Kushikatsu Daruma is a famous kushikatsu joint from Osaka. Kushikatsu is B-class gourmet food to begin with, so when I lived in Japan I never paid it much attention, but the longer I live in Korea the more I get the occasional craving for Japanese food, so when I heard it had opened I went straight over. Like MOS Burger, more and more well-known Japanese chains such as Marugame Seimen, Goemon and Osaka Ohsho are opening around Gangnam Station. I have no idea why, but the way things are these days, I think I will be dropping by now and then.

Complimentary cabbage and the sauce

This place has the rule that you must not double-dip in the sauce. If you want a second dip, you use a piece of cabbage to scoop up the sauce.

Water

I was craving a beer, but it was daytime so I held back.

Potato salad

Good or bad aside, it is completely Japanese in taste. There are times when I miss flavors like this.

The menu

There are lots of items that are not in the basic course. Ordering the basic course and then trying this and that on top seemed like the way to go.

Inside

Maybe because it had just opened, there was Japanese staff on hand. That got my hopes up for the food.

Doteyaki set

The stew-looking dish in the middle is doteyaki. As expected, it is a Japanese-style flavor that is hard to find in Korea. If you ask whether it is tasty, I liked it, but I imagine it will divide opinions.

Lunch set

I was worried the kushikatsu would be greasy, but even though it is deep-fried it was actually rather light. It might be because so many of the ingredients are vegetables. It went really well with the special sauce too. I think it must be the best snack to go with a draft beer.

The dining room

The seating is fairly spacious. It would be a nice place to come for a quiet drink, Solitary Gourmet style, around Gangnam Station.

Monaka ice cream

They brought out dessert too, to mark the opening. When I was paying I asked about this and that, and the staff member who kindly answered, who looked like the singer Ailee, especially stuck in my memory.

I thought Gangnam’s day was over once Garosu-gil took off, but lately quite a few interesting places have been opening. It also feels like it is turning from a nightlife hub into a family town. Either way, this is a good place to use whenever I get a craving for the taste of Japan.

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