It’s the perfect place to try all kinds of fun Korean street food snacks: Captain Bbang is a bakery that specializes in hotteok, a Korean filled pancake pastry. Named after the Korean phrase “bbang daejang”, meaning “bread lover,” it’s a cozy little shop with relaxing vibes. Not to mention, the 2D black-and-white wall art is uniquely aesthetic and eye-catching!
Next time you drive by Chinatown, don’t hesitate to stop by Captain Bbang and try some delicious new snacks that will leave you to order the whole menu again.
Yuzu-ade:
McKenzie’s rating: 8/10
I am a massive fan of yuzu, so when I tried this drink, I was blown away, and there were fireworks in my mouth.
Although yuzu is a little sour, it isn’t overpowering, so your face won’t contort into the Warheads logo, which is perfect if you are having this aromatic fruit juice for the first time. This drink brought me back to Japan, where I first encountered this unique tart flavor.
Although I don’t like drinking soda, I gave this drink a shot, and I do not regret it. The fizziness of the soda would cause carbonation lovers to fall head over heels.
Despite all my praises, there was one potential downside to this drink: there was lemon pulp at the bottom of the drink for a chewing factor. Being Vietnamese and drinking soda chanh muối occasionally, I was used to this. However, if you are not used to that add-in to your drink, the texture and taste catch you off-guard – but it never hurts to try!
Passion fruit tea:
Audrey’s rating: 8/10
I love a good fruit tea. Usually, my preferred flavor is mango, but Captain Bbang’s passion fruit tea blew me away. With a tangy and sweet kick, each sip of the tea was harmonious and had me going back for more.
Passion fruit itself can be sour, but Captain Bbang’s passionfruit tea was not overpowering. It was not too sweet either, which is something I struggle with when trying new drinks. The abundant chunks of mango and passion fruit added to the drink also infused an extra layer of deliciousness.
I could not really taste any tea, and I am not sure what kind of tea was used to make the drink, but the passion fruit flavor really shined through. Between bites of savory and spicy food, the tea refreshed and cleansed my palate, and I found myself reaching for it until I was scooping out the mango bits at the bottom with a spoon after I had finished the drink. If you had to choose one drink to try at Captain Bbang, this is the one I would recommend without question. You won’t regret it!
Dalgona:
Serena’s rating: 7.5/10:
If you’re on TikTok or social media in general, you’ve probably seen people attempt the dalgona game: the viral honeycomb candy popularized by Squid Game. It’s made by melting sugar and stirring in baking soda, pouring that mixture into a thin sheet and stamping with a design. The challenge then comes in carefully breaking out the shape, a star in our case.
Although the punishment for failure in Squid Game was death, for us, a free snack was at stake as the prize for winning the game. However, the thin candy was surprisingly brittle and snapped very quickly, breaking off one of the star’s points.
Despite our failure, the snack itself was delicious. Not overly sweet with a caramel flavor, the dalgona was crunchy and melted in my mouth. If you’re up for a challenge or just want a sweet treat, this snack is perfect for you.
McKenzie’s rating: 7/10
This sweet treat left me speechless, it was so quiet you can hear the dalgona crack.
I enjoyed playing the game, using a sharp toothpick to carve out the star shape. Despite my best efforts, I would’ve been eliminated due to my unfortunate heavy hand, cracking the shape with one too many scores to the honeycomb.
I enjoy how this restaurant brought a unique aspect of Squid Game to life as the second season took the media by storm last December. I remember how one of the characters in the first season ate the treat, so I decided to give it a taste.
To my surprise, the candy was delicious, with caramelized, burnt sugar, similar to a roasted marshmallow. The cookie was crunchy and brittle, easy to bite into without feeling like you would break your teeth.
The dessert served more as entertainment in carving the shape than as an actual treat, but despite that, I would definitely try this candy again, and next time, I hope I survive the game.
If you plan on trying this treat at Captain Bbang, make sure you go soon as this event may disappear when the show’s relevance declines as it did when season one was released.
Strawberry tanghulu:
Serena’s rating: 7/10
This was my first time trying tanghulu, and it did not disappoint! Traditionally, tanghulus are made with hawthorn fruit but have evolved to include a variety of fruits like strawberries, grapes and mandarins, and Captain Bbang also has a wide variety of fruits to pick from!
The dessert was refreshing and sweet, with juicy strawberries and a crispy outer layer. Upon biting into the strawberries, the layer of sugar cracks and gives a burst of sweetness. Since strawberries aren’t overly sweet, they balance well with the sugar. The only thing to beware of is how difficult it can be to eat the tanghulu since it is on a skewer and can easily get messy.
Audrey’s rating: 6.5/10
Tanghulu has always been on my bucket list of TikTok shop foods to try, and it is a food I could eat any day as a snack. The crisp crunch of sugar blends beautifully with the ripe, juicy strawberries Captain Bbang served. Together, they consist of the perfect bite: sweet, juicy and crunchy all in one!
The only reason I did not give this snack a higher rating is because I have seen people make tanghulu at home, and I do not think five strawberries are worth a dollar each. If price was not an issue, I would be stopping by for this after school treat every day!
Cheese penny bbang:
McKenzie’s rating: 6/10
I heard about these massive penny waffle desserts from social media even before coming here, so I knew we had to try this dish for the sake of the Three Penny Press.
The outside was delicious, very soft on the inside and the outside was very crispy, like a perfectly baked waffle. I enjoyed biting into the soft crust with no other flavorings, just a plain, sweet waffle.
The cheese inside was slightly salty, the perfect complement to the sweet breading. The dessert came out very hot, given that it was freshly made, so the cheese was melted.
Breaking the penny apart to reveal the cheese pull was immaculate, stretching out over a foot when I lifted it vertically.
One downside about this penny was that the appearance was not what many advertised. The penny was not as circular and fluffy as shown in the media and reviews; it looked like someone burnt and flattened it with a hydraulic press, allowing the batter to ooze out of the sides, creating a raw edge and stuffed cheese inside. The looks probably made me reluctant to reach for it more than once. I would not get this dish again, but it was nice to try and see the dessert in the flesh.
Audrey’s rating: 6.5/10
I like my waffles sweet, and I am not your friendly neighborhood cheese-lover. All in all however, this was a decent dish! The cheese pull was a 10/10, but after its magic, the dish was just a waffle with cheese filling. The savory cheese balanced the sweetness of the waffle well, and the waffle was cooked to perfection.
While the dish may have hit taste-wise, it fell a little flat visually. The cheese leaked out of the sides of the waffle and made the bbang look oily and deflated. I only took one bite before I reached for something else. If you are looking for something to post on social media, this dish could bring a great aesthetic with its satisfying cheese pull. It is not a snack that would be a repeat on my list, and I think Captain Bbang has other dishes to offer that are much more worth your time.
Tteokbokki:
Serena’s rating: 7.5/10
Tteokbokki is a super popular street food dish that has gained popularity internationally in recent years. Fish and rice cakes are simmered in a spicy sauce, often topped with melted cheese or green onions. While I can’t speak on authenticity, Captain Bbang’s tteokbokki definitely hit the spot, although I do have to give a spice warning. The dish was very hot, both temperature and spice-wise, and I nearly burned my tongue off rushing to take a first bite.
After you get over the feeling of your mouth being on fire, you get to really appreciate the flavor of the tteokbokki. On top of the spice, the dish is heavily flavored with gochujang, Korean chili paste, which is fragrant and savory. The fish cakes are thin and absorb flavors well, and the rice cakes are perfectly chewy and pillowy.
Proceed with caution unless you’re confident in your spice tolerance, but either way, you’ll find yourself addicted to the spiciness of this dish. If you order it, definitely consider getting one of the drinks mentioned to help wash it all down, though!
McKenzie’s rating: 9/10
I am not afraid of a little kick when it comes to my food. Bring on the spice!
The tteokbokki was delicious, with rice and fish cakes submerged in the original spicy gochujang sauce. The dish was piping hot when arriving, and it stayed that way throughout the meal, elevating the spice factor.
The rice cakes were soft and chewy, and the fish cakes had a smooth and rough texture, resembling if you were to boil tofu skin. Both features absorbed the sauce, making every bite an explosion of flavor.
I will say this dish was pretty addicting. No matter how spicy the dish was, I always reached for another bite. The portion was large enough for the three of us, and we could not finish it. If you plan on getting this dish, I suggest having a buddy or two to handle the large serving.
Overall, this dish was a party of flavors and spice, and I would get it again, maybe even giving the rosé flavor a try.
Sotteok with sausage:
Audrey’s rating: 8/10
I love tteokbokki, and Korean food holds a special place in my heart because of how delicious it is. Watching videos of Namdaemun Night Market and people enjoying mouth-watering sotteok, I have been looking for a restaurant that serves traditional street food, and Captain Bbang did not disappoint.
What’s special about sotteok is that unlike in traditional tteokbokki, the rice cakes in sotteok are fried. This gives them a chewy interior and crunchy exterior doused in a sweet, spicy, tangy sauce. Sausage links were placed between every two pieces of tteokbokki, creating a delicately balanced ratio of rice cake and meat. I really appreciated this as well because while the rice cakes were the star of the dish in my opinion, the sausages spiced things up!
I have no improvements to elevate this dish. I could eat it as a snack or as a meal, and I would never grow tired of it. I definitely suggest you give it a try! Sotteok with sausage is a combination that will never go wrong or disappoint.
Kimchi tornado potato:
Serena’s rating: 6.5/10
I am a huge fan of anything potato-related so I was very excited to see this on the menu. The classic tornado potato comes in three flavors: kimchi, hot Cheeto and Bburinkle, which is a Korean seasoning involving onion, garlic and cheese powder. We chose the kimchi flavor since that is a staple in Korean cuisine.
The seasoning itself did not strongly resemble kimchi, with light hints of its recognizable flavor. It was salty and a little spicy. However, the potato was not crispy at all and was even a little cold by the time we received it. It was also a little awkward to eat off the skewer.
This same dish can be ordered at many other restaurants with better quality, so it probably wouldn’t be my top pick at Captain Bbang, but it was still enjoyable overall!
Since Korean cuisine has been on the rise internationally lately, you definitely shouldn’t miss the chance to try some of the most popular dishes! With a variety of fun drinks, savory bites or sweet treats, Captain Bbang is sure to have something for everyone.
