As an avid fan of Korean food, I was elated to hear that Andong Zzimdak has finally opened its doors in Singapore. People not familiar with Korean food may have never heard or tried Andong jjimdak before, which is made with chicken and vegetables marinated in a ganjang (Korean soy sauce)-based sauce.
Unlike typical Korean restaurants, Andong Zzimdak only offers 4 main dishes – the original Andong Jjimdak, Boneless Jjimdak, Seafood Jjimdak and the extra spicy Mayak Jjimdak. For customers who wish to savour the similar spiciness as the one they had in Korea, they can opt for the Mayak Jjimdak.
Currently, there is no non-spicy option offered as the recipe is directly imported from Korea to ensure the original taste. If you have tried the Andong Zzimdak outlet in Myeongdong before, you’ll find the taste here almost or exactly similar to the one there! Did you know that the same dishes may taste different in different Andong Zzimdak outlets, as some outlets are franchised and the taste may be improvised?
But unlike the Korean outlets, Singapore offers more choices of side dishes to expand the variety that is currently being offered only in Singapore. You may not find side dishes such as ddeokbokki (Korean spicy rice cakes), seafood pancakes or karaage chicken in Korea menus.
As Andong jjimdak is fairly new in Singapore – and we can also safely say that Andong Zzimdak is currently the only food establishment that offers this dish here – we shall do a comparison of Andong jjimdak and Korean fried chicken (KFC), and tell you why this new dish is better than KFC which you may be probably already getting sick of.
1) Andong jjimdak is a healthier choice
Since Andong jjimdak is not fried but steamed, it already wins hands down in this department. Andong jjimdak is known to be a nutritious dish in Korea due to the chicken’s protein content and the vegetable’s vitamins. Also, if you have tried the one in Korea before, you will find that as compared to the Korean counterpart, there are more kinds of vegetables in the Singapore version.
2) Andong jjimdak is suitable for all ages, and is good for gatherings
The taste of Andong jjimdak makes it popular with the older generation as well (can you imagine eating fried chicken with your grandparents?), so next time when your family does not know what to eat, you have a new place to head to now! Andong jjimdak is also good for gatherings because of the serving size – the medium size, although reccomended for 2-3 people, feels more apt for 3-4 people especially if you are ordering sides or have a small appetite.
Also, the Andong jjimdak is accompanied by the traditional Korean banchans (side dishes), kimchi and pickled radish, which complements the main dish really well and best of all, they are refillable!
3) You can eat one dish in many ways
Unlike the Korean fried chicken, where there are limited ways to eat, the Andong jjimdak can be savoured in different ways. The dish already comes with glass noodles inside, so it is up to you if you want to add more rice or noodles to the dish. However, do take note that if you want to add noodles, you have to do so when you first order the jjimdak! Here, we enjoyed the Andong jjimdak in the style that most Koreans love to do – adding rice and mixing in with the sauce, before cleaning of the remainder!
Also, Andong Zzimdak serves makgeolli (Korean rice wine) in the traditional Korean way – in metal bowls! Cheers!
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However, if you do not drink alcohol or are still underage, you can go for the non-alcoholic beverage options such as the yuzu (Korea citron) tea or the Korean fruit soda Demi Soda. Even their metal cups have the brand logo imprinted on it!
Overall, the Andong jjimdak in Singapore’s Andong Zzimdak outlet indeed tastes similar to the ones we had tried before in Korea, or specifically the outlet in Myeongdong! It really feels great to have a authentic taste of Korea back here in Singapore, especially when you haven’t been back there for a long time. As someone who is bad at eating spicy food, the original Andong jjimdak was just right for me – the iced water is also free flow so you can challenge your limits and try the spicier Mayak jjimdak!
However, I would reccomend having the side dishes, especially the ddeokbokki, before having the main dish or after, as the sauce of the Andong jjimdak already overpowers the taste of other dishes if you’re having them together.
Thank you Andong Zzimdak for the food tasting session, and to finally introduce the nostalgic Korean dish to Singapore!
Andong Zzimdak
Raffles City Shopping Centre
252 North Bridge Road
#B1-44F (next to Buffet Town)
Opening Hours: 11:30-22:00 daily
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Article by: Zhen Zhen @ KAvenyou
Photography by: Zhen Zhen @ KAvenyou & Andong Zzimdak