Yangjae Station chicken restaurant: dakhanmari after boxing

A chicken restaurant near Yangjae Station after a workout: Yanggyegok

Yanggyegok (양계옥) is a chicken restaurant on Nambusunhwan-ro near Yangjae Station. On Sunday, July 19, at 11 a.m., I traveled from Gunpo to Yangjae Station for boxing, and after a brutal workout I went to Yanggyegok to refill on protein.

Right after exercise, proper meat and broth for protein and fluids is the golden rule, isn't it? The inside of Yanggyegok was pleasant and clean, a really comfortable place to eat.

Couples were having their meals, and some group diners came in too.

Yanggyegok menu: what should we order?

Yanggyegok has a wide menu from grilled dishes to soup dishes, and grilled dishes must be ordered for at least 2 people. I sat down and looked over the menu, which also lists makgeolli (rice wine), highballs and other drinks.

With everything from tasty grilled dishes to soups, it was a bit hard to choose. Just so you know, grilled dishes can only be ordered for 2 people or more!

For a clean, clear meal without grilling, I settled on the medium dakhanmari (whole chicken stew, serves 3). Adding noodles or finishing with porridge also sounds like a really good choice.

Yanggyegok side dishes and the self-serve bar

At Yanggyegok the basic side dishes are set out right after you order, and you can grab extra pickled radish and perilla leaves from the self-serve bar.

Besides the kimchi and side dishes that come as standard, the self-serve bar has pickled radish and perilla leaves to take as you like. The kimchi at Yanggyegok is honestly so good that I lost count of how many times I refilled it.

The kkakdugi (cubed radish kimchi) was crunchy and delicious too, and my companion brought sliced garlic from the self-serve bar, which completed the perfect spread.

Yanggyegok dakhanmari, medium (serves 3): portion and contents

Yanggyegok's dakhanmari comes in a minced-garlic-based broth topped with jujubes, packed with drumsticks, wings, scallions, potatoes and rice cakes. The portion looked enormous from the first glance.

Soon after, today's main dish, the dakhanmari, was set on the table! It had jujubes on top, and my companion liked that the broth had a minced garlic base.

The portion was enormous from the first impression. The dakhanmari was loaded with plump drumsticks and wings, plus scallions, jujubes, potatoes, rice cakes and more.

How to make the chive dipping sauce for dakhanmari

The key to enjoying Yanggyegok's dakhanmari properly is the special sauce and chive combo that is served with it. Following the staff's friendly guidance, I added two spoonfuls of the chili powder on the table to the seasoned chives to make my sauce.

Following their kind instructions, I sprinkled two spoonfuls of chili powder into the seasoned chives to make my very own sauce.

Now for the real thing: I picked up a piece of chicken and dunked it well in the sauce. The slow-boiled chicken was so tender that it melted in my mouth the moment it went in. The mild chicken with the spicy, tangy chive sauce was so good I never got tired of it.

When I took a spoonful of the broth, the deep stock from the chicken seemed to wash my tiredness away. The potatoes and rice cakes had soaked up the broth well too, so picking through them was a lot of fun.

Half a chicken added, and a cheese fried rice finish

We emptied Yanggyegok's dakhanmari in no time, so I added half a chicken and ordered cheese fried rice on a hot plate to finish. Once I got into the meat I added it without hesitation, and with all that protein my stomach felt satisfyingly full all afternoon.

No matter how full you are, you can't skip fried rice, the K-dessert, right? It came on a sizzling plate with popping flying fish roe and rich cheese, and the combination of savory cheese and spicy fried rice was honestly art.

When you need a hearty meal near Yangjae Station

If you want a filling, healthy meal near Yangjae Station, I strongly recommend Yanggyegok. The place was clean, the service was friendly, and above all the deep broth and tender meat were a perfect match. It seems like the best choice when you need a solid meal after finishing your plans around Yangjae Station.

This time I enjoyed the dakhanmari so much, but if I come back, I definitely plan to try the golden-brown grilled dishes too!