Dog-friendly Yesan Market: chicken stir-fry carried to Seoul, Sijang

Sijang Dakbokkeum at Yesan Market, a craving even in Seoul

Sijang Dakbokkeum (시장닭볶음) sells just one dish at Yesan Market: shishito pepper chicken stir-fry (dakbokkeum). I've been going to Yesan a lot lately, and this is the one Yesan Market restaurant I hit every single time. Since we live in Seoul, we can't go to Yesan all the time, so I tried ordering jjimdak (braised chicken) by delivery, but it couldn't come close to Sijang Dakbokkeum. So we came back and took it out again.

Shishito peppers and chicken stir-fry meet a rich sauce, with tender chicken and fragrant peppers making the best combo. That's Sijang Dakbokkeum, my pick for Yesan Market, and I'll tell you all about it.

Where is Sijang Dakbokkeum in Yesan Market?

Sijang Dakbokkeum is at Yesan Market Gate 4 or the market square. Park when you arrive at Yesan Market and walk over.

It's now a must-stop on our Yesan Market route, a total, total, total favorite. Since we were taking it home to eat, we had a few snacks around the market first, then came to Sijang Dakbokkeum to pick up our takeout.

Sijang Dakbokkeum menu and prices: what we ordered

The menu is one item, shishito pepper chicken stir-fry, at ₩25,000. You can choose bone-in or boneless. We're boneless people, so we got boneless and added mozzarella cheese (₩3,000) and quail eggs (₩2,000).

You can also eat inside Yesan Market. Rice, water, drinks and alcohol are sold separately at the market square, so feel free to eat it there with other food too.

Can spice wimps eat it?

We're total spice wimps, and we really enjoyed Sijang Dakbokkeum. It's pretty addictive, and "deliciously spicy" is exactly the phrase for it!

Kiosk ordering and KakaoTalk alerts

You order at a kiosk, then check the wait through KakaoTalk (Korea's main messaging app). While you wander the market, a message arrives saying your food is ready.

Is the kitchen at Sijang Dakbokkeum clean?

The kitchen is open, and it's very neat and clean, which made me trust the place even more. However tasty the food, if a place isn't clean I never go back. At Sijang Dakbokkeum I'm very happy with the cleanliness, the taste, the portion and the price, haha.

Yesan Market is dog-friendly

Another reason I love Yesan Market is that dogs are allowed. That makes it an even better trip for us as a couple. Ari is living the high life in her dog stroller, checking out everything, haha.

Taking Sijang Dakbokkeum takeout all the way to Seoul

Our order was ready. For takeout they pack it in a takeout container, so it's easy to carry as is. We had a long drive ahead, so we let it cool a bit at a nearby rest stop, then headed to Seoul, go go.

Honestly, we'd go to Yesan Market just to eat Sijang Dakbokkeum. It's that precious a restaurant to me.

Add the cheese: how the boneless shishito chicken stir-fry tastes

Wow, look at that, amazing, right? Plump boneless chicken, shishito peppers, great sauce and all the toppings packed in: that's Sijang Dakbokkeum, my Yesan Market favorite.

Please add the cheese!!!!! Spice wimps, cheese is a must, a must. It tames the heat and adds richness, and it tastes different with and without it.

At home we reheated it in a pan, and wow, the smell, the look, how can it be this good. The shishito peppers keep the chicken stir-fry's flavor clean, so they pair really well with the chicken. We mostly eat boneless, but the bone-in is 100% Korean chicken, so next time we want to try it too.

Leftover sauce becomes seaweed-flake fried rice

The chicken is plump and the sauce generous, so we really enjoyed it. Maybe because it's 100% boneless thigh, it isn't dry and stays tender, great with rice. Once you finish, toss rice and seaweed flakes into the leftover sauce and fry it up, and it's the best. I can't leave a drop of sauce behind T_T Please open a branch in Seoul, pleeease~

If you're planning a trip to Yesan, Chungnam, or a visit to Yesan Market, I highly, highly recommend Sijang Dakbokkeum. Enjoy it with family, a partner or friends and make some happy memories.