Hidden Treasures: Hong Cup

컵닭 or “Cup Chicken,” is the heavenly mix of boneless fried chicken pieces, tater tots and 떡 (rice cake). The secret to this particular snack food is the sweet and spicy sauce it is glazed with. It’s so delicious and quite possibly my most favorite Korean street food! I could eat it all day, every day if I had it my way.  While you can get this or similar variations of it all over Seoul from outdoor vendors, the best place to go is Hong Cup in 홍대 (Hongdae).

What I love about this place is that they always make it fresh in small batches, so it’s never left sitting there getting stale or cold. What’s more is that they have four different sauces to choose from: 매콤달콤 양념강정 (Sweet & Spicy), 짭조름 마늘 간장강정 (Galic & Soy), 달콤한 바비큐맛강정 (B.B.Q), and 상쾌한 겨자강정 (Mustard). While the original Sweet and Spicy is great, my favorite is the garlic and soy. It’s just something unique and it’s a nice change from all the typical spicy Korean street food. There are four sizes to choose from and the prices range from ₩2,500~₩10,000. You can even add cheese to it for an additional charge. Typically my boyfriend and like to share a medium for ₩5,000.

Although you can take it to go, there is a small seating space inside where you can relax with your friends for a bit and perhaps grab a quick beer or share a bottle of soju. There are shelves of paper cups along the wall displaying random figurines and the autographs of Korean celebrities who had eaten there before, tempting k-fans everywhere to become thieves. Other than that… the inside isn’t much to look at, but its nice and warm if you’re looking to get out of the cold for a little while. So if you’re looking for the ultimate street food, this is the one to beat. Happy Eating!