Lam B.
Yelp
Chon Ju Jip has no nonsense flavor and service. Considering we were the only non Koreans there, I could tell that this was the local spot for Korean food.
The parking plaza was atrocious being shared with so many other restaurants in a small lot. But we camped out and managed to nab a spot for dinner. They don't take reservations and despite hours being listed as 10PM on Yelp, they closed the kitchen at 8:15PM. Upon being seated, we were given complimentary barley tea instead of water. As for banchan, there were: bean sprouts, fish cakes, kimchi, spicy cucumbers, seasoned spinach, spicy radish, fernbrake, and cabbage with ssamjang. The side dishes were rather plain with the exception of the spicy ones. Those dishes brought the heat.
=ORDERED=
*Yangnyeom-gejang: spicy marinated raw crabs. Rare dish that I rarely see offered elsewhere. The marinade was spicy and sweet, with each crab half being smothered in thick gochujang paste. We were given steam white rice on the side. The crabs had soft, jelly like texture and mild, seafood taste. This dish left us all covered in red sauce so make sure to ask for extra napkins.
*Haemul-pahjeon: seafood and green onion pancake. A thicker rendition and came with a salty, spicy sauce. There were pieces of shrimp spread throughout although I found the ratio skewed towards green onion. Not overly oily and had a subtle crunch.
*Tteokbokki: spicy rice cakes with ramyun noodles, fish cake and green onion. Super chewy and soft rice cakes. The noodles would be better for those who want a gummier texture. The sauce was on the sweeter side and this was a hot shareable.
*Bibim-guksu: spicy cold noodles with cucumber. On the saltier side so I would have loved more vegetables to counteract the sodium. The noodles were well coated and had an excellent bite. Portion size was enough for two people. The egg was notably unseasoned, which was disappointing given the sauce was tasty.
Food came out quickly and despite the minimal interaction, we got everything we needed during our meal. Service was curt but sufficient, which is quite common in Asian restaurants. The menu had plenty of Korean dishes that weren't commonly found in other restaurants so I can see why this restaurant has such a loyal customer base. Especially with the strong flavors being offered, I'll be back to share large dishes with family and friends.