Where I met my favourite jajangmyeon

It was love at first bite.

I wasn't expecting to find anything interesting in the far-flung suburb of Box Hill... okay it wasn't that far away, but considering how much cafes and attractions there are within the immediate surrounding suburbs in Melbourne, it's amazing why I felt the need to venture beyond Zone 1.

If you really want to see a good representation of the 'Chinese enclave' of Melbourne, Box Hill would be the suburb to go.

Except for how empty and un-boisterous it was on the side streets, the main square in Box Hill was filled with Chinese tourists that were shouting, running, trying to find directions. It felt like they were roleplaying to make the whole place more 'cultural' (ha, the irony) and fitting for its character. Loud conversations can be heard in Mandarin Chinese of varying accents depending on their backgrounds, and of course, a cacophony of dialects spatter across as I walked past. Thankfully, land is of abundance in Australia, so everyone still had plenty of personal space.

The Chemist Warehouse outlet here was an absolute madhouse. Every single customer was sweeping pots and pots of vitamin pills into their baskets as if they were free, and strangers were no longer strangers as they recommended each other what to get for a memory boost or stronger bones. The aisles were filled with people, you had to jostle your way out. The queues were too long, too crazy. I had to get out. Why on earth did I even get in there. Reacquainting with my Asian-ness: when there's a sale, get your butt in there, whether you need it or not.

Strange enough, this suburb reminds me of Ang Mo Kio Central, a neighbourhood in Singapore. I guess homesickness do kick in once in a while... because there was even Bread Top and Watsons in the two-storeyed shophouses. Like what? Globalization indeed.

My eyes still dramatically water when I see pictures of this bowl of jajangmyeon (AUD12.50). I doubt I'll ever find something as good as this ever again. It looks perfectly ordinarily and all, but I swear, this is something you cannot miss especially if you love jajangmyeon as much as I do... because this is the best, really. I eat loads of jajangmyeon from a lot of different places, and they do stand an equal place in my heart as Japanese ramen and Vietnamese pho. It was so moving to eat something that managed to be the most delicious (yet), especially when I wasn't expecting good Chinese food in a random restaurant in a random suburb. Granted that it was a Chinese suburb but my expectations were pretty low.

The jajangmyeon sauce was so savoury, the bean paste was exactly what I was looking for, the meat was so chewy, fresh and generous, everything came together wonderfully. The noodles also scored brilliantly, very QQ and clung onto the silky sauce nicely. Moreover, the last bit of detail that every other bowl I've had always neglect - the julienned cucumbers in there was so freshly cut, so juicy and cold.

What would I do to have this again? /cries/

The xiao long baos (AUD11.50 for 12pc), on the other hand, was quite disappointing, but maybe it's only because it pales so much in comparison to this star performer.

Of course, Box Hill Central's market sells one of the cheapest groceries around, so if you'd drop by, it'll make it worth your time and effort to grab some ingredients for your next meals too.

DC Dumpling Specialist590 Station Street
Box Hill White Horse

Opening hoursMon to Sat: 1100 - 0100
Sun: 1100 - 0000

Contact+61 3 9898 1620