Gangnam Chinese restaurant dinner with yuringi: Jjamppong Jijon

Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch between Yeoksam and Gangnam stations

Right next to the office I've been going to lately, I found Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch (짬뽕지존 역삼점), which is said to be a great jjamppong spot in Yeoksam-dong. So I went with an office colleague for our first dinner together—yuringi and jjamppong, here we come!

Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch 464 m from Exit 3, Yeoksam Station (Line 2) Hours: 10:00–22:00

Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch actually seems to sit right about halfway between Gangnam Station and Yeoksam Station. You can easily walk there from either station.

There is an Andong guksu (Andong-style wheat noodle soup) restaurant called Umilga on the first floor, and Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch is on the second. See that large outdoor parking lot? ^^

The interior at Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch is spacious and clean, so even before eating, I got the sense that they pay close attention to hygiene.

Jjamppong sujebi for a solo meal

Actually, I had come here alone for lunch before this visit. There are plenty of two-person tables, so it was easy and comfortable to dine solo.

This is the jjamppong sujebi (spicy seafood noodle soup with hand-torn dough flakes) I had on that solo visit. It was my first time trying jjamppong sujebi, and the chewy texture of the sujebi, so different from noodles, went beautifully with the spicy jjamppong broth.

The rich broth was generously loaded with meat and seafood~ There were heaps of vegetables too, so it felt nicely balanced.

That chewy sujebi looks delicious, right~ The rich, spicy broth soaks right into the chewy dough flakes. So good.

After enjoying the sujebi, I grabbed some rice from the self-service bar and mixed it into the soup. Whenever you eat jjamppong, don't you always want to add rice to that broth?~

A tidy self-service corner with free rice

I also liked that Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch has such a neatly arranged self-service corner. You can help yourself to danmuji (pickled yellow radish), zhacai (pickled mustard-stem vegetable), onions, chunjang (black bean paste), and even rice, all for free. Disposable aprons and dessert drinks are also thoughtfully set out beside it.

Yuringi, handmade dumplings, and Jijon jjamppong with a colleague

This time, I came for dinner with a colleague and ordered yuringi, handmade dumplings, and Jijon jjamppong. Cass beer and Saero soju too~

For the initial setup, they bring danmuji and bottled water. The danmuji comes in small individual delivery containers, along with a 500 ml bottle of water, which made the place feel even more reassuringly hygienic.

The handmade dumplings arrived first. At a glance, they did not look much different from the dumplings at a typical Chinese restaurant, so I was a little disappointed—but then I took a bite, and the juices, the juices... They were absolutely delicious!

Then came the main dish of the day, yuringi (crispy fried chicken with tangy sauce). It is personally my favorite Chinese dish. ^^ I thought it could use a little more lettuce, so I asked whether that was possible, and they brought us a separate plate piled high with lettuce. ^^

Crispy outside, tender inside yuringi: lay it over a leaf of lettuce, dip it generously in the refreshing Oriental-style sauce, and eat... You know, right? Totally insanely good~

This is their signature Jijon jjamppong. The heat is about like Shin Ramyun... and you can choose your spice level when ordering.

When you have a shot of soju, you start craving a spicy broth, don't you?~ That is exactly when jjamppong hits the spot~ Our first dinner with an office colleague at Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch was delicious and a total success.

At lunchtime, there were hardly any empty seats because of employees from nearby offices. In the evening, though, there was comparatively plenty of room, making it nice for a leisurely meal, drinks, and a good conversation. Above all, the jjamppong is delicious, so it is a great place for lunch when you are craving spicy broth!

Next time, I am planning to have sundubu noodles for my meal, plus fried eggplant and cream shrimp as side dishes. They are Jjamppong Jijon's recommended menu items~

When you are craving jjamppong in Yeoksam-dong—or a spacious, clean Chinese restaurant—Jjamppong Jijon Yeoksam Branch is the place!