#1 [Be a Food Blogger] Korean Noodles at Jinjja Chicken!--180 Things 1st Inaugural Post

[Be a Food Blogger, 24 Nov 2015] 24 November 2015 was an iconic day for me. It was D-day where I finished all of my IB papers! Yay! And to celebrate the end of the rigorous examinations period, I headed immediately to Bugis Village with my best friend Iswarya, to try out a new Korea Fast Food Restaurant, Jinjja Chicken. 

Well, you could'd thought that we were interested in the chicken, but no quite so! :) We were actually much more interested in the Korean noodles that Jinjja offers. For instance, we were extremely curious as to how the Jjajang myeon (Soybean Paste Noodles), Seafood Jjamppong Noodles and the Bibim Noodles will turn out. :)

We ordered a Jjangppong set ($12.50), which is a sampler platter of both Jjajang myeon and Seafood Jjamppong Noodles. The set includes a 'box' of fries and a choice of soft drink. For the fries, we had the option of 'upgrading' it to a small Ttebokki Fries (Rice Cake & Fries) for an additional $1. (FYI: A small Ttebokki Fries is priced at $3.50) To add on, we ordered a Bibimyeon (Bibim Noodles, $7.50). 

The Jjangpong is definitely a new creation. Served in a 2-in-1 bowl, the Jjangmyeon was my favourite. The noodles were chewy, while the sauce was not too salty. Cucumbers were sliced adequately, were crunchy, and served their job well. The Jjamppong was cooked in a spicy seafood broth, and was rather delicious as well. It was Iswarya's favourite. 

                            

The bibimyeon was served with a half-boiled egg, and was aesthetically appealing. One of the highlights of the dish was that the bibimbap was served with kimchi (while some restaurants might not serve theirs with kimchi), and as such, slight sour taste of the fermented vegetable made the noodle pretty appetizing. On a side note, the bibimyeon is pretty colourful too.

Ttebokki Fries was absolutely amazing! The fries were fried to crisp, and the ttebboki, which was fried as well, gave a 'crispy-on-the-outside, but chewy on the inside' kind of texture. It was also my favourite. The Gochujang (Pepper sauce) was not too spicy, and its sweet taste complemented the fries really well. I particularly enjoyed the ttebokki fries, and it would make a good to-go-dish for anyone just popping by the area.

Iswarya and I happened to have a short chat with the owners of the shop, and I could see their passion in bringing the Korean dishes into Singapore for K-food lovers to enjoy. Despite language barriers, the owners were determined to learn the K-food skills from Korea before bringing them into Singapore to ensure the authenticity of the food. In addition, one of the owners, Bernard mentioned that all of the chicken used in Jjinjja Chicken are all 100% non-patty--Yes, including the chicken we find in the bibimyeon and Jjajangmyeon! He also emphasised that the restaurant is determined to cook their chicken burgers with chicken cutlet, so as to ensure that customers get to enjoy good quality chicken. That is not all, Jinjja is going to become one of the first Korean restaurants to become halal certified. :)

We also got to try out a complimentary traditional Korean Sikhye and Yuzu drink. I had the Sikhye drink. It had a tint of lemon taste which tasted more refreshing then the usual Sikhye. Effort is indeed put in to make sure that the drink makes the consumers happy!

(Bonus Shot: Photograph of our noodles being mixed up.)

We also had a complimentary Oreo bingsu ($5.90) as an aftemeal dessert. The 'snowflakes' were soft and fluffy, and the Oreo crumbs tasted really nice with it. Heard that the Oreo bingsu was popular among students. :) A nice dessert to conclude the entire meal, and thank you Jinjja Chicken for the warm hospitality. :)

Last but not least, who could resist having a photograph taken with the restaurant's mascot?

[Conclusion]: The restaurant has interesting menu items like ttebokki fries and the Jjangpong, and the Sikhye drink and Bingsu tasted really good. Visual-wise, the food looked appeasing and appetising. The price is also friendly for me and Iswarya. The fast food restaurant has a student promotion from 2pm-6pm (Sunday to Friday, Selected meals), and students get to enjoy $3 off their meal. Had a great meal at Jinjja Chicken :) Will definitely visit here again.

                           

Jinjja Chicken

249 Victoria Street

Singapore 188034

(Bugis Village, opposite Bugis Junction)