Almost a decade ago, a bout of depression led to me spend a lot of time watching K-dramas. There was something soothing about the fluffy shows–and as a bonus, I got to watch real Korean people eat real Korean food. One show I devoured, Playful Kiss, features a character whose father owns a restaurant. His way to comfort her through her romantic pitfalls? A bowl of jajangmyeon. This was my introduction to Korean Chinese food.
Truth be told, the black bean noodle dish is not one of my favorites. But Korean Chinese food? I’ll pick it over American Chinese food any day.
And for meat lovers, the best introduction is a heaping plate of tangsuyuk. At Jang Won Bon Jum in Centreville (there’s also a location in Annandale), the sweet and sour dish is available with pork, beef, chicken or shrimp. I like the first of those, cut into thin strips, then lightly coated with flour and fried. The crisp pork is dressed in a sauce that’s tangy and a bit sweet, but not syrupy like American sweet and sour. For a spicy punch that left my lips tingling, I ordered the Szechuan version of the dish, piled with visible dried chiles. Pineapple chunks bring their own natural sweetness, along with carrots and multicolored peppers.
It’s not a meaty Chinese meal without dumplings and the fried version at Jang Won Bun Jum are extra large and extra juicy. Dip them in the accompanying sauce to complement the fat with salt and acid. The vermicelli that weave their way through the meat do nothing to diminish its zaftig appeal. At $5.99 for five, they’re worthy of a meal on their own. But load up on tangsuyuk, too, and see why Korean Chinese grub is the key to a satisfying Meaty Monday. // 13814 Braddock Rd., Centreville
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