Fried chicken made by a cooking robot, packed to go: Hadong Hwagae

When you're traveling around Hadong, daytime is for chasing restaurants and cafés, but by evening you just want something easy to eat back at the guesthouse. This time I want to introduce a Hadong chicken spot that's great for exactly that kind of takeout night: Jadam Chicken Hadong Hwagaejangteo.

I ordered the fried chicken, and what really stood out here was that the place uses a chicken-cooking robot. They also run a Dalin Kkwabaegi twist doughnut stand alongside the chicken, so it's a great pick if you want chicken and a snack in one stop — let me introduce this Hadong takeout spot.

Food checkpoints

• Restaurant: Jadam Chicken Hadong Hwagaejangteo
• Best for: takeout dinner to eat at your lodging after a day in Hadong
• Order: fried chicken
• Parking: large dedicated lot beside the store
• Notable: uses a chicken-cooking robot

Hadong trip dinner, takeout to eat at your lodging

Hunting down good food while traveling around Hadong is fun, but once you're back at your lodging, sometimes you'd rather not go back out and just want an easy dinner.

That's when chicken is great — easy to decide on, and perfect for takeout to eat at your lodging. This Jadam Chicken Hadong Hwagaejangteo I found this time had a point of difference from typical chicken restaurants.

That difference is the chicken-cooking robot. According to the signage in the store, fewer than 10 locations nationwide use this cooking robot. It's interesting that instead of a person frying by hand, a robot handles the process, keeping to a set temperature and time.

Besides takeout, there are outdoor tables too, so you can enjoy it with that open-air street food feel.

Seeing the chicken-cooking robot in person

The biggest feature of this place is definitely the chicken-cooking robot. It's said to be a system used at fewer than 10 stores nationwide, and seeing it in person, it was completely fascinating!

Since the robot fries at a fixed temperature and cooking time, it's equipment designed to keep the cooking process consistent. No risk of overcooking, and it comes out fried exactly right — good stuff!

How to order takeout, and the wait time

I called the store ahead to place my takeout order and picked it up about 20-25 minutes later. Check below for the chicken prices :)

On this recent Hadong trip I stayed at the Kensington Resort hotel. So after picking up the fried chicken at Hwagae Market, I went back to the lodging and ate it there.

Taste and contents of the fried chicken

What I ordered was the fried chicken. For fried chicken, the crispiness of the batter and the juiciness of the meat matter most, and I was curious how it would differ from typical fried chicken since Jadam Chicken uses a batter with nuts and grains and brines the meat with Himalayan salt.

The order comes with chicken + 2 sauces + pickled radish (chicken-mu) + cola. The real charm of fried chicken is that crispy bite the moment you sink your teeth in. Crispy outside, soft inside, with juices still moist throughout — you get to enjoy the fried chicken's true flavor front and center.

Mustard sauce and a seasoned chicken sauce were also included, and dipping the chicken in them was tasty too. The pickled radish that comes alongside is great for cleansing your palate between bites.

I picked it up right before heading into the lodging, so I got to enjoy the chicken hot, and it was a satisfying takeout dinner for a Hadong trip evening.

Dalin Kkwabaegi twist doughnuts for snacks too

Alongside the chicken, the store also runs a Dalin Kkwabaegi twist doughnut stand. Beyond dinner, it's a perfect spot to pick up doughnuts as a snack too. You can grab chicken for your takeout dinner and doughnuts for a snack all in one stop — keep that in mind :)

Why I'd recommend it to Hadong travelers

If you're a Hadong traveler looking for takeout food to bring back to your lodging for dinner, this place fits well. It was fun watching the chicken robot cook, and above all, the chicken felt clean and healthy, which made it even more satisfying. If you're also after a snack, keep an eye on the Dalin Kkwabaegi twist doughnuts sold alongside it!

There's also a Hanaro Mart and Hwagae Market nearby Jadam Chicken, so if you want to pick up extra food to take back to your lodging, it's worth stopping by those too.

If you're looking for something to eat at your lodging in the evening during a Hadong trip, Jadam Chicken Hadong Hwagaejangteo is worth considering for takeout. Using a chicken-cooking robot made it even more satisfying, and with domestic antibiotic-free and animal welfare-certified meat, Himalayan salt brining, and a batter with grains and nuts, Jadam Chicken rarely disappoints. If you're after both takeout food and snacks on your Hadong trip, it's worth a visit on your way back to your lodging.