Photolog: Jang YEG (closed)

Located on Jasper Ave, Jang is an upscale Korean – Japanese – Western fusion restaurant. “Jang” means sauce in Korean and this new restaurant offers their own unique sauces to blend Western and Asian flavors together. I don’t think there are many YEG restaurants that offer the same blend of cuisines or flavors!

I had the opportunity to preview Jang before their grand opening, which will be November 5-10, and here is what you can expect:

• Intimate and warm space, friendly servers
• Moderately priced dishes, with sharing dishes being a bit more expensive
• Artfully plated dishes with unique, fusion flavors
• Less extensive menu – without all of the usual offerings you’d find at a typical Japanese or Korean restaurant (e.g. sushi, bibimbap, japchae – they do have other dishes though!)

Disclaimer: I was invited as a food blogger to attend Jang’s media night. However, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here are the dishes that I previewed at their media night:

The Apple Kimchi is not your traditional kimchi! It’s made with apples and daikon instead of the usual cabbage. I thought it was very light, crunchy, and refreshing. I actually kind of preferred this apple kimchi over the regular stuff… I’m not a big kimchi person so this was definitely a nice alternative.

 

 

Fresh Salmon Carpaccio with Fennel: I’d describe this as sashimi with a Korean twist.  The dish came out nicely plated and was dressed with a Korean chili vinaigrette. The salmon was nicely cut and I enjoyed it! It came plated over a bed of avocado and a bite with all components of the dish was tasty.

Jang’s Sizzling Hot Ika was a definitely a blend of Western and Asian flavors. It features calamari tossed in a Korean chili pesto, a poached egg, mashed potatoes, and a black olive emulsion.  This dish wasn’t for me but others at our table liked it! The mashed potatoes were oddly sweet and that threw me off a bit.

One dish that fell short of my expectations was the Kimchi Dome. I was excited and intrigued as this came out! The dome is made with the naan bread “top” and inside the dome, you’ll find pork loin and tofu simmered in kimchi tomato sauce.

The naan bread seemed to be a unique aspect of this dish but it didn’t really seem to fit with all the other components of the dish. Naan bread with Korean food? Meh. I feel like this could’ve been better as a stew or soup. I found myself looking for more liquid and sauce, overall.

On the bright side, the pork loin was tender and I have to give credit for the unique presentation.

Of course, there is also KFC! Jang promises extra crispy chicken,  made with a beer batter. The chicken is served with their house-made Ganjang and Gochujang dips, taro fries, and Korean coleslaw.

Although crispy, I wouldn’t say that Jang is my top go-to for Korean Fried Chicken. However, I’d say the chicken was the stand-out for me in this dish.

The coleslaw had a strong mustard taste and while the taro fries set them apart from other restaurants, I prefer my usual potato fries.

The Kimchi Croquette was one of the highlights of our meal at Jang! There was sweet potato mash with pan-fried kimchi inside and it was topped with cheese and served with shichimi aioli and microgreens.

I loved the sweet potato mash inside and the aioli was super delicious. This dish definitely portrays two different cultures together well and it would be a must-order dish in my books.

Last but not least, Jang’s Gogi Platter! This platter is a shared dish and as you can see, it’s perfect for sharing because it is h u g e. I wish that this had come out earlier in our meal so that we would’ve had the appetite to fully enjoy it! Nonetheless, it was really delicious and also something I’d order again at Jang.

In the platter, you’ll find teriyaki ribeye, galbi, pork belly, spicy pork shoulder, apple kimchi, and 3 homemade sauces to be paired with the meats. The platter also comes with grilled veggies and potatoes, greens, and kimchi butter. I thought all the meats were very well seasoned and cooked. With the sauces, it was a perfect pairing!

 

 

Our meal was finished with dessert from Sweets by Dia, a pastry chef that works with Jang. The Cheesecake had strong ginger flavours and was a nice way to end our meal.

All in all, I can conclude that Jang is definitely different from your average, traditional Korean/Japanese restaurant. From the media preview, there are definitely some dishes I loved and some that I didn’t. Dishes I particularly enjoyed were the:

• Apple kimchi
• Salmon Carpaccio
• Kimchi Croquette
• Jang’s Gogi Platter

Their fusion flavors definitely set them apart! Keep in mind that they don’t brand themselves as a traditional restaurant. That being said, if you’re looking for a non-traditional meal with a well-blended fusion of Western and Asian flavors, I’d say give Jang a try.

Congrats on the opening and thank you for having me, Jang!

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Jang
11212 Jasper Ave, Edmonton