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Best Janchi-guksu in Chicago
“Wheat noodles in anchovy and kelp broth, finished with sesame oil, egg, and laver—banquet food stripped to its essence.”
What the real thing tastes like
Janchi-guksu (Korean: 잔치국수) or banquet noodles is a Korean noodle dish consisting of wheat flour somyeon noodles in a light broth made from anchovy and sometimes also dasima (kelp). Beef broth may be substituted for the anchovy broth. It is served with a sauce made from sesame oil, ganjang and small amounts of chili pepper powder and scallions. Thinly sliced jidan (지단, fried egg), gim (laver) and zucchini are added on top of the dish as garnishes, though various other vegetables or kimchi can also be used. The word janchi means "feast" in Korean, in reference to the festive occasions on which the dish is prepared, such as for a wedding or sixtieth birthday celebration.
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Janchi-guksu arrives as a bowl of delicate wheat noodles swimming in a clean, mineral-bright broth built from anchovy and kelp—or sometimes beef when the kitchen calls for it. The real conversation happens in the finish: a whisper of sesame oil and soy, a breath of chili, crowned with ribbons of fried egg, dark sheets of laver, and pale crescents of zucchini. It's a dish born for celebration, light enough to eat many bowls of, substantial enough to anchor a feast.
Order it here when it has
- versatile (beef broth option)
- garnish-forward
- festive occasion dish
- layered flavor base
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