A review of Jjang Kae
Jjang Kae #109 Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City
I’ve always wanted to try jjajangmyeon. I was curious about its dark color and bold look, especially after seeing it so many times in K-dramas. It always made me wonder, “What does that actually taste like?”
Then, out of nowhere, my TikTok feed was suddenly flooded with jjajangmyeon and Jjang Kae reviews (algorithm is scary, lol). It felt like food bloggers were everywhere! That was the sign I needed; I finally told myself, ‘Okay, that’s it. I’m trying this soon
I did my homework and watched a few reviews first to make sure we ordered the right things. I didn’t want to waste money on a ‘miss’! The consensus was to get the special jjajangmyeon, jjamppong, and tangsuyuk, so we took their word for it and ordered exactly that.
The perfect day came on January 25. It was Kali’s debut photoshoot at Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife, which is less than a kilometer away from Jjang Kae. We left home at 7:30 a.m. for the 9 a.m. shoot since it was a Sunday and traffic was lighter.
We just had McDonald’s coffee and some packed sandwiches for breakfast. It was a great day to be outdoors—the air was cool, the sun was mild, and the 28-degree weather made waiting around quite enjoyable. We just sat back and caught the breeze while the shoot finished.
Zaki had a great time taking photos around the park. For a beginner, his shots turned out surprisingly well!
Zaki’s snapshots of the park, taken using his damaged Huawei Y9s
The shoot wrapped up around 1 p.m., and by then, we were starving. We headed straight to Jjang Kae at 109 Kalayaan Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City. Since it was less than a kilometer away, it was a very quick drive. However, the parking lot was already full when we arrived, so Lay had to stay on standby in the car.
Here’s what we ordered:
Jjajangmyeon (2 orders) – ₱350 each
Jjajangmyeon – Chewy wheat noodles topped with a thick black bean sauce, mixed with pork and vegetables.
I finally had my ‘K-drama moment‘ with a bowl of jjajangmyeon, and it was… fine. It had that nice touch of umami I’d seen on screen so many times, but it wasn’t quite the life-changing spark I expected from watching my favorite actors. Still, I’m glad I finally crossed it off my bucket list. Satisfying that long-held curiosity was a win in itself, making the whole trip to Jjang Kae worth it.
Samsun Jjampong – ₱420
The dish delivered exactly what I expected—bold, fiery spice balanced with generous portions of seafood and crisp vegetables. The serving was impressively large; even with five of us sharing, we couldn’t finish it. We packed up the leftovers and enjoyed them later.
Tangsuyuk (Medium) – ₱850
Crispy and tender pork, served with sweet and sour sauce on the side. This was enjoyable and easy to share.
Kkanpunggi (Medium) – ₱850
Spicy fried chicken with a strong kick. Another good choice if you like bold flavors. Unfortunately, I don’t have a photo. Lol
Kun Mandu – ₱250
Fried Korean dumplings. Sadly, this was the most underwhelming dish we ordered.
Overall, I’m glad I finally tried Jjang Kae. When a craving keeps bothering you for days, it’s hard to sleep until you give in. At least now, I know what jjajangmyeon tastes like.
Will we come back? Probably for the jjampong. That one stood out the most for me.
And here’s a fun bonus.
While we were waiting for our food, Zaki suddenly said, ‘Ma, I’ll greet them.’ He was looking at the three men at the table next to us, assuming they were Korean since we were in a Korean restaurant. However, as I listened closely, I heard the word ‘Hiroshima’ and noticed their Japanese accent. Then it clicked—I looked again and realized one of them was Yukan, the TikTok creator famous for singing OPM songs in Japanese! I said hello, and they were all incredibly kind. After our meal, I asked for a photo, and he happily agreed, even moving closer so I wouldn’t have to get up.
Such a nice guy. That moment made the whole experience even more memorable.
Here’s Yukan’s Japanese version of Multo by Cup of Joe
From My Corner of the Couch 