It seems Siam Square has become a little Korean Town. Among the troops of new bingsu cafes and tteokbokki chains sits Jjang, a restaurant which spreads itself across all Korean staples. Taking the old spot of former cool-kid hangout Siam Vintage on Siam Square Soi 10, Jjang looks more like a chic cafe than a proper Korean restaurant thanks to its acreage of bare concrete, industrial lighting and wall murals. One of these explains in detail the meaning of jjang—a Korean word for “best” and an idiomatic exclamation of satisfaction.

 

While we’re quite sure that most of what we eat at Jjiang isn’t quite the best we’ve ever tried, we can say that it’s good enough to make this one of Siam Square’s most solid Korean strongholds. The hotplates are a particular highlight, especially the recommended jjimdak (B549/B949)—braised chicken with vegetables and glass noodles. Though the tough chicken does the dish no favors, there’s a real kick to the hot soup, especially as it reduces on the tableside stove and the flavor becomes even more condensed.

 

Other dishes worth ordering: the jjukkumi bokkeum (stir-fried baby octopus with Gochujang fermented sauce, B220), in which the mild spicing and slightly sweet flavors go well with the fresh squid; the jumokbap (rice ball with carrots, mushrooms and seaweed, B170) flavored with aromatic sesame oil and the salty taste of chopped seaweed; the hot dak galbi (stir-fried marinated diced chicken in Gochujang, B498); and tteokbokki fried rice cake (B345/B685).

 

If there’s anything to steer clear of then it’s the standard kimchi jjigae (kimchi soup, B170), which lacks any richness and simply tastes too sour. The mandu (deep-fried gyoza, B170) is also too oily and features a flavorless stuffing. But if we had to pick between Jjang and its cramped neighbor Red Sun, we’d favor the more reliable flavors here any time. 

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This review took place in November 2015 and is based on a visit to the restaurant without the restaurant's knowledge. For more on BK's review policy, click here.