If you’re a follower of my Flickr photostream, you would have already known that I’m currently in Vancouver. I’m spending my days fitting in whatever I can eat and lots of relaxing and reading. Last Saturday, we went to eat at Jang Mo Jib, a Korean restaurant on Robson Street (there is another location in Richmond, BC) that’s always packed with Korean students and families. We dropped in for dinner at about 7-ish and the place was already buzzing…and we were the only non-Koreans there.
After ordering, every table gets this complimentary kimchi and namul. The potatoes are in a sweetish soy based sauce and are entirely moreish. Free barley tea is also offered to everyone and it’s hot in the winter and cold in the summer and we got it somewhere in between.
We split a huge hotpot of spicy pork rib soup, with preserved vegetables, potatoes, onions and a bit of spice (this can be adjusted to taste). This comes in a giant pot set bubbling over a portable tabletop burner – every other table had some pot or other simmering too. As this soupy stew continues bubbling throughout the meal, the liquid reduces and becomes a delicious concentrate of spicy porky goodness. It’s wonderful over rice and good for a chilly day, which it still is over here.
There was also a bo ssam, slices of pork loin and pork belly served with Chinese cabbage, crunchy pickled radish (I think) and a homemade sauce of tiny salted shrimps. On the side were raw garlic slices, raw chili slices, and a preserved spicy bean paste. We made bundles of the cabbage, pork, radish and sauce, skipping the raw garlic (eeks!), and popped them whole into our mouths. They were gorgeous little bundles of spice and pork and crunch. I think I would have preferred fresh lettuce to the blanched Chinese cabbage though.
These two dishes were more than enough for all of us and they happily packed the leftovers for us. I can also happily recommend the seafood pancake and the spicy pork from here, having had them before. The pancake is especially good and huge to boot! The location is particularly good if you’ve been shopping downtown and on Fridays and Saturdays, they close at 5am.
Jang Mo Jib
1719 Robson Street
Vancouver, BC
Canada
Thu, 19 Jun, 2008 at 23:17
I’ve been to Canada but not to Vancouver. Enjoy!
Fri, 20 Jun, 2008 at 21:24
Hey, Su Lin!
Just back from Tunisia (and don’t care if I never see another chicken cous-cous again … till next week, anyway)
Re the kimshi … did you ever see the episode of M*A*S*H where the Koreans buried their kimshi pots, and Frank thought they were laying landmines?
Sun, 22 Jun, 2008 at 04:56
kat: Were you in the east of Canada?
travelrat:
Cous cous overload, no? Unfortunately, I never really got into M*A*S*H so…nope, I don’t get the kimchi pots reference. 
Sun, 22 Jun, 2008 at 07:57
I’ve never been to Canada, but apparently there are some culinary reasons to stop in.
What are you Su-Lin, a globetrotter?
If you get a chance, stop by Atlanta, Georgia. Here you won’t have to pay for great barbecue. I’ll dish it up for you!
Wed, 25 Jun, 2008 at 13:31
the ssam looks totally awesome! i think that alone would fill me up. hehehe
Thu, 26 Jun, 2008 at 04:32
Donald:
I grew up in Vancouver and so I usually visit once a year to see family. But I’m definitely very lucky to have a job that allows me to travel, both for work and well…not for it. 
I’d definitely give you a shout if I’m ever in Atlanta!
maomau: The ssam was huuuuge. We had to take home the leftovers!
Sat, 23 May, 2009 at 01:54
[...] Mo Jib 1719 Robson St, Vancouver http://tamarindandthyme.wordpress.com/2008/06/19/korean-food-at-jang-mo-jib/ Handmade Korean dumplings. Hot pot that is to die [...]