First, bite into the crisp sugar-coated crust. Second, experience an explosion of cheese. Lastly, pull and witness the greatest cheese stretch ever.
Located in a corner of The Central in Clarke Quay, Gangnam Corndog is a small eatery that sells Korean-style corndogs loaded with cheese.
A small, cosy place with few seats, it sports a quiet atmosphere and offers a decent view of the Singapore River. The stall is owned by Minho, a Korean student who’s moved here to pursue his studies.
Having worked at a corndog stall in Korea, Minho thought it would be a good idea to bring Korean-style corndogs to Singapore because, well, practically anything Korean sells.
With four corndog options, it was very difficult to choose which three I wanted. After much deliberation, I decided to get the Gangnam Corndog ($4.50), Mozza Corndog ($4.90), and Squid Ink Corndog ($4.90).
Three big, fat, drool-inducing corndogs greeted me. I picked up the Gangnam Corndog, and noticed that it had a considerable weight.
The deep-fried corn batter was coated with a crystal-like layer of sugar, and encased within was a juicy, sizzling hotdog. Of course, eating any sort of hotdog without mustard or ketchup is a travesty, so I skillfully squirted some in a perfect zig-zag fashion.
There’s nothing quite like biting into a crisp sugar-coated crust and embracing that magnificent rush of sweetness, before sinking your teeth through a crispy corn batter and into the succulent flesh of a hotdog.
The sweetness of the sugar crystals complemented the mealy, savoury flavour of the corn batter very well. With the sugar crystals providing a little crunch, and the corn batter having a crispy exterior and chew inside, there was a medley of textures in my mouth which I enjoyed very much.
Complete with the familiar and comforting taste of the hotdog, this corndog was satisfying in every aspect.
Well, I thought it couldn’t get better than that, but it can, and it did. Enter the Mozza Corndog. It has everything the Gangnam Corndog has, just with one additional magical ingredient – melted mozzarella cheese. Drooling now, aren’t you?
The first half of the corndog is filled with ooey-gooey cheese, and the experience of creamy, luxurious cheese pooling in your mouth can only be described as pure bliss.
I recommend you bite first, hard but not so hard you sever the cheese completely, then pull back and witness a wondrous cheese stretch right before your eyes (or rather, below your nose.)
Once you’re done revelling in cheesy glory, you’ll reach the second half of the corndog where the cheese ends, and the hotdog begins. So fret not, you’ll still get the full corndog experience if anyone was afraid that this was all cheese and no hotdog.
When I finished my Mozza Corndog, I’d thought my interaction with cheese had ended. Fortunately, I was wrong. The Squid Ink Corndog also contains cheese, and is basically the same thing as the Mozza Corndog, just with squid ink injected into the corn batter and a little less cheese.
The bottom of the sausage is also split into four parts to mimic a squid’s tentacles. Quite innovative, if you ask me!
I honestly couldn’t taste any difference in the corn batter, so that was slightly disappointing. But don’t let that stop you from ordering this rendition of the corndog if you’re keen on squid ink!
Three corndogs were more than enough, so it was time to move on to something else. My dish of choice was the Twist Potato ($4.50). It’s basically a potato fashioned into a spiral and put through a stick.
A common Korean street snack, Minho’s version was seasoned with a honey onion butter that I absolutely loved. The sweetness of the honey was in perfect harmony with the savoury butter, and the tangy flavour of the onion tied it all together.
The potato was a little soggy, though I suspect that was because I had left it out for a while. If consumed fresh, however, I’m sure the potato will be crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, as it should be.
As if this place wasn’t already the ultimate teenager haunt, Gangnam Corndog also offers lightbulb drinks. As a last-ditch attempt to preserve my precious teenage youth, I had the Mango Juice ($5.90) and Raspberry Juice ($5.90).
I’ll admit the packaging is a little gimmicky, but the juice itself was actually wonderful. Ice-blended, the Raspberry Juice was tart and refreshing. However, I preferred the Mango Juice because it was a little sweeter, and seemed to be mixed with something that tastes like fruit punch, making the drink even more enjoyable!
While I might never get into K-pop, K-food is totally my jam. And Gangnam Corndog is undeniably appealing in so many ways – melted mozzarella cheese, deep-fried food, delightful drinks, and a friendly Korean oppa (correct me if I’m wrong).
I’m sold, and I think you’ll be too!
Expected damage: $5 – $10 per pax
