Gangnam Korean restaurant for spicy dakdoritang: Masamgyetang

I visited Masamgyetang Bangbaeng Sageori Branch (마삼계탕 뱅뱅사거리점) near Bangbaeng Intersection. It serves several chicken dishes, including samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), and this time I ordered the spicy dakdoritang (braised spicy chicken stew).

Location and parking near Bangbaeng Intersection

It is closer to Bangbaeng Intersection than directly in front of Gangnam Station. The address is 19 Dogok-ro 3-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the building’s first floor. A banner outside said diners could receive 90 minutes of free parking, which was welcome when arriving by car.

It is on a side street lined with commercial buildings, and I found it by the sign on the first floor.

Several other businesses share the building’s first floor, so the alley felt lively.

Opening hours and closing day

When I visited, the notice on the door said it was open from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on weekdays and until 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. It was closed every Saturday. The original post did not separately record Sunday opening time.

Dakdoritang and other menu prices

The menu included Masamgyetang, dakdoritang, samgye chicken porridge, boneless fried chicken, stir-fried chicken gizzards, and fried ginseng. At the time of my visit, Masamgyetang was ₩18,000, ma ban-gye-tang was ₩11,000, and samgye chicken porridge was around ₩12,000. The dakdoritang I ordered was listed as suitable for two to three people and cost ₩42,000.

There was also an information card on the table explaining that grated yam was added to the Masamgyetang. I did not try the samgyetang this time, but it was a dish I wanted to have on a future visit.

How to eat at the table and the side dishes

Each table had a burner, so the food was cooked at the table. I could take more side dishes as needed from the self-service bar, and there was also a notice saying the side dishes were not reused.

The basic side dishes were napa cabbage kimchi, white kimchi, pickled cucumber peppers, pickled garlic, and seasoned dried radish strips. They were generally lightly seasoned to my taste, which made them good alongside the dakdoritang.

The heat level and ingredients in the dakdoritang

The dakdoritang contained chicken, potatoes, green onion, and glass noodles. As the red broth came to a boil, it was clearly a spicy, sharp-tasting dish.

My first spoonful of broth was hot and spicy. As I kept eating, I noticed a subtle savory depth in the aftertaste, and the finish was fairly clean.

The restaurant stated that yam was included in the broth. To me, it had a herbal-medicine-like character, and my stomach did not feel burning or uncomfortable after the spicy broth. This is my personal impression after the meal.

The chicken was served on the bone, but the meat came off easily, making it comfortable to eat. The potatoes were cooked until very soft and had absorbed the broth. Serving it into my individual bowl also let the hot broth cool to a manageable temperature.

Is rice included?

A bowl of rice had to be ordered separately. Mixing one bowl of rice into the remaining broth worked well and made for a filling finish to the meal.

What stayed with me from this meal was the spicy yet savory dakdoritang broth and the soft-cooked potatoes. The friendly service and parking information were also appreciated. It is a place I would think of again when craving spicy chicken near Bangbaeng Intersection.