Jinjja Chicken

Jinjja Chicken
930 Yishun Avenue 2
#01-45 Northpoint City

249 Victoria Street

3155 Commonwealth Avenue West
#B1-28 The Clementi Mall

78 Airport Boulevard
#B1-247 Jewel Changi Airport

https://www.jinjjachicken.com/

Gimbap Bulgogi Beef (SGD $8.90)

Trendy & Tasty Korean Fried Chicken

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 5
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 6
Service: 5
Value for Money: 4
Spent about SGD $20 per person.

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Opening in October 2015, Jinjja Chicken is a Korean inspired, fast casual dining joint that serves easy-to-eat Korean street food. Fronted by an iconic chicken mascot, the halal-certified Jinjja Chicken firmly targets the young and trendy crowd, particularly students, with their wallet-friendly student meals. Don't expect gourmet here.

Ambience at Jinjja Chicken is colourful and eclectic, with a modern industrial look. Garish colours, warm lighting, graffiti style decor, and modern metal furnishings lend a back-alley vibe, with looping Korean music videos completing the feel. The atmosphere is buzzing and lively, with the place usually packed with students. Some of the booth seats are a little cramped though.

Service at Jinjja Chicken is completely self-service, with ordering, payment, and collection over the counter after a short wait. Staff take orders briskly, expecting that you already are familiar with the menu. They clean up efficiently when diners leave. There's little opportunity for staff engagement, as they've adopted a fast food style concept.

Food at Jinjja Chicken is focused on Korean street food. Think burgers, noodles, chicken wings, rice cakes, and dumplings. Quality and taste is average at best, with the main draw being their affordable prices. Portions are sized for individuals, but their meals aren't always filling. Prices target the student crowd, budget about SGD $20 per person.

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Jinjja Chicken Facade

Jinjja Chicken Menu

Jinjja Chicken Menu Expanded

Jinjja Chicken Mascot

Seating

The Yuzu Drink (SGD $2.50 / $3.30) is lovely, with its refreshing tangy citrus sour sweet flavours. More bold in taste than other versions elsewhere.

Yuzu Drink (SGD $2.50 / $3.30)

Yuzu Drink

If variety is the spice of life, then you'll appreciate the 2-In-1 Jjamjja Myeon Set (SGD $13.90), which features 2 of their signature noodles. Heavy on carbohydrates but light on ingredients, it's meant to be substantial and filling.

2-In-1 Jjamjja Myeon Set (SGD $13.90)

2-In-1 Jjamjja Myeon

Choose to add on the Onsen Egg (SGD $2), which lends a silky texture and eggy sweet flavour to your bowl of noodles.

Onsen Egg (SGD $2)

The Jjajang Myeon (SGD $7.90), also known as Jajangmyeon, is a popular Korean Chinese noodle dish, featuring thick long wheat noodles with a soft chew, tossed in a sticky gloopy thick gravy of dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and all-purpose flour. Garnished with crunchy strips of cucumber, tender minced beef, and crisp sesame seeds. This has a lovely earthy meaty savoury sweet flavour. I wish they were more generous with the gravy and meat though.

Jjajang Myeon (SGD $7.90)

The Jjampong (SGD $10.90), also known as Jjamppong, is a popular Korean noodle soup, with a vibrant red seafood soup / broth flavored with gochugaru / chili powder. This has thick long wheat noodles with a soft chew, garnished with tender white clams, chewy blue mussels, crunchy leeks, and bouncy squid rings. Nicely sweet savoury spicy in flavour, with a light fiery kick. Warming and comforting.

Jjampong (SGD $10.90)

The Jinjja Drumsticks Set (SGD $18.90) comes with a choice of soft drink, and a choice of fries. Choose from the 3 piece, 6 piece, or 9 piece set meals for individuals.

Jinjja Drumsticks Set (SGD $18.90)

Soft Drink & Bucket

Jinjja Drumsticks

The Sea Salt Fries (SGD $2.50 / $3.50) feature thin crisp shoestring potato fries, garnished with sea salt. Has a delicate starchy salty savoury flavour. Best eaten quickly when hot.

Sea Salt Fries (SGD $2.50 / $3.50)

Sea Salt Fries

The Seaweed Fries (SGD $2.50 / $3.50) feature thin crisp shoestring potato fries, garnished with salt and seaweed flakes. This gives it an addictive earthy salty sweet flavour. Best eaten quickly when hot.

Seaweed Fries (SGD $2.50 / $3.50)

Seaweed Fries

The Jinjja Drumsticks Yangnyeom (SGD $8.90 / $16.90 / $24.90) feature medium sized chicken drumsticks, with tender moist chicken meat that pulls easily off the bone. The crisp chicken skin is generously marinated with yangnyeom / sweet and spicy sauce, which has a sticky texture and a bold sweet spicy flavour, with a short lingering burn. Good!

Jinjja Drumsticks Yangnyeom (SGD $8.90 / $16.90 / $24.90)

Jinjja Drumsticks Yangnyeom

The Jinjja Drumsticks Ganjang (SGD $8.90 / $16.90 / $24.90) feature medium sized chicken drumsticks, with tender moist chicken meat that pulls easily off the bone. The crisp chicken skin is generously marinated with ganjang / garlic and soy sauce, which has a slippery texture and a robust salty sweet flavour. Good!

Jinjja Drumsticks Ganjang (SGD $8.90 / $16.90 / $24.90)

Jinjja Drumsticks Ganjang

The K-Pop Chicken (SGD $4.50) is their punny take on popcorn chicken. Unlike other versions elsewhere, this has medium sized chunks of chicken, with crispy skin and tender moist chicken meat that has decent savoury salty flavour. It's coated in a thick sweet spicy gravy, which excites the palate and has a short lingering burn. Choose to get it as an add-on option, it's more value for money this way.

K-Pop Chicken (SGD $4.50)

K-Pop Chicken

Loved the classic flavours and textures of the Tteokbokki / Ddukbokki / Rice Cakes (SGD $3.50). This popular Korean street snack is properly done here, with a bouncy soft tender chew and a gravy that lends robust sweet spicy flavour to the rice cakes. Worth ordering!

Tteokbokki / Ddukbokki / Rice Cakes (SGD $3.50)

Tteokbokki / Ddukbokki / Rice Cakes

The Seafood Mandu Steamed (SGD $3.90 / $7.90) were pretty decent. These medium sized dumplings have a chewy dumpling skin wrapper, which tightly holds a juicy piping hot filling of bouncy shrimp / prawns, and crunchy garlic chives. The steamed version is served with a light soy sauce base. This has a beautiful sweet salty savoury herbal flavour, nicely addictive. Good!

Seafood Mandu Steamed (SGD $3.90 / $7.90)

Seafood Mandu Steamed

Seafood Mandu Steamed

Loved the Bulgogi Beef Burger (SGD $8.90). The fluffy soft burger buns are studded with black sesame seeds and white sesame seeds, lending a light fragrant crunch. Paired with fresh crisp lettuce and a slice of cheddar cheese, the minced bulgogi beef patty is thick and meaty with a tender juicy chew. Has good meaty savoury sweet salty flavour, though I can't detect the difference that makes this 'bulgogi'. Completed with crunchy kimchi baechu / kimchi pickled cabbage which has good vegetal sour sweet flavour, and crunchy pickled daikon radish which lends a sharp sour contrast. Enjoyable and satisfying.

Bulgogi Beef Burger (SGD $8.90)

Bulgogi Beef Burger

Bulgogi Beef Burger

The Bibimbap Beef (SGD $8.90) features a base of fluffy sticky warm white rice. Topped with crunchy kimchi baechu / kimchi pickled cabbage, juicy cucumbers, tender carrots, a wobbly soft boiled egg, crisp seaweed flakes, chewy bulgogi / marinated beef strips, and thick gochujang / fermented red chili paste sauce. Mix everything well before eating. This has bright vegetal meaty eggy sweet savoury salty spicy flavours. Highly recommended!

Bibimbap Beef (SGD $8.90)

Bibimbap Beef

Bibimbap Beef (SGD $8.90)

Enjoyed the Gimbap Bulgogi Beef (SGD $8.90). The tightly rolled crisp seaweed sheets are stuffed with sticky fluffy vinegared rice, crisp lettuce, crunchy carrots, juicy tender bulgogi / marinated beef strips, and soft cheddar cheese. Bite in, and you get the combination of textures, with a complex layer of vegetal meaty savoury sweet salty flavours all at once. Highly recommended!