Gangneung malatang packed to reheat with soju: Tanghua Kungfu Malatang

I had a few days off recently and went on a trip to Gangneung! There's so much good food to eat in Gangneung, and personally I really love the combo of malatang (spicy hot pot) with a glass of soju :)

So to eat comfortably at home, I got malatang takeout from "Tanghua Kungfu Malatang Gangneung Ponam Branch"! Packing it up and having a glass of soju with my husband made for the perfect late-night snack haha

Inside Tanghua Kungfu Malatang Gangneung Ponam Branch

Tanghua Kungfu Malatang Gangneung Ponam Branch is on the 1st floor at 436 Gangneungdae-ro. The tables are wide and there are a lot of them, so it'd be nice to eat in the store too 👍🏻

Walking inside, the ingredient-picking corner was kept really clean and tidy haha

Isn't picking your own ingredients for malatang half the fun?!! haha

First time with malatang? Picking ingredients and choosing a spice level

At Tanghua Kungfu Malatang Gangneung Ponam Branch, you use tongs to pick your desired ingredients into a basket, and it's weighed to calculate the price! I'm explaining this in case anyone reading is trying malatang for the first time. You can pick vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, noodles and more to your taste, and choose meat from the fridge to add in too!

You can also choose your spice level, so both people who can't handle spicy food and those who love that numbing mala flavor can order to their taste :)

The menu isn't just malatang — they also have mala xiang guo, cream shrimp, and other dishes, so if you're visiting with a group, it seems great to order a variety and share!

And they had hair ties ready. You get warm eating malatang and sometimes want to tie your hair up, so having hair ties on hand felt really thoughtful 👍🏻

Does the takeout container leak? Plus the free ice cream

Packing complete!

They give one free ice cream per person, so after eating spicy malatang, finishing with ice cream to cool your mouth down sounds perfect, right?!!

I was really worried about it leaking on the way home, you know?!

But they packed it so carefully that it didn't leak a single drop, haha

Reheating the Gangneung malatang as a soju snack

I reheated the malatang I took home from Tanghua Kungfu Malatang Gangneung Ponam Branch, and it was satisfying — the broth was rich and delicious! You could taste the distinct mala aroma and numbing flavor, and since the broth itself is on the richer side, it went great with soju 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

When I eat malatang, I like it when the broth is well-infused with the flavor of the ingredients, and I loved scooping up the ingredients and broth together! It's great for dinner, but also great for a drink with soju 🫶🏻

Where to park: 2 hours free behind the store

The parking lot behind Tanghua Kungfu Malatang Gangneung Ponam Branch is really spacious?!! You can park for free for 2 hours, so it's no burden for those visiting by car! Parking is always something you worry about a bit when driving, so having free parking available was convenient haha

If you love pairing malatang with a glass of soju, I'd definitely recommend getting takeout during your Gangneung trip and enjoying it at your stay! From the neatly kept ingredient corner to the spice level options, variety of menu items, free ice cream, and convenience items, "Tanghua Kungfu Malatang Gangneung Ponam Branch" was easy to use — a solid pick for whenever you're craving malatang in Gangneung.

• Address: 436 Gangneungdae-ro, 1st floor, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do
• Hours: Daily 11:00–21:50 (last order 21:20)
• Parking: Lot behind the store, 2 hours free