly delicious that I highly, highly recommend it 🫶🏻 The nutty fragrance of sesame oil drifted up, and that sauce clung perfectly to every bite... you know what I mean, right???😘 The cockle meat was all removed from the shells for easy eating; mix it into white rice and take a bite, and it is heaven, haha 🍚

Finishing with fried rice in the rich broth

For the finish, it has to be fried rice!!! Fried rice with plenty of gim (dried seaweed) flakes stir-fried into the diligently reduced dakbokkeumtang broth—need I say more? 🤭 Every grain was coated in that rich, spicy broth, making it the kind of dish that has you spooning away while patting your full belly!!!🥄 Wow... I feel like I even pulled dinner forward and ate it already 🤣

The flavor, the presentation, the restaurant atmosphere—it is lovely for a lunchtime meal❣️ I think it would also be great in the evening with a drink or two. Too bad I came at lunchㅠㅠㅠ haha. The restaurant's vibe already showed the traces of having been loved for a long time 🥰 That must be proof of how excellent the dakbokkeumtang is. And I very, very, very strongly recommend the seasoned cockle salad, so I hope you try it as a side with your meal 👏🏻👏🏻