Kristen H.
Yelp
Annandale is basically the Koreatown of the DMV (though Centreville might be able to claim the same title), so the area is already fairly saturated with tasty Korean food. Jang Won Ban Jum is a favorite among locals, which is definitely a sign of respect given the amount of Koreans in the area! The restaurant is located in a standalone building among a plethora of strip malls, and upon entering, it's a fairly large space with plenty of wooden tables, and colorful pictures of Chinese-Korean fusion food adorning the walls.
At around 8pm on a Saturday night, the restaurant was about 3/4 full, and my party of three was able to get seated immediately (though we were warned in advance that the restaurant was going to close at 9pm - just something to keep in mind). The menu is extensive, with pages upon pages of classic Korean-style Chinese food, ranging from JJja-jang-myeon (black bean noodles) and Ttang-su-yuk (fried pork with sweet sauce) to more adventurous fare, such as Khan Pung Soft Crab (deep-fried softshell crab in a spicy garlic and chili sauce). For those that can't choose, they offer a variety of combos containing some of their more popular dishes, so you can get a half portion of each! They come out with small portions of banchan (Korean side dishes), which were kimchi (overly garlicky, but not too fermented) and pickled radish and onions (just sweet enough, and refreshing with our entrees!) - they are also more than happy to give you a refill if you ask.
My brother and I were hungry, but my dad wasn't, so my brother ordered a medium portion of their Khan Pung Sal (deep fried boneless chicken & vegetables in garlic and chili sauce, $20.99 for medium) as well as a medium Jajang Myun (black bean noodles served with vegetables and pork, $10.99). The medium portion of the Khan Pung Sal was actually quite large, and my brother was able to split it with my dad. The chicken was expertly fried, with a crispy exterior of not-too-thick breading, and a juicy, moist interior. The sauce's spice level was perfect - just hot enough to make you sweat a little, but not overly so to overpower the taste of the chicken. It's also served with tiny cubed carrots and peas, and pairs nicely with rice. Additionally, the "medium" portion of Jajang Myun was actually huge, and they give you a lot of that addictive, savory black bean sauce replete with onions and diced pork - so much so that we debated asking for a bowl of rice to pair with the leftover bowl of sauce! The noodles were the perfect thickness and texture: chewy while soaking up all the flavors of the sauce.
I opted for a Tang Jja Myun Combo, which is a half portion of their tang su yuk (sweet and sour deep fried pork) and jjajangmyun. It came in a huge two-compartment bowl, with generous pieces of crispy pork soaked in a sauce akin to General Tso's Chicken sauce, as well as a large portion of Jajang Myun noodles (seriously, I couldn't believe that this was a half portion of each - I finished my entire bowl, but I was absolutely stuffed!). Overall, this is a really great place in Annandale if you're craving Korean-style Chinese food: the portions are generous, the food is really tasty, and I think there's something for everyone. 5 stars from me!