JJANG Korean BBQ & Social House has soft opened at the Richmond Oval for the past week. They are grand opening on October 1, so keep in mind the restaurant and staff are still tweaking their menus and service. The first thing you’ll notice at JJANG is the abundant use of lights and sparkles. There’s a distinctly clubby vibe about the restaurant and it’s crowning glory is their enormous sparkly bar by the entrance. They have a fairly extensive looking drink menu to pair with their menu. In addition to Korean BBQ classics, JJANG will serve fried chicken, fries, stone pot jjigaes, and other shareable dishes. I came by during their soft open to preview a few dishes. Check out my full review of JJANG Richmond below!
JJANG Richmond – Korean BBQ Menu
We start the meal off with some simple but flavourful banchan. The selection at JJANG is straightforward – kimchi, bean sprouts and potatoes. Although it is simple, I really enjoyed these and appreciate that refills are free. There was also a side cabbage salad with a very refreshing citrus dressing that helps to break up the heaviness of the Korean BBQ.
With Korean BBQ in the restaurant name you know I had to try some BBQ items! Everything came out beautifully presented and looked very fresh. Like classic Korean BBQ the meats come unmarinated and you can really appreciate the pure meat flavour.
One thing I will note though is that although there are ventilation hoods above every grill, I don’t think they work. The restaurant became progressively smokier as the night went on and by the time I left the restaurant I smelled like a BBQ briquette. Although they have a fancy machine that helps you to remove the smell after you eat, it doesn’t do much but mask the overwhelming smoke smell.
JJANG Richmond – Innovative Drinks and Korean Classics
There is no shortage of drink options at JJANG Korean BBQ & Social House. From colourful shots, to beer dispensers to innovative cocktails they’ve got it all! I particular love all their unique glassware! The vibe of the restaurant definitely lends itself to a more party feel. I would definitely suggest coming by with a group of friends to enjoy some drinks and indulge in some grilled meats.
In addition to their delicious meats, there are a variety of Korean classic dishes to supplement your meals. I found the Spicy Seafood Stew to be quite flavourful, but lacking in the seafood components. The seafood pancake, similarly suffered from being more on the thin and anemic side. I would not order the pancake again.
Overall, JJANG is still definitely working out the finer details during their soft opening and you can definitely see that. However, I do find their meat quality to be good, and the overall service was decent. Some servers are definitely friendlier than others. I would give them a couple weeks post grand opening before checking them out, however I do think JJANG will be an excellent addition the Korean BBQ scene in Richmond!
JJANG Korean BBQ & Social House
Address: 115-5668 Hollybridge Way, Richmond
Website: https://www.instagram.com/jjang_bbq/
