Cheap Eats - January 13, 2001

No cutting culinary corners with Yen Jing’s homemade Northern Chinese pasta

A nice cake is waiting for you. Such was the promise of the fortune cookie my husband received after a recent meal at Yen Jing. Sweet predictions like this are enough to keep us coming back, but we return for the pasta, too. Nearly hidden in Korean Town Plaza at the crest of a hill on Buford Highway, Yen Jing focuses its energy on making silky noodles that draw folks from miles around. Noodles, along with dumplings and bread, are a staple of Northern Chinese and Korean cuisine, as rice does not grow easily in the region.
When you first sit down, count on a couple of small plates of kim chi offered as a courtesy in the traditional manner, but meant to stimulate your appetite as well. The crunchy, salty spiciness of the pickled cabbage works like a charm on me every time. Order beer, wine or sake to wash it down.
Yen Jing’s simple dumplings (most are $5.95), filled with ginger-laced ground pork, are among the best in town. Be sure to order a sample, either boiled, steamed or fried. The Chinese Roll with Bean Paste ($6.95) must be good, because they’re sold out whenever we try to order them. Do not trouble yourself with the greasy, overcooked, cabbage-filled egg rolls ($3.50).
Looking around the dining room, which is surprisingly spacious and well-appointed for a low-budget spot, you’ll see that everyone here orders noodles, regardless of the other dishes they might be eating. No doubt, the noodles are why dinner crowds flock to Yen Jing. Unlike many other similar restaurants, they make their own. The noodles arrive at your table very fresh, tender and velvety, stars of whatever dish they accompany. Unlike Italian pasta, most of which is engineered to be cooked “al dente” and hold sauce, Asian pastas are meant to be served either soft or fried to crispiness.
Yen Jing’s signature noodle dish is the traditional Cha Chiang Mein ($6.95), known to Koreans as Jajangmyon. A thick, nearly gelatinous black bean sauce (fermented black soy beans, not the black beans you find in much Latin cooking) with onion and chunks of pork is served in a heaping bowl alongside a bowl of, you guessed it, noodles. Add any amount of sauce you see fit. Served long to represent long life, the noodles are easier to maneuver with a chopstick and a spoon if they’re cut. Handily, the kind wait staff at Yen Jing will cut your noodles at the table if you wish. Just beckon to anyone you see dashing (not running) around with a pair of scissors and they’ll help you. If you still can’t grab a hearty mouthful, request a fork ... shamelessly.
One of the more entertaining sights and sounds on a recent visit was a group of toddlers slurping bowls of the slippery stuff while slinging black bean sauce on every nearby surface, including their faces. Their parents didn’t care because they were busy with their own bowls.
Another favorite here is the San Shan Seafood Noodle ($6.95), a fresh, gingery broth with shrimp, squid and vegetables and a heap of noodles. As with any dishes here, you can order with the amount of spiciness that you prefer. The House Delight Noodle ($6.95) is good, albeit a bit less interesting to the palate, with a clear broth, chicken and vegetables.
For the sake of balance, we tried the Kung Pao Chicken ($8.95) and were a bit disappointed. Although it was a huge portion for the price and the chicken was nicely moist, it was too heavily laden with black pepper, which effectively negated any other, more subtle flavors. For the dollar-conscious diner, the noodles here are by far the best deal.
Yen Jing is a good place to take a large group or a gaggle of children, who will be enthralled by the food and the huge, offbeat collection of knick-knacks and statuettes near the entrance. Many of the popular dishes are available at lunch, in slightly smaller, lower-priced portions. Although Yen Jing offers no cake, despite the fortune cookie’s promise, it does offer the definitive Northern Chinese noodles, at a price that will keep us going back for more.