Whenever someone mentions Jjajangmyeon in Singapore, the first place that comes to mind is definitely O.BBa Jjajang. However, the crowds can get a bit crazy at times, which is why sometimes we turn to alternatives like MukJja, Itaewon Jjajang and Dong Fang Hong.
Dong Fang Hong Restaurant in Telok Ayer
Dong Fang Hong is one the most established Korean Chinese restaurants in Singapore. They have been serving Jjajangmyeon and other authentic Korean Chinese dishes to the community for more than 15 years!
Dong Fang Hong Restaurant Menu
As a specialized Korean Chinese restaurant, you can expect menu items such as Jjajangmyeon, Jjamppong and Tangsuyuk.
You can also find more interesting items such as Yusanseul (S-$45 L-$65), a sea cucumber dish with shrimp and vegetables, as well as Yuringi (S-$35 L-$48) which is Fried Chicken with Garlic and Soy Sauce.
Here’s a review of what we tried at Dong Fang Hong Restaurant:
DFH Jjajangmyeon
Unarguably the most representative dish at Korean Chinese restaurants. The DFH Jjajangmyeon ($12) is made with savoury black bean sauce and chewy handmade noodles.
There was a good ratio of noodles to sauce, which allowed each strand of noodle to be coated with the sauce. First bite in, and we could taste the prominent flavours of the shallot oil.
There were bits and pieces of pork, along with some onions. Overall, a decent bowl of Jjajangmyeon.
Uni Jjajangmyeon
We settled for the Uni Jjajangmyeon ($13) as the Jokbal Jjajangmyeon was sold out. Don’t be misled by the name of the dish – there’s no sea urchin roe in the Jjajangmyeon. It’s just a spicy version of the Jjajangmyeon.
Much to our surprise, the spicy jjajangmyeon was one of our favourite dishes for the night. The sauce is fried with fragrant chilli oil, probably the same one used for their Jjamppong, with bits of diced green pepper.
The spiciness is bearable, with the sweetness of the green peppers breaking the greasiness of each bite. With the spice, the dish seemed less jelak.
Samson Jjamppong
The Samson Jjamppong ($15) came with loads of seafood such as clams, mussels, prawns and slices of squid. The thing that stood out was probably how red the soup looked.
The broth was spicy with a tinge of seafood sweetness. One thing that we couldn’t figure out was why the dish tasted more like a Chinese dish rather than a Korean Chinese dish. But still, a comforting dish to have on rainy days.
Menbosha
One of the highlights was the Menbosha ($18), a deep-fried sandwich with shrimp in the middle.
The dish is known as Celebrity Chef Lee Yeon Bok’s speciality, which went viral last year after he revealed the recipe on Stars’ Top Recipe at Fun-Staurant.
When the Menbosha was served, we really thought it would be too hard and dry. But one bite in and it revealed a soft, milky white centre filled with minced prawn. The exterior had a perfect crisp, with the buttery flavours of the toast filling our mouths with each bite.
Ketchup is provided just in case you need something to cut through the greasiness, which we felt was not too bad.
Authentic Korean Chinese Restaurant in Singapore
There’s probably a reason why Dong Fang Hong is so popular among Koreans living in Singapore, and why they are still around after 15 years.
The dishes here were of good quality and the service staff were really polite and helpful. If you’re around Telok Ayer and craving for some authentic Jjajangmyeon, Dong Fang Hong is one restaurant you should consider.
Dong Fang Hong Restaurant
92 Telok Ayer Street #01-01, Far East Square, 048472
Mon-Sat, 11:30am-3pm, 5:30pm-10pm. Closed on Sundays
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg
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