Yeongdeungpo izakaya for grilled mero and uni cream pasta: Kaken

Is the atmosphere good for a quiet conversation with a friend?

While looking for a place near Dangsan Station to have a casual drink and talk with a friend, I went to Kaken (카켄), an izakaya. Its warm lighting and open kitchen caught my attention from outside.

Today's menu was posted in front of the restaurant.

The interior was compact, with two- and four-person tables and bar seats where I could watch the cooking. We sat at the bar and watched skewers and fish grilling over charcoal up close.

Soft lighting was paired with the crackling sound from the charcoal brazier. It was not noisy when I visited, so it was nice for a deep conversation with my friend; I also thought it would suit a date or blind date.

What are the appetizer options and prices like?

Along with charcoal-grilled fish, there were Japanese dishes such as pasta and nabe (Japanese hot pot), as well as sake. The menu items and prices recorded in the original post are below.

• Sasami fry (chicken tenderloin): ₩20,000
• Karamiso motsunabe (spicy miso beef-offal hot pot): ₩30,000
• Two rockfish: ₩18,000
• Assorted skewers, 10 kinds: ₩28,000
• Kubota Senju: ₩87,000
• Grilled mero: ₩28,000
• Uni cream pasta: ₩23,000

Before the main dishes, braised quail eggs and konjac were served as a complimentary appetizer. They were pleasantly salty and sweet, making them good with a drink while waiting for the food.

How were the taste and portion of the grilled mero and uni cream pasta?

What did the grilled mero taste like?

The grilled mero was ₩28,000. A large piece of mero, brushed with a lightly sweet sauce and grilled golden brown, came with salad. Izakaya grilled fish can sometimes feel lacking in portion, but I was satisfied with the amount here from the start.

It was crisp outside and rich and tender inside. My friend and I ate it down to the bones and scraped up the sauce too.

Are two people full after the uni cream pasta too?

The uni cream pasta was ₩23,000, a cream pasta topped with uni (sea urchin roe). The sauce was rich and thick, and mixing in the uni added a sea-like aroma and savory depth.

Even though I was full, I kept reaching for the sauce, so we finished the pasta down to the bottom of the plate. We had originally planned to order several appetizers, but the grilled mero and pasta alone were enough to fill both of us.

What would I like to try next time?

From the bar, I watched rockfish ordered by another table grilling on the brazier in front of us. The grilled rockfish was listed as ₩18,000 for two fish.

The whole fish grilling and its portion stood out to me. I was already full and regret not ordering it, and I would like to try the grilled rockfish next time.

Where are the location, hours, and parking?

Kaken is in the dining area near Dangsan Station, at 237 Dangsan-ro, 1F Unit 101, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. The hours listed in the original post are 5:00 PM–1:00 AM, with Sundays closed. It is best to check the business information again before visiting.

Dedicated parking is limited, so the original post recommends using a public parking lot near Dangsan Station. The restaurant is compact, so I think it would be good to reserve ahead for an important occasion such as a date or blind date.