Wooden Bowl is a highly rated restaurant for serving Sino-Korean cuisine, a fusion cuisine developed by the ethnic Chinese in Korea. Its menu features popular items such as jajangmyeon (black bean noodle dish), jjamppong (spicy noodle soup dish), and tangsuyuk (sweet and sour meat dish), which are typically offered in Korea as takeaway rather than dine-in options.
Black Bean Sauce Noodle + Sweet and Sour Chicken ($23.00). The jajangmyeon was accompanied by side dishes of raw onions, chunjang (sweet bean sauce, also used in the noodles), and danmuji (yellow pickled radish). Vinegar was provided at the table for customers to adjust the acidity to their liking.
We were immediately impressed by the deep-fried chicken, which had a satisfyingly crunchy batter enveloping tender thigh meat. Although the batter was somewhat thick, it complemented the crunchiness and the sticky sauce, which struck a fine balance between sweet and sour. Additionally, the portion size was generous, hidden deep within the bowl.
The noodles were remarkably long with a satisfying chewiness, and the sauce had plenty of cooked-down onions and pork mince. However, the sauce alone leaned slightly towards the sweeter side, contrasting with our palates more accustomed to the savoury Chinese version of the dish. Fortunately, adding an extra dollop of the accompanying chunjang, originally intended for dipping the pickles, provided the desired savoury depth.
Black Bean Sauce Noodle + Deep Fried Chicken in Hot Pepper Sauce ($23.00) and Extra Spicy Seafood Noodle Soup (half portion, complimentary). Originally, we had intended to pair the spicy seafood noodles with the chicken for a half-and-half combination, but there was a mix-up with our order, and we received the black bean sauce noodle instead. Wwe were later served the half portion as complimentary service.
The hot pepper sauce on the fried chicken was sweet and garlicky with a bold yet manageable heat, akin to gochujang. However, we found ourselves preferring the simpler flavours of the sweet and sour version, which also retained its crunchiness better due to the thicker sauce. As for the seafood jjamppong, it packed a punch in terms of spiciness, bordering on too hot for our taste. Nevertheless, it featured a variety of seafood, including mussels, prawns, and fish cake, which imparted a rich seafood flavour to the broth. It used the same noodles as the jajangmyeon, which carried the soup well.
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed the Black Bean Sauce Noodle + Sweet and Sour Chicken dish and would gladly return for it, as well as to explore their cold noodle offerings.
Wooden Bowl is located at 14 Joseph St, Lidcombe NSW 2141.