Seoul bar set for two with spicy pollock roe soup: Arigyegok Gangnam

I found a really amazing bar food spot near Gangnam Station after a long while! With its hip, conceptual vibe and super friendly staff, this Gangnam Station favorite — Arigyegok Gangnam — made the whole meal and drinking session even more enjoyable!

Arigyegok Gangnam: a Seoul bar styled like a valley pavilion

Arigyegok Gangnam is a Korean bar tucked in an alley off Teheran-ro 1-gil. Even though it's right in the middle of Gangnam Station, the interior is decorated like a gyegok pyeongsang (a raised wooden platform by a mountain valley), which gives it a really conceptual atmosphere.

What we ordered at Arigyegok Gangnam

Side dishes and drinks: somaek at Arigyegok

A somaek (soju-beer mix) mixed by my soju-master boyfriend! Hehe.

Mud duck jeonbyeong, the signature limited dish at Arigyegok

Mud duck jeonbyeong is Arigyegok's signature, limited-time dish. It's a whole fried duck brushed with a special mustard sauce, eaten wrapped with dumpling wrappers and lettuce — a delicacy among delicacies.

Mud duck jeonbyeong — doesn't it look amazing just from the visuals?! Haha.

I think this one is a must-order. Haha. A whole duck comes out, with salad and wrappers to go with it below! Haha. It's overwhelming both in looks and in portion — a generous, delicious, and reasonably priced bar snack.

Why we chose the algoni jjamppong tang (pollock roe soup)

Arigyegok is also famous for its chicken hot pot, right? But since we'd already locked in the mud duck jeonbyeong, I thought about what set menu would let us enjoy something different without overlapping — and landed on the algoni jjamppong tang. Haha. I figured the savory depth of seafood would pair nicely.

It arrives with rock minari (water dropwort) beautifully arranged around the edge like a flower wreath — such a striking presentation! The roe and milt are packed in generously, and there's a bed of bean sprouts underneath too. They told us that once it starts boiling, we should let it simmer about 5 more minutes before eating.

The full table: Arigyegok Gangnam's set for two

Mud duck jeonbyeong and algoni jjamppong tang, enjoyed on this gorgeous valley-pavilion seating right in the middle of Gangnam Station. Haha.

Doesn't it look really generous?

First, you need to cut the whole duck jeonbyeong into bite-sized pieces.

Take a big piece of lettuce, layer on the wrapper, salad vegetables, and duck jeonbyeong, and take a bite! Ahh... it goes together so well. Duck meat can get greasy if you eat it on its own since it's quite fatty, but with the salad and wrapper, you can keep enjoying it to the last bite without getting tired of it. And the portion is massive!

My favorite, the algoni tang. It's almost fully cooked.

First off, the broth is incredibly rich and silky. It's refreshing, nutty, and deep, the kind of broth you keep spooning up — such a great drinking snack. And the roe isn't some giant tuna roe but pollock roe, which I really appreciated. Haha. The milt was abundant too.

The longer it boils, the more the vegetable stock comes through, adding a clean note on top. The combination of vegetable stock and ocean flavor was so delicious. Haha. The roe and milt just kept coming no matter how much we ate — great as both a drinking snack and a meal.

But overall, I think Arigyegok's portions are on the generous side. Haha. The algoni jjamppong tang is already substantial on its own, and then the Chinese-style noodles come out on top of that... even my big-eater boyfriend was satisfied with the amount! Haha.

Kkakdugi bingsu: is shaved ice really dessert at a Seoul bar?

My boyfriend, who always has a separate stomach for dessert, picked the kkakdugi bingsu!

It really looks like radish kimchi, but it's actually frozen mango flesh. Even though it's frozen mango, it's coated with mango syrup on top, so it was sweet and fragrant with fruit. And that sherbet is insane!!! Seriously, seriously delicious. It's a fruit ice cream good enough to rival a dedicated ice cream shop, and eating it together with the mango flesh made for maximum satisfaction.

Instead of the usual token dessert you'd expect at a bar, they served something genuinely delicious, which made the experience even more satisfying. Even the dessert at Arigyegok is on point. Haha.

The interior has a great conceptual vibe, every dish is generous in portion and packed with flavor, and the staff are super friendly, making it a comfortable and fun place to spend time — this is Arigyegok, a Gangnam Station bar. I was so satisfied I think I'll go back to try other menu items.