Itaewon Jja Jang

Itaewon Jja Jang
64 Peck Seah Street

https://www.instagram.com/itaewonjjajang.sg/?hl=en

Tangsuyuk / Battered Sweet And Sour Pork (SGD $39)

Homely, Generous, And Delicious Korean Dishes

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 6
Food & Beverage: 8
Service: 8
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $33 per person.

.....

Opened in January 2021, Itaewon Jja Jang is known for its authentic homely Korean Chinese dishes, prepared by its South Korean chef. Typically drawing a queue, Itaewon Jja Jang is well regarded for their generous portions; advance reservations are recommended.

Ambience at Itaewon Jja Jang is warm and inviting. The warmly lit space features wooden structures and brick work, exuding a homely vibe with comfortable cushioned booths and 4 private dining areas. The place can get buzzing during peak periods.

Service is efficient and friendly. Staff are quick to greet and seat guests, demonstrating decent product knowledge in halting English. Orders are fulfilled with good speed, and cleaning up is done quickly when diners leave. The call bell is also attended to promptly when rung.

Food at Itaewon Jja Jang is Korean Chinese cuisine, specialising in homey comfort meals. Dishes are made using authentic recipes, with no-frills rustic presentation. Portions are large and generous, designed for communal dining. Prices are affordable and reasonable, budget about SGD $33 per person.

.....

Itaewon Jja Jang Facade

Their Kimchi Baechu / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage (SGD $Complimentary) has a bright vegetal sour sweet spicy flavour, with a lovely juicy crunch to texture. It's made with napa cabbage rubbed with sea salt; seasoned with a paste made from scallions, ginger, daikon radish, garlic, glutinous rice, saeujeot / fermented shrimp sauce, aekjeot / fish sauce, eoriguljeot / oyster sauce, and chili; then left to ferment in a brine of vinegar and water. Has a fiery kick, tingles the palate. Highly recommended!

Kimchi Baechu / Kimchi Pickled Cabbage (SGD $Complimentary)

The Kkakdugi / Pickled Daikon Radish (SGD $Complimentary), also known as Danmuji, is crispy crunchy juicy, with a refreshing sharp vegetal sour sweet flavour that cleanses the palate. The daikon radish is brined in white vinegar, salt, and water, with optional rice bran and gardenia flowers. Good!

Kkakdugi / Pickled Daikon Radish (SGD $Complimentary)

Loved the Eomuk Bokkeum / Stir-Fried Fish Cake (SGD $Complimentary), with its tender chewy texture and mild meaty savoury salty sweet nutty flavour. Made with fish cakes stir-fried with light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, garlic, salt, and sesame seeds. Highly recommended!

Eomuk Bokkeum / Stir-Fried Fish Cake (SGD $Complimentary)

The Ttukbaegi Gyeran Jjim / Steamed Egg In Pot (SGD $9) nearly overflows out of the pot, and is fluffy spongy light in texture with mild eggy savoury sweet earthy flavour. This comprises whisked chicken eggs seasoned with garlic, aekjeot / fish sauce, chicken stock, water, and sesame oil. Enjoyed this immensely. Highly recommended!

Ttukbaegi Gyeran Jjim / Steamed Egg In Pot (SGD $9)

Ttukbaegi Gyeran Jjim / Steamed Egg In Pot

A decidedly premium rendition, the Tteokbokki / Ddukbokki / Rice Cakes (SGD $23) features soft chewy glutinous rice cake with grainy sweet flavour, tender chewy fish cakes with salty savoury sweet flavour, crunchy green onions with vegetal herbal sweet flavour, and a bouncy hard boiled chicken egg with eggy sweet flavour, all in a thick rich gochujang / fermented red chili paste gravy that carries robust sweet savoury spicy flavour. Loved every bite of this, though the fiery heat kept building and lingering on the palate. Highly recommended!

Tteokbokki / Ddukbokki / Rice Cakes (SGD $23)

Tteokbokki / Ddukbokki / Rice Cakes

The Samgyetang / Ginseng Chicken Soup (SGD $22) features a whole young chicken, stuffed with glutinous rice, garlic, Korean ginseng herbs, water chestnut, jujube / red dates, green onions, and scallions, in a thin clear chicken soup / broth that is savoury sweet herbal earthy in flavour. The chicken is tender moist chewy with a meaty savoury sweet herbal taste, pulling off easily from the bone. Served in a claypot, which keeps it warm and bubbling for a time. Highly recommended!

Samgyetang / Ginseng Chicken Soup (SGD $22)

Samgyetang / Ginseng Chicken Soup

Their rendition of Tangsuyuk / Battered Sweet And Sour Pork (SGD $39) is among the better versions I've had. This features bite-sized pieces of tender pork loin coated in a crisp snow-white batter (made from sweet potato starch, corn starch, water, salt), carrying mild meaty savoury sweet spice flavour. I like that the thick gloopy sweet and sour sauce (made from white vinegar, water, white sugar, corn starch, carrot, cucumber, red onion, black fungus / wood ear fungus, pineapple juice, lemon juice) is served on the side, carrying bold sweet sour zesty tangy fruity flavour. This allows diners the option of either pouring the sauce over the battered pork, or dipping the pieces instead; my preference is to dip. Highly recommended!

Tangsuyuk / Battered Sweet And Sour Pork (SGD $39)

Tangsuyuk / Battered Sweet And Sour Pork

Their signature Jajangmyeon / Black Bean Sauce Noodles With Fried Egg (SGD $15) is served in a huge portion, with a base of thick chewy wheat noodles with grainy sweet flavour, coated in a generous amount of thick gloopy chunjang / black bean sauce (made from fermented wheat flour, salt, soy beans) which has earthy sweet savoury flavour. Garnished with strips of juicy cucumber with vegetal sweet flavour, and an optional springy fried egg with eggy sweet savoury flavour. Highly recommended!