Spicy Rice Cakes (Ddeokbokki)

"Jung-ang Ddeokbokki" (중앙 떡볶이)

Downtown, Daegu

Extremely cheap, addictingly delicious and (potentially) super quick.  For these reasons, deokbokki is a popular snack, practically a staple to Korean youth.  And here at Jung-ang Ddeokbokki is one of the best places to find it.

The above pic was taken early on a weekday.  But if you've passed by any other time you may have recognized this:

You can try asking: "Is a seat available?" (jah-lee, iss-uh-yo?) 자리 있어요?

And the response will probably be: "No." (up-suh-yo.) 없어요.

[See page on Ordering in Korean]

The Food:

Ddeokbokki (떡볶이) are rice-cake tubes boiled in a red pepper sauce.  They're usually served alongside fish cakes known as O-daeng (오뎅) and some cabbage (배추).  

What makes Jung-ang Ddeokbokki so popular?  First, their rice cakes are thickest and softest in town.  Their sauce is also sweeter and less spicy than elsewhere, possibly broadening their edibility.  

Another great quality of this place is their mandu (만두).  They are more like hollow dumpling shells, even emptier than Daegu's famous 'flat mandu' (납작만두).  Nevertheless, they are somehow still extremely delicious, especially when dipped in the ddeokbokki sauce.  The combo seems to be the most common order. (see menu below)

They also offer kimbap.  But these aren't their specialty by any means.  They're are usually better at your local Orange Kimbap. 

Menu Translation
	*Ddeokbokki + Mandu Ddeokbokki Mandu Soon-Dae (pork-blood sausage) Kimbap Can Cola Can Cider Welch's Cool-piece (fruit yogurt drink)

Location:

Jung-ang Ddeokbokki is downtown, along the western edge of the 2.28 Park.  From the stage, go down the street to your left (if you're facing the stagefront from the audience), towards the Samduk Police Station (삼덕지구대).  Make your first major left, at the Angel-anus Coffee, and it's a few storefronts down on your left.

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The address is: 대구광역시 중구 동성로2가 70

"If you're a recreational line-stander, or are just looking for an orderly way to spend a Saturday afternoon, come to Jung-ang Ddeokbokki!  We'offer the longest lines in Daegu, guaranteed!"