Ongdarae Jjimdak 옹다래찜닭

Every order is cooked from scratch, so the jjimdak (braised chicken) takes longer than places that simply reheat a pot. The soy-based Ongdarae jjimdak is salty with a clean finish, and its glass noodles soak up sauce quickly; eating them alongside the chicken keeps them from going soggy or too salty. The nurungji version adds crisp scorched rice to soak in the sauce, and boneless cheese jjimdak spares you the bones, which helps with kids. Gochujang and seafood versions bring the list to five, so larger groups often set one mild and one spicy dish side by side. The room is bright like a cafe, with group tables and wine on the list.