Dangsan Station izakaya for a second-round karaage course: Kaken

After finishing round one in Dangsan, the same dilemma always kicks in. You're full but your mouth is bored, you want one more quiet drink, but where do you go?

We'd already stuffed ourselves on meat for round one and were scouting a second spot when the vibe of one place pulled us in!! And it turned out to be the best call. It's Kaken, an izakaya right by Dangsan Station!!

Kaken

Kaken near Dangsan Station: outdoor bar tables and an open kitchen

Kaken is visible right from Dangsan Station! The blue circular logo under the silver tin roof catches your eye from a distance haha.

There's a row of bar-style outdoor tables lined up in front of Kaken, perfect for sipping outside on a cool night!! Step inside and the open kitchen finished in teal tile catches your eye right away.

Since you can watch the cooking happen right in front of you, the wait for food never feels boring — it's got that hip-but-cozy neighborhood izakaya vibe.

Once you sit down, braised quail eggs and konjac come out as the complimentary starter — a salty, soy-soaked bite that gets the drinking going right from the start haha.

What comes on Kaken's sashimi platter, and why the monkfish liver steals it

The first order at Kaken was the sashimi platter!!

The plate came out with five or six kinds of sashimi laid over daikon sprouts and lemon.

Glistening under the lights — passed the visual test immediately!!!

The salmon was cut thick and melted softly in the mouth, while the white fish had a springy bite followed by a subtle sweetness!!

The Spanish mackerel, sliced skin-on, had a deep aged umami — this might be the highlight for a more grown-up palate! Adding daikon sprouts brought a sharp bite that turned it into a different dish entirely.

And above all, the anago liver that came out in such a generous portion was insane!!!

Piling a bit of that anago liver onto the fish along with wasabi sends the umami through the roof!!!

We kept saying it was insane and just kept piling it on haha.

The soy sauce plus wasabi, pickled ginger combo is standard, but here it's above standard — soju just kept going down smoothly!!

Chicken karaage and seafood ramen to finish the round

The second order was chicken karaage. Just the mountain-high portion on the plate is satisfying, and the batter is thin and so crispy haha. Bite in and you can actually hear it crackle!! The meat inside stays juicy, not dry, so it's the type that's still good even cold.

The black sesame dressing cabbage on the side is an unexpectedly great pairing. The crunchy cabbage in that nutty dressing cuts right through the oiliness of the fried chicken, so the chopsticks never stop moving haha. Dip it in the spicy mayo sauce and it's the perfect beer snack!

And to finish, seafood ramen. Plump shrimp sat in the orange-tinted broth, along with clams for a refreshing touch. For a ramen, the seafood is no joke, so the broth is spicy but leaves a clean finish!!

The onion and chili add a crisp bite too, making it exactly the kind of hangover-cure dish you need. Slurp up the chewy noodles and spoon up the hot broth, and it feels like the night gets neatly wrapped up! A perfect course — came for round two and left with a ramen hangover fix haha.

Is Kaken a good second-round bar near Dangsan Station?

I'd recommend Kaken to anyone looking for a second spot after dinner in Dangsan!! The outdoor seats in particular are especially romantic on these cool early-autumn nights.

The menu covers so much ground — a plate of sashimi with soju, karaage with beer, ramen to finish, that classic drinking course all in one place!! Next time I'll be back to attack the skewer menu, which is clearly the identity behind the logo, paired with a highball haha.