Almond-flour café in Mia-sageori: ang-butter at Dangara Gwajajeom

Why I stopped by Dangara Gwajajeom after training

Dangara Gwajajeom (당가라과자점) is a keto dessert spot near Mia-sageori in Gangbuk. On Sunday, July 12, I finished MMA sparring at 4 o'clock and even had a proper dinner. But after working out I was thirsty, and even though I had eaten, I was craving something sweet. On the way home, to quench my thirst and get a healthy sweet fix, I dropped in at Dangara Gwajajeom, a well-known keto dessert place in Gangbuk.

With an exterior that already feels cozy and warm, Dangara Gwajajeom was already well known by word of mouth as a wellness dessert café for people who care about their health.

What is the atmosphere like inside Dangara Gwajajeom?

The shop is cute and comfortable, a place where couples on dates and people studying alone all stay side by side. That mood greeted me as soon as I opened the door. On one side there were couples enjoying their date and someone quietly studying alone, so it felt like anyone could settle in comfortably.

Desserts made with almond flour instead of wheat flour

The most special thing about Dangara Gwajajeom is that it uses almond flour instead of wheat flour! They keep sugar and flour to a minimum, so I was told it is a specialist in desserts that people with diabetes or anyone managing their diet can enjoy without worry.

Dangara Gwajajeom menu and prices

Dangara Gwajajeom had a really wide range of desserts: cookies, butter bars, cakes and more. Looking at the showcase next to the counter and the menu board, I fell into a happy dilemma over what to pick.

• Classic butter bar & ang-butter (butter and sweet red bean sandwich), the signature items
• Peanut butter jam: ₩5,000 (pistachio flavor also available!)

• Peanut cookie: ₩2,000

• Valrhona chocolate cookie: ₩5,500
• Ttaengmoban watermelon juice (no sugar, 100% real watermelon drink)

I ordered a cool ttaengmoban watermelon juice, along with granola, a classic butter bar and an ang-butter.

Dangara Japhwajeom, the goods shop in the basement

In the basement of Dangara Gwajajeom there is a cute little goods shop called Dangara Japhwajeom (당가라 잡화점). After ordering, while I waited for my takeout, I noticed stairs going down, so I went to look, and it was full of adorable little items! While the drinks were being prepared I never got bored, and browsing around was a small but real pleasure.

How was the watermelon juice for post-workout thirst?

The watermelon juice at Dangara Gwajajeom has no artificial sweetness, just the deep sweetness of the watermelon itself, and it quenched my thirst in one go. I headed home with the packed drinks and desserts, and since I was so thirsty, the watermelon juice was the first thing I sipped. The moment I took a sip, the rich, weighty sweetness of the watermelon filled my mouth. It wasn't an artificial sweetness at all, just clean and refreshing, and it felt like my thirst vanished at once.

Every dessert was so well made that even after dinner I enjoyed them all, and the saying that there's a separate stomach for dessert really rang true. Thanks to the healthy ingredients, my stomach also felt comfortable afterward.

Granola: nut-packed salty-sweet flavor

The granola at Dangara Gwajajeom had a wonderful salty-and-sweet balance, the kind of taste that keeps your hand going back for more. Unlike ordinary store-bought granola, it was generously packed with nuts like almonds and cashews, so the crunchy texture and nutty flavor were something special.

Classic butter bar: nutty and chewy, with no dryness

Next I tried the classic butter bar from Dangara Gwajajeom, and it was better than I expected. Maybe because it uses almond flour instead of wheat flour, there was no dryness at all, and the nutty flavor was outstanding.

The texture was very chewy yet soft, and the rich flavor of the butter came through with real weight.

The highlight: an ang-butter as big as a handmade burger

The highlight of the desserts I had at Dangara Gwajajeom was without question the ang-butter. It was so big that it was hard to take a bite, like eating a thick handmade burger. The soft, flavorful butter and the gently sweet white bean paste and red bean paste were perfectly balanced, and I kept marveling the whole time I ate.

Financier flavors and prices

Dangara Gwajajeom also has a variety of financiers (small almond butter cakes). You can pick to your taste: fig, sweet pumpkin, chocolate, classic, corn and more.

• Classic financier ₩2,700
• Fig cream cheese financier ₩3,400
• Corn, Parmesan and chocolate financiers ₩3,200

Is Dangara Gwajajeom okay for takeout?

The desserts at Dangara Gwajajeom keep their wonderful taste even if you take them home and eat them as a snack the next day, which makes it a true wellness sweets shop. If you want to look after your health in Gangbuk and still enjoy tasty desserts, I really recommend visiting.