Warming My Cold Heart with THE BEST Black Bean Noodles (Yang Tz River Chinese Restaurant)
Somewhere hidden upstairs in the heart of Eastwood on the Korean side sits a Chinese restaurant run by Koreans. Confused, yet? Somehow it makes a lot of sense to offer an untapped Asian cuisine on the Korean side of Eastwood
Ever since I was little, my family visited this unassuming, low key joint on the regular. My early memories of climbing up the stairs to the noisy crowd inside, sitting on the bare tables and looking around at the soju ads and ‘authentic’ Chinese art on the walls, remain unchanged over the years.
I’d recommend throwing away the menu and instead ordering their take on these two Chinese-inspired dishes popular all over Korea as fast food or takeaway meals:
- Jjajangmyeon (짜장면) or black bean noodles
- Kkangpunggi (깐풍기) or spicy garlic fried chicken
Let me warn you, portions are generous! Bring your family and/or friends along to share the dishes and be prepared to roll home, content and happy in life. As a tradition, our family like to visit after moving homes to make up for the lost calories.
I’m also completely biased in calling this place the best jjajangmyeon (짜장면) in Sydney and I will fight anyone who thinks otherwise. I’ve had friends mention ‘this or that’ place is the best version in other Korean-populated suburbs, but to me, none have come close to the consistency, taste and portions offered by my dear Yang Tz River restaurant over the past 20+ years.
Another dish close to my heart (arteries, that is) would be the kkangpunggi (깐풍기) or the spicy garlic fried chicken, which is the perfect melting pot of sweet, sour and spicy flavours in the form of God’s most beautiful creation: fried chicken. I’m not religious, but boy, I’ve had religious moments with this sacred dish.
For average spice lovers, I would say it’s a light kick that pairs well with the black bean noodles and an ice cold beverage.
When I was young, my eyes would water at the spice levels and I would suffer all the way home. But. I. Couldn’t. Stop. Eating.
With a nod to Curry Pie Guy’s poetic dedication to spicy food, even my younger self couldn’t resist the powerful healing properties of chilli.
To this day, when life gets tough, I know the taste of Yang Tz River’s finest can bring me down to earth and reset the balance in the universe.
What should I order? (For 4, ~$60)
- Jjajjangmyeon (자장면) or black bean noodles
- Kkangpunggi (깐풍기) or spicy garlic fried chicken
- Tea, beer or other cold beverages