A full rack of ribs constructed into a volcano-like shape arrives sizzling in a lava-red sauce bubbling in its cast iron pan. Every day from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., diners can dig into the stack of pillowy soft pork, buried in an avalanche of melted mozzarella. If this isn’t delicious excess, what is?
According to Jin-Gak Bae, his new restaurant, JMT Kitchen + Bar, is named for a modern slang phrase. “It comes from a Korean saying, ‘jon mat taeng,’” he explains. It translates to mean something along the lines of “extremely delicious,” or “just my taste.” And anyone who heads to the Annandale building that shares space with A&J Restaurant and Kozy Ramen & Bar will realize that this statement is no exaggeration.
“Being a second generation Korean [American], being in a dichotomy of worlds, I imagined a K-pop kind of vibe with sports on. Even the food would be more kind of laid-back, a true fusion,” Bae says.
In a wide-open space punctuated with big-screen TVs, executive chef Mark Chang regularly puts new experiments on the menu. The results are often over-the-top, but the inspiration may not come from where you think. Chang, trained in French and Italian cuisine, grew up on the West Coast and says that meaty burritos inspired his cheesy take on the ribs. His European culinary background shows in the form of a four-hour braised Bolognese served with chicken parmigiana.
A fan of In-N-Out Burger, Chang’s secret menu means you can order anything “animal style.” A plate of expertly folded and fried dumplings, for example, will be piled with caramelized onions, spicy Korean fried chicken bites, and mini cubes of pork belly.
“It’s a unique place,” explains Bae, whose family also owns Han Gang Restaurant in Annandale and Kobe Japanese Steak and Seafood in Leesburg. “We were a little nervous if this thing could work out because it’s so different.” But diners will agree that the novel dishes are as JMT as can be.
JMT Kitchen + Bar: 4316 Markham St., Ste. F, Annandale
Feature image by Rey Lopez
This story originally ran in our December issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
