Friday, June 29, 2012

Chon Ju Jip

First Visit
Rating: Two thumbs up, gold star potential
Date: 6/29/12 
Time in: 7:35 PM 
Time out: 8:34 PM
Servers' recommendations: LA galbi, gai bi chim, hae mool pah jun (seafood pancake), dduk bok ee
What we ordered: LA galbi, hae mool pah jun, dduk bok ee
Number in our party: 3 (with Elise)
Final check amount: $37.55
Notes: 
  • It's an itty place that's easy to miss.  We had to search for the door to get in.
  • Really cute and homey atmosphere.  There's no music, which is unusual for a restaurant.
  • We had an adorable little server, very enthusiastic.
  • There's free tea upon arrival!  But it's room-temp.
  • The menu doesn't have any English explanations.  I'm not that familiar with Korean dishes, so I was lost.  Thank God Elise came too.
  • The panchan is the best we've had so far.
  • The dduk bok ee is so good!  I've never had any with ramen in it before.
  • The LA galbi is tender, juicy, flavorful, and delicious.
  • The seafood pancake is excellent.  Mmm, teeny-tiny octopus and baby shrimp.  The calamari in it is tender, and the pancake itself isn't too doughy or chewy like we've found at other places.
Second Visit

We may have mentioned once or twice that
we love this kind of potato salad...




Some little sweet beans -- we thought the panchan here
was really good and not from the same mysterious panchan store
that most of the other Korean places seem to use.
(Is THAT what they're doing at Manna Bakery?)


Ddukbokki!  I am predicting that
this will be the new Asian food fad
-- the pho of the 2010s?
Note that this version has ramen noodles

and an egg (just for Miko!)

Pork bok kum.

Deng gachi ge, furiously boiling!


Rating: Two thumbs up!
Date: 7/3/12
Time in: 8:46 PM
Servers' recommendations: Combo pork bok kum + deng gachi ge, seafood pancake, dduk bok ee, LA kalbi, gai bi chim
What we ordered: Recommended combo, seafood pancake, dduk bok ee
Number in our party: 4 (with Elise and Sarah H.)
Final check amount: $39.71
Notes: 

  • This time, our server was not the friendliest.
  • But the seafood pancake and dduk bok ee were just as amazing as last time!
  • I was not a fan of the deng gachi ge -- it smelled like kiriboshi daikon, which I've always hated.  Elise would also like us to note that one of the panchan tastes like you licked a hippie.  We have no idea what exactly it was.
  • Our favorite Korean place other than Jeong Won!  Chon Ju Jip gets a gold star!
RESTAURANT INFORMATION
Address: 4373 Convoy St
Phone number: 858-268-0835
Accepts credit cards?  Yes
Parking: Incredibly crowded lot
Ideal group size: 2-4.  You could maybe get away with 6.
Available vegetarian options:  We have no idea. The menu had no descriptions.
Noise level: 3

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