I was looking for a Korean BBQ restaurant in Johor, and stumbled across Jang Won Korea BBQ Charcoal. They had raving views on the internet, so I decided to give it a try.
What is Korean BBQ?
Korean BBQ, or gogi-gui (고기구이), which literally means meat roast, is a popular method in Korean cuisine of grilling meat – typically beef, pork or chicken, though they also grill seafood like octopus, clams and others. It is often prepared on gas or charcoal grills built into the dining table itself. A typical Korean BBQ meal comes with various banchan (Korean side dishes), which is normally refillable upon request without any additional charge.
Why I love Korean BBQ is that you don’t just go for the exceptional food, you go for the experience. You have the control to cook the meat to the point of your liking and make wraps with various sauces and banchan.
Jang Won Korea BBQ
Jang Won Korea BBQ is located on the first floor. The place is easy to spot, but getting to the first floor might be a little tricky. The stairs up to the first floor is located in front of the mamak store at the ground floor.
Parking might be a bit hard to find, given that the restaurant is located in a popular part of town, and there aren’t many parking spots to begin with.
The dining area at Jang Won Korea BBQ is quite spacious – they have outdoor seating areas (with / without shoes area) and an air-conditioned area. If you’re lucky, you might get an outdoor table facing the sea.
I visited the restaurant during the dinner rush period on a weekend, and the place was packed with people. Thankfully, there was no queue, but unfortunately I was unable to get a seat outside facing the sea view. I had to settle for a table in the air-conditioned area instead.
The Food
First of all, they have 10 different banchan, which is a lot for a Korean BBQ restaurant in Malaysia. Even the Korean BBQ I tried in KL did not have that many side dishes.
Ramyun – RM15
I ordered the ramyun as an appetiser to the main course.
The ramyun here is was nothing to shout about. All they added was an egg and a little bit of vegetable into the ramyun. Frankly, it wasn’t worth the price. It is something that I could cook at home at a way cheaper cost.
Grilled Pork Belly – RM33
One of my favourite cuts of pork for Korean BBQ is the pork belly. Pork belly is a fatty, boneless cut of meat that is ideal for BBQ. Grilling it infuses the pork with a smoky flavour from the meat juices that drop during the grilling process.
The pork belly is a good protein to make ssambap. Ssambap are Korean lettuce wraps made of meat, ssamjang sauce, and rice. I personally don’t put ssamjang sauce and instead add kimchi and other banchan into my wraps.
Lamb – RM43
I also tried their lamb, which was also decent.
The lamb cuts were too thin though.
Seafood Pancake – RM28
Another must try food at any Korean BBQ establishment is their jeon. Seafood pancake or seafood jeon is a Korean savory pancake made of green onions, white onion and garlic chives with a variety of seafood like shrimp, squid, and octopus. It is served with a sweet and tangy dipping sauce.
Verdict
I’m a bit disappointed at Jang Won Korea BBQ because the proteins comes grilled from the kitchen, instead of you being able to grill it yourself at the table. It dampened the overall Korean BBQ experience.
Apparently, this has been the practice since the pandemic hit. It’s a cost saving move from their end though, and probably better for the environment too, because that means that there is lesser charcoal gets used. The downside is that you can’t grill the meats to your liking, nor keep the proteins warm if you’re a slow eater. Taste-wise, it was average.
Service-wise, there’s definitely room for improvement. Because the place was packed during dinner time, and they have a few dining sections, the staff were stretched rather thinly. They didn’t really pay much attention to the diners eating at the air-conditioned area. It got frustrating, especially when you wanted a refill of the side dishes. The staff here, other than the Korean owners, also can’t really communicate in English well.
The floor was also quite sticky, but I guess that’s expected, given the crowd of people at the store.
The only nice thing about Jang Won Korea BBQ is the view. You get to dine with a sea view facing Singapore.
Check out also:
- XW Western Grill @ Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore
- Zheng Zong Mookata BBQ House 泰式火锅烧烤屋 @ Alor Setar, Kedah
- Thai-In Mookata 泰式烧烤店 @ Old Klang Road, Kuala Lumpur
My Rating
80%: Ambiance
75%: Price (value for money)
70%: Taste
80%: Location
75%: Service
76%: Overall Rating
Opening Hours
Open daily from 11 AM to 11 PM
Address / Contact Information
+07 226 6820K3-211, Block C
Perniagaan Stulang Laut
Jalan Ibrahim Sultan
80300 Johor Bahru
