O.BBa Jjajang – Authentic Korean Jjajangmyeon, Open till 3am

Jjajangmyeon is a Chinese-Korean dish featuring noodles coated in a thick black-bean sauce (chunjang). The noodles usually come with ground pork and diced onions. After being blanketed with the black-bean sauce made from roasted soybeans and caramel, the bowl of thick handmade noodles will taste slightly sweet. Sounds unappetising maybe, but it has been a Korean staple since 1905.

O.BBa Jjajang specialises in Korean-Chinese Cuisine and is especially renowned for their bowl of jjajangmyeon. The small restaurant is located in Tanjong Pagar, and opens from 11.30am to 3am. A perfect fix for your late night hunger pangs!

Our waitstaff recommended the set meal to us. Featuring their three most popular items, the Black Soybean Sauce Noodles, Sweet and Sour Pork, and Chinese Style Noodles/Rice with Vegetables and Seafood, this set meal goes for $45 (ala carte price : $51). This set is perfect for 2, or even 3. 

The Sweet and Sour Pork ($25) arrived first. Unlike the zichar version that we usually have, the pork is separate from the sweet and sour sauce. You have the option of pouring the sauce over the pork yourself (we did!) or letting the staff do it for you. Sliced into bite-sized pieces, the pork is first marinated with soy sauce and starch before being fried. It is crispy and well-fried, perfect with the tangy sauce. Note that the sauce is more ‘sweet’ than ‘sour’.  The pork is a little dry but the generous serving of sauce helped.

The Jjamppong ($14) came next. The broth looks extremely spicy but it is manageable for our Singaporean tastebuds. The bowl of noodles came with clams, mussels, squid, shrimp, and assorted vegetables. The seafood is first fried together with the vegetables before it is placed into the bowl of boiled noodles. We liked that they were extremely generous with the fresh seafood, making it well worth the price tag. Also, don’t be afraid to wear white tops as cute bibs are provided!

Finally, the star of our meal. The Jjajangmyeon ($12) is totally worth the wait. The handmade noodles are smooth and chewy. It goes perfectly with the slightly sweet black soybean paste. The thick and starchy sauce was not too grainy and was loaded with onions. We could have used more diced pork though. However, we enjoyed the sauce to noodle ratio. Each delicious strand of noodle was coated evenly with the sumptuous sauce! Even though there is an option to upsize your bowl for $2, we think that the bowl itself is filling enough – especially if you order side dishes.

When I was there on a Saturday at 1.30pm, the humble eatery with Korean chefs and service staff was filled to the brim. I even heard smatterings of Korean being spoken here and there. To add to the atmosphere, Korean music is played over the speakers, making for an authentic Korean experience.

MissTamChiak.com made anonymous visit and paid its own meal at the stall featured here.

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