In Search of Cha-jang Myun / 韓国風のジャージャー麺探し

My wife Mikako and my mother are currently hooked on all things Korean - dramas, music, actors and actresses, and the food - which got me to thinking, what was the first Korean dish I ever ate. The answer takes me back to high school. My half-Korean friend Rob introduced me to the world of Korean cuisine by taking me to small restaurant and ordering for me. The only thing I could remember was that it was a noodle dish with some kind of black bean sauce. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to eat it again. As I didn't know what the Korean term was, I once again relied on my friend Rob to educate me. He said it was dish called cha-jang myun and said it was originally a Chinese dish, but that the Koreans like to make things there own. Cha-jang myun? Ja ja-men? Oh, I know this dish. But Rob is right. The Korean style is much different than the Chinese or Japanese version. So we went to Tokyo's Korea town checking out all the different Korean restaurants. But we couldn't find a place that served cha-jang myun. It dawned on Mikako that perhaps we were taking the wrong approach in looking for cha-jang myun at a regular Korean restaurant. Perhaps we should look for some noodle restaurants when right across the street from us, Mikako should discover a sign showing a cha-jang myun shop. It was called [Tebaku Han Ten]. Our search was over!!

妻の美香子と自分のお母さんが今でも韓流ブームにはまってます。ドラマから音楽、俳優、女優ともちろん韓国料理。自分もいつ韓国料理が好きになったかなと思い、いつ初めて食べたんだろうと考えたら、高校時代が思い浮かぶ。僕の親友が韓国のハフである日、小さな韓国料理店を連れてくれた。友達が注文してくれたので、料理名が思い出せなくて、ただ麺の上に黒豆のソースがのってるを覚えてた。それでまた友達のロブに連絡をとって、あの時食べた物は韓国語で何を聞いたらージャージャー麺だよ。ジャージャー麺？あの中華料理の？ロブがそれも教えてくれた。もともと中華料理なんですが、韓国人は結構自分用でするの好きって。って事は韓国風のジャージャー麺ってことですね。その話をしたらなんだか韓国風のジャージャー麺が食べたくなった。それで東京の韓国町新大久保に行きました。でも中々ジャージャー麺がメニューにのってる店が見つからない。美香子が韓国料理店じゃなく、麺の店を探したほうが良いと言った時、目の前にジャージャー麺専門店とゆう看板を発見。店のなまえは「テバク飯店」。やっとみつかたぞう、韓国風ジャージャー麺！

We also ordered some gyoza to go along with our cha-jang men.

サイトオーダーに焼き餃子と水餃子も注文しました。

Bon Appetit!

いただきます！