Jin Jin Bara: Not as Good Second Time Around

For our family’s end-of-the-year get together, we decided to go to a traditional Korean course meal restaurant called Jin Jin Bara. We have been here once before in the summerso I was opposed to coming here again, but Mom made the reservation anyways because “we know from past experience that this place is good.” I guess she didn’t want to risk going to a new restaurant with bad food for our annual family get together.

An elaborate tile fountain welcomed us at the entrance. There were huge fish swimming in the water as well. Mom said these fish bring luck.

We arrived about 20 minutes before the reservation (the traffic in Seoul is unpredictable and we didn’t want to be late), so I just sat on the couch by the fountain and waited for aunt’s family to arrive.

We were led to a private room for eight people. I really liked the tablecloth, as well as the table setting that included a colorful spoon and chopstick holder.

The course meal began with black sesame porridge. Grandma said black sesame is good for the health, but it tasted too bitter for my liking. I also didn’t want to get full on something that didn’t taste good, so I only had a tiny sip and waited for the next course to arrive.

The salad was nothing special. There was too much dressing (a mixture of mayonnaise and some sweet sauce? It tasted like thousand island) at the bottom. The bitterness of the red cabbage, the watery iceberg lettuce , and the sweet bell pepper was a good combination. There were red beans, too.

Koreans eat (or drink?) this cold soup of scallions and sweet radish like Americans drink wine (perhaps not as classy). I didn’t have any.

This was a fun dish that involved wrapping six different fillings (carrots, egg whites, egg yolk, cucumbers, thin slices of beef, and brown vegetables whose name I do not know) in the round pancake in the middle. I added sweet wasabi sauce for an extra flavor.

Compared to the sashimi I had in Busan, these were not as fresh or flavorful. It also didn’t have the “melt-in-your-mouth” sensation. Like what the sushi chef in Busan told us, “You cannot compare the fish in Busan with those in Seoul.” I have to agree.

This cold noodle dish with chopped cabbage, cucumber, radish, and beef was my favorite. The beef broth had rich, refreshing taste (although a bit too sweet), while the cabbage was crisp.

The creamy mixture on top of the smoked salmon was too overpowering so I couldn’t taste the salmon. After the first bite, I just took off the topping and ate the salmon.

The jellyfish marinated in chili paste sauce with greens had an interesting texture, sort of like slimy jerky that sticks in your mouth. I took a bite of something that looked like mushroom, but it turned out to be pork. I immediately spit it out. Gross.

Chungpo-mook is made of bean sprout heads. This mook was mixed with seaweed in sesame oil. The mook had similar surface texture as the jellyfish (slimy), but it wasn’t jerky, but tasted like Jello.

There was too much sesame oil in the japchae, or clear noodle with vegetables.

The giant shrimp was split open in half with sweet pumpkin puree and minced egg whites, egg yolk, and some green and orange stuff on top. The puree tasted too buttery, while the shrimp itself was too bland.

The warm wild sesame soup tasted delicious and healthy! It had chunks of mushroom, which I loved, as well as scallions and mini shrimps. It was a welcoming addition to all the previously cold dishes.
GALBI

The galbi was too fatty. I wasn’t craving meat either so I only had a bite.

From left to right are fish with eggs outside, kimchi pancakes, and squash with eggs. Again, these Korean pancakes are pan-fried in oil, so I only had a tiny bite of the fish and the kimchi pancakes. The fish was too dry, while the kimchi pancake was too spicy.

Octopus, cucumber, and onions in spicy chili sauce. I was too full and knew this dish would be very spicy, so I didn’t have any.

Pork meat. I don’t eat pigs. I used to when I was younger, but since I discovered pig hair on one of these, I don't even touch it. So gross.

Koreans don’t call it a meal until a bowl of rice and banchans grace the table. I liked that they only served us half a bowl of rice—that way the food doesn’t go to waste.

The dessert included glutinous rice cake with sweet bean and nuts filling, pineapple, and this super sweet red drink. The rice cake had an antithetical texture—the outside was really chewy, while the inside was mushy. They gave us slices of pineapple cores so they tasted like nothing.
Maybe because it was our second time, but the food wasn’t as good. Also there was a huge group next to our room and they were very rowdy…not the most ideal situation for a nice, quite family get together that we had wanted!