Dakbal and Isulcheoreom

About

Cozy chicken feet pocha tucked inside Sagajeong Market, serving fiery soupy chicken feet alongside rice balls and soothing nurungji.

Tucked away inside Sagajeong Market, just a short walk from Sagajeong Station Exit 1, Dakbal & Iseulcheoreom captures the unmistakable charm of a neighborhood pocha. Behind its modest market facade lies an inviting, retro-tinged room furnished with half a dozen circular metal tables—each fitted with storage drums for your belongings—and a wall projector running nostalgic playlists alongside quirky, illustrated chicken posters. It feels immediately lived-in and welcoming, quickly building a loyal following through word-of-mouth alone. The kitchen specializes in spicy chicken feet, available either bone-in or boneless, with the soupy *gukmul dakbal* taking center stage. Simmered at your table over a portable gas burner, the glossy, fiery broth carries a kick that can be tailored to order; serious heat-seekers can request an extra punch of fresh Cheongyang peppers and Vietnamese chili powder. Standard sides like crunchy *cheonsachae* (kelp noodle salad), bean sprouts, and garlic dipping sauce offer moments of reprieve, while regulars know to inquire if the off-menu, tangy *yeolmu-kimchi* (young summer radish kimchi) is available that day. To counter the spice, order a combination set that rounds out the table with savory steamed egg (*gyeranjim*) and a piping-hot bowl of *nurungji* (scorched rice soup), which softens the creeping burn between bites. Clumping together a bowl of seaweed-flecked *jumeokbap* (rice balls) to dip into the bubbling chili broth is practically mandatory, as is washing it all down with cold draft beer or soju. Whatever you do, save enough sauce at the bottom of the pan for a final round of fried rice. Seating is tight and fills up rapidly in the evenings, making an early arrival the best strategy for snagging a burner.