After-work mala pub at Dangsan Station: ₩41,400 set for two, Yongyong

My mala level in the blood has been running low lately, so I've been constantly on the lookout for good mala spots nearby to top it up. And honestly, when it comes to mala, it's Yongyong Seonsaeng (용용선생), right? My younger sister had also been saying she wanted mala tang for a while, so after work we met up for the first time in ages and went to Yongyong Seonsaeng Dangsan Station branch to recharge on mala.

Location and hours of Yongyong Seonsaeng Dangsan Station branch

Yongyong Seonsaeng Dangsan Station branch is at 55 Yangpyeong-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, close to Exit 12 of Line 9 and Exit 1 of Line 2 at Dangsan Station. It's open from 15:00 to 04:00, and until 05:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

• Groups (up to 16), takeout, reservations and delivery available
• Paid parking (2 hours free in front of the shop)

Is Yongyong Seonsaeng Dangsan Station branch okay for group gatherings?

The place is deep and spacious with a mix of table types, including lounge tables that suit groups, so it looked good for get-togethers. For groups, I think booking through Naver Reservation first would make things more comfortable.

Set menus and drinks at Yongyong Seonsaeng

Ordering a set menu gets you a more generous meal at a discount, and every dish has extra sides you can add for more variety. There are various gaoliang (Chinese sorghum liquor) options and highballs made with gaoliang, so if you enjoy gaoliang you'll probably love it. I like drinking gaoliang and beer together!! I recommend a gaoliang-and-beer mix (yeonmaek)~!

The ₩41,400 set for two: what did we order?

We went with the good value two-person set. You can change the set combination for an extra charge, so we got Yongyong Seonsaeng's signatures, volcano mala hotpot, kkanpung fried chicken (sweet-spicy fried chicken) and soy egg fried rice, for ₩41,400. They told us that because of chicken supply problems, a base charge may be temporarily added when ordering a set.

• Volcano mala hotpot
• Kkanpung fried chicken
• Soy egg fried rice

The volcano mala hotpot especially looked like it could get even richer with various side options added. My picks: fuzhu (dried tofu skin), fen mozi (potato starch noodles) and zhima jiang (sesame sauce)!!!

How spicy is the mala at Yongyong Seonsaeng?

The mala dishes here aren't the strong kind where you're chewing on huajiao (Sichuan peppercorns), so they seemed easy to enjoy with beer or gaoliang. We ordered the volcano mala hotpot, but there are plenty of other mala dishes too, like stone-plate rosé xiangguo and thick, rich mala tang, and it seems lots of people come to recharge on mala like me.

The signature volcano mala hotpot

Yongyong Seonsaeng's signature volcano mala hotpot comes with bean sprouts piled up like a mountain in the hotpot broth, thin-sliced beef brisket draped over the top, and mala seasoning on the peak. The look is a real erupting volcano, so violently delicious-looking, haha. Inside, the basic ingredients are fen mozi, fuzhu, onion and bean sprouts, so it was refreshing and nutty at the same time.

Kkanpung fried chicken, a perfect match for beer

The kkanpung fried chicken we ordered alongside was, as ever, so good. The fried chicken made from chicken thigh was crispy and tender, and the spicy soy-based sauce was so tangy and delicious. Freshly fried kkanpung chicken goes so well with beer!!

The soy egg fried rice you have to order

By the way, do you know how good the egg fried rice at Yongyong Seonsaeng is? With its nicely chewy rice, garlic oil and soft scrambled egg, it goes so well with all the other dishes that it feels like a must-order!!

If you're looking for a Chinese pub near Dangsan Station

After a heavy day, you crave spicy mala with a cold beer. If you're looking for a Chinese pub near Dangsan Station with tasty snacks and a good place to have cold beer or gaoliang, I recommend Yongyong Seonsaeng Dangsan Station branch~