Fried chicken is one of my comfort food and Korean cuisine is another one of my favorite. Jinja chicken marry up the 2 to bring you delicious Korean fried chicken(KFC) and also favorites like JJajiangmyeon(Bean paste noodles) and Mandu(dumplings). I cant resist and had to check it out.
Jinja Chicken is located on the opposite street of Bugis Junction and in the vicinity of Bugis Street. The restaurant is follows that of a fast food place with a counter to take your orders.
The restaurant is packed quickly during meal times so you need to be there early to secure your table. After making your order, you will be given one of those UFO buzzers that alert you to collect your food when it is ready.
There is a secret XL size drink that in the menu and is good for 2 pax to share. The medium version cost $2.80 and the Large $3.50 and this secret XL size is definitely sufficient for 2 pax to share. We tried the Sikhye rice which we found it to be too sweet and it bare resemblance with our Barley drink. The yuzu soda fare much better with a refreshing taste.
Yuzu Soda (XL) $4.90
Sikhye rice (XL) $4.90
Jjamjia myeon $10.90
Being in a fried chicken restaurant, it is a no brainer to try the korean chicken wings and we did just that. You can choose flavours from Soy Garlic, Yangnyeom(seasoned and slightly spicy) or go for the Monster which is the spiciest of them all. If you have trouble choosing, go for the mix and you will have the 3 types to try.
6 pieces will give you 3 drumlets and wing portion, all fried to a crisp. It was very enjoyable to hear a satisfying crunch with every bite. They are not oily and layered with a starchy sauce of your own choosing. The Soy Garlic is the most mild of all and had a gentle garlic flavour to it. The Yangnyeom was sweet and spicy while the monster was great if you fancy spicy food. I love them so it was lovely.
To make your meal more complete, simply top up $2 for fries and a drink. If you prefer drumsticks, the 6 piece option is only $1 extra at $8.90.
Fried chicken Wings Mix flavours (6 pieces $7.90)
If you Mandu(korean dumplings), you can try those here in steamed or fried version. 4 pieces will set you back $3.90 which is quite a reasonable price at $1/dumpling. Our steam variant came in a small plastic container filled with a soy based sauce which was very good tasting with the dumplings.
If you are feeling bit more healthy, they do served salads as well and here the missus had her Tofu bibimsalad. Think of Bibimbap but salad style, the dish had lots of ingredients with a good amount of greens, carrots, tofu, cucumber and also glass noodles among others. The sauce is savory and goes well with various ingredients. The various textures provides a good excitement to your taste buds.
If carbs are your thing, the restaurant served korean favourites like JiaJiangMyeon(Black bean paste noodles) and Jjamppong(Spicy seafood noodle soup). If like most koreans, you have difficulty deciding, they have the Jjamjia Myeon which is a half and half of each of the mentioned dishes.
The Jjamppong comes with a generous amount of seafood items like squid, tiny mussels, shrimp in a spicy broth. The noodles used is quite similar to the "You Mian" from our Ban Mian shops. For the Jjamppong, you can have 3 different versions and I had the original which was not too spicy. I will be sure to try the spicy and creamy version the next time.
On another visit, I had just the JiaJiangMyeon. This came in the same noodles as the Jjamppong served with shredded cucumbers and black bean sauce. Other ingredients include diced potatoes, onions and also minced meat. Taste wise, it is all right and I had better in Korea.
If you are still feeling peckish, add a piece of fried cutlet for only $2. The cutlet is a huge slab of chicken meat and doused with the same sauce as Yangnyeom chicken wings. The skin is crispy and meat juicy.
Jjajiangmyeon + Cutlet $9.90
Like most casual korean restaurants, there will be entertainment on the LCD screens belting out korean music videos to enhance your dining experience. The restaurant is not exactly the biggest so be prepared to wait for a table if you are not early. Check out the rest on offer here.
The restaurant grants Safra members with a 10% discount which is a good reward for serving the nation.
Damage: about $25 for each of our visit for 2 pax
Food: 6.5/10
Service self service
Location:
249 Victoria Street
