If you’re looking for something other than the usual Korean fare of fried chicken, bibimbap and bulgogi, why not try jjamppong at Nipong Naepong?
Newly opened in February 2018, this jjamppong speciality restaurant serves up Korean seafood noodles in classic and fusion forms.
Located on the first floor of JEM in Jurong East, this fusion jjamppong speciality restaurant is great for communal meals with friends and family.
There’s no need to travel all the way to Korea for a taste of these wheat noodles, because Nipong Naepong is the real deal!
We started off the meal with the Ninae Pizza Spinach ($18.80), a light pizza that uses a tortilla base instead. With cream cheese and leafy green spinach, each bite was light on the palate yet still flavourful.
What I really liked was the honey drizzled over the pizza. The subtle sweetness really tied the whole dish together.
For the best experience, I recommend using your hands to roll up the pizza slices and eat them. Don’t worry, gloves are provided so you can grab the slices without getting your hands dirty!
We just had to try the Cha Ppong ($15.80) first. After my first bite, I was instantly in love with this dish.
Even at level 1 of spiciness, the soup packed a punch. Perfect comfort food for a rainy day!
Quail eggs and mussels filled the bowl, so there’s no need to fight over the ingredients. The spice level was relatively comfortable for me, but my two dining companions couldn’t handle the heat. So if you’re a spice lover like me, this is definitely a must-try.
We also got a jug of Lychee Yoghurt ($12.90), with more than enough to go around. This refreshing drink even had chunks of lychee in it! It was a welcome relief from the spiciness of the jjamppong.
Another version of jjamppong that we tried was the Tae Ppong ($15.80). Unlike the traditional jjamppong which is served in soup, this was mostly dry. The dish draws inspiration from pad thai, with a slight spice that left my tongue tingling a little.
The dish came with fresh mussels, and the noodles were topped with tobiko. This added more seafood flavours to the dish. There was a slight wok hei flavour, which actually made me think of Hokkien mee too.
The spice level was almost non-existent in this dish, but if you’re sensitive to spicy food, this may still be too much for you. One thing to note is that the portions of the jjamppong are actually quite substantial, so if you’re not a big eater, do bring a friend along to share!
The next few jjamppong that we tried were fusion ppongs, which were not spicy. The Vongole Ppong ($16.80) was a ppong-twist on the usual spaghetti with clams.
This jjamppong fusion dish came with more broth, which was flavoured with garlic and white wine. This was the least spicy jjamppong that we tried, though the broth actually still had some lingering heat.
I liked that they didn’t skimp on the clams! Because this jjamppong was relatively light, I could probably finish the whole bowl on my own.
The Keu Ppong Cream ($17.80), however, was definitely not light. With an alfredo cream sauce base, this was a filling bowl of rich flavours. The cream sauce wasn’t too thick or jelak, but had a mouth-watering fragrance.
It came with tobiko topping too, and I really liked the additional flavour and crunch. Even though the sauce was more watery than the usual alfredo pasta sauce, I still ended up feeling quite full. You’ll definitely want to share this bowl!
The most filling dish was definitely the Ro Ppong-Roje ($17.80), which was topped with a delicious layer of cheese.
The combination of cheese and tomato cream sauce gave the dish a pleasant pink colour, which is the reason for “rose” (roje) in its name.
Be sure to mix it all together before slurping it up! The cheesy flavour was heavy and robust, so this will be a real treat for cheese lovers.
I liked how the tangy tomato cream sauce helped to undercut the creaminess of the cheese, which made it easier to take more mouthfuls of this cheesy explosion.
Of course, we couldn’t leave without dessert, so we tried the Ni Pizza Sweet Potato ($16.80). Made with sweet potato puree, cheese and a tortilla base, this dessert pizza is perfect for a comforting snack. Like the Ninae Pizza Spinach, you’re supposed to eat the pizza slices with your hands.
This dessert pizza also came with whipped cream, so don’t forget to swipe your pizza roll through the mound of fluffy cream.
Subtly sweet and chewy, I simply couldn’t get enough of it. The warm pizza roll went really well with the airy and light whipped cream.
While the prices of dishes at Nipong Naepong may seem a little higher than expected, it’s actually quite worth it if you share dishes with your friends. Besides, the more people sharing, the more flavours you can try!
Expected Damage: $15 – $30 per pax
