Dangsan Station izakaya for charcoal-grilled mero: Kaken

How close is it to Dangsan Station, and was there a wait late at night?

I visited Kaken (카켄), an izakaya one minute on foot from Exit 2 of Dangsan Station. I found it because I was curious about irori-yaki, fish skewered and grilled over a hearth.

The interior was a compact space with five four-person tables, one two-person table, and counter seats. I visited around 11 p.m. and took the last available table, after which a wait began right away. We did not have to wait.

What did the irori-yaki look like, and could I get the fish I wanted?

On one side of the kitchen was a charcoal grill and a space designed like an irori, a Japanese-style hearth. I could watch the fish skewered and grilled over a gentle fire.

I went expecting irori-yaki, but because it was late, I was told that all the fish I wanted was sold out. After asking which fish remained, I ordered grilled mero. It was disappointing not to get the dish I had wanted.

At the time of my visit, Naver Map showed information about which fish had arrived. If you are going for grilled fish, it may be worth checking the available fish before visiting.

Because it was an open kitchen, I could watch my order being prepared. It was fun to watch the fish being grilled, and seeing the process made me look forward to the food while I waited.

How were the mero’s flavor and portion?

After I sat down, they served simmered konjac and quail eggs as basic side dishes. They are foods I usually like, and I enjoyed their slightly sweet flavor.

The grilled mero cost ₩28,000. It came with a lettuce salad with black sesame sauce, pickled ginger, lemon, radish sprouts, and wasabi.

The charcoal-grilled mero was not overly strongly seasoned. I could taste both mero’s characteristic richness and the charcoal aroma. Considering that mero is an expensive fish, the portion also felt generous to me for ₩28,000.

How were the fried ice cream and the response to the missed order?

While eating, I added fried ice cream. The listed price was ₩10,000. It seemed to be fried in fine breadcrumbs, and not only the ice cream inside but also the fried coating was cool, so I ate it chilled.

When it still had not arrived after a little while, I asked about it. They said the order seemed to have been missed and made it right away. They apologized and did not charge for the fried ice cream. I did not feel that I had waited very long, but their quick apology and response left me with a kind impression.

I also ate the sausage I received for taking part in the review event. It was salty and worked well as a drinking snack.

Why would I like to visit again?

I could not eat the irori-yaki fish I wanted this time, but watching the fish grilled over the hearth and eating the charcoal-grilled mero stayed with me. Next time, I would like to try another grilled fish.

The staff were also kind, and there were quite a few customers drinking alone at the counter when I visited. If I want to have a drink with grilled fish in Dangsan, this was a place I would think of again.