Ziggle Kitchen

There seems to be quite a steady trend of establishments serving up Korean-Chinese cuisine opening around the island in recent years — starting off with Obba Jjajang being one of the first of such places that seemingly has a focus on Jjajangmyeon and Tangsuyuk, the F&B scene has seen the opening of more of such establishments over the years; think brand names such as that of Itaewon Jjajang, the now-defunct Hong Jjajang and Jeong’s Jjajang, just to name a few. Adding to the list of such places in Singapore would be Ziggle Kitchen; a new addition to the Beauty World neighbourhood at Yuk Tong Avenue which is just a short walk away from Beauty World MRT Station taking over the former premises of Wan He Lou 萬合樓 that is currently located at Maude Road in Jalan Besar. The interior of Ziggle Kitchen is pretty similar to that of most modern Korean casual diners out there — there is quite a bit of industrial element going on in the design language of its interior with the use of brick walls and metal elements all across the restaurant, while the dine-in furniture comprises of metallic chairs and tables with wooden table tops; the walls adorned with neon lights for that “fun” vibe. There is also a charcoal barbecue grill segregated by a glass partition that is located straight up as one enters Ziggle Kitchen that one can catch all that grilling action as well if one is being seated around the area. As with how most Korean-Chinese restaurants around the island go, the menu features dishes split into several categories — this would include sections dedicated to Charcoal Chicken, Korean Cuisine, Chinese Cuisine and Snacks. For beverages, Ziggle Kitchen offers a wide variety of alcoholic beverages, though those whom are looking for non-alcoholic drinks can also opt for canned drinks as well.

For those dining in a smaller group looking for a fuss-free experience at Ziggle Kitchen and wanting to opt for their Jjajang Noodle offerings, the Combo Sets do make for a good way to experience several dishes off their menu without over-ordering here. We opted for the Combo Set A here — the Combo Set A comprises of Jjajang Noodle, Jjampong Noodle and Sweet & Sour Pork; a pretty standard combination of dishes that are also served as a set in other establishments such as that of Obba Jjajang and Mukjja Korean Chinese Restaurant, just to name a few. We were first served with three Korean side dishes before the Sweet & Sour Pork first arrived to the table — this included one that featured cucumbers, as well as kimchi and creamed corn. Of the three dishes that came with the set, the dishes that left a stronger impression with us was the Jjampong Noodles and Sweet & Sour Pork. There was something a little bit different with the Jjampong Noodles that we were not very certain if it made their rendition authentic here, but the broth of the Jjampong noodle definitely carried a heavier flavour profile than what we had experienced in other establishments so far. There was also a lingering hint of spiciness that builds up as one goes on with the dish even further, while the chewy noodles provided a good texture against the various types of seafood that one can find in the noodles — this includes small chunks of squid, prawn, mussels and clams. Meanwhile, the Sweet and Sour Pork came with the sauce separate from the chunks of pork here. What we liked about the Sweet & Sour Pork was its crisp exterior and juicy meat; especially delicious when had hot. The sweet & sour sauce here veers towards the sour side at the start, whilst finishing off with a sweet finish towards the end. The Jjajang Noodles was a little flat however; whilst we found it interesting to come with pork belly chunks rather than minced pork, the black bean sauce lacked that contrast of the sweetness from the black beans — still decent for those who are not too picky however.

Beauty World is a spot that is well known for being a neighbourhood with plenty of Korean establishments — some of them having been in operation for a long time. While some Korean establishments do carry items with a Korean-Chinese influence, there are not many Korean establishments that are outrightly Korean-Chinese restaurants within this neighbourhood. Having experienced a number of their dishes through ordering the Combo Set, we feel that there is some room for improvement for some of the dishes that Ziggle Kitchen has to offer against the more prominent names serving up the same — this would mostly be on achieving a balance in the contrast of flavours between different elements in the dishes. The timing of how the dishes are being served up could also be better managed — whilst we would be expecting all three dishes of the Combo Set to come to the table together, we were first served with the Sweet & Sour Pork, then the Jjampong Noodles and then the Jjajang Noodles one-by-one; each time a dish is being served is when we were almost done with the previous. That being said, the service was pretty decent overall; given how the Ziggle Kitchen has only opened for about a week or two during the time that we had made our visit, it seems that their staff were managing the fully-seated restaurant pretty well being prompt in taking orders, clearing plates off the tables. The prices of the dishes at Ziggle Kitchen would be pretty typical of other Korean establishments — the noodle dishes priced at $13++ to $17++ ala-carte, while the sides and sharing dishes are priced between the range of $15++ to $50++ depending on the dish ordered; the Combo Set A we have ordered being priced at $50++ which is a value-for-money way to check out a few items at one seating. We wouldn’t be rushing back to revisit Ziggle Kitchen based on the items we had tried, but we would think those around Beauty World would like their food if they are not too picky on the execution of the food here — especially considering how Ziggle Kitchen has a pretty good vibe and environment to boast!