Delicious Ganjang Gejang at Hwa Jin's Kitchen — A Must-Try in Thao Dien
I recently tried Hwa Jin's Kitchen's ganjang gejang (soy-marinated raw crab) and wanted to share my experience. I'd eaten this dish in Korea before and loved it — not scary or overwhelmingly fishy like I had worried. When I returned to Vietnam, I missed it so much and was thrilled to find Hwa Jin's serving it.
How it compares to Korea
If you haven't tried ganjang gejang in Korea yet, go to Hwa Jin's Kitchen and give it a try. It's not as fishy as some places I've tried in Vietnam. On a scale where the version in Korea gets a perfect 10 from me, Hwa Jin's scores around an 8. The main shortfall is the rice — it wasn't as sticky as I remember from Korea — but it was still good overall.
Menu and price
- The set with crab, rice, soup, and side dishes was about 300–400k VND.
- If you prefer something else, they have bibimbap-style rice with raw shrimp (I ordered this once) for around 200k VND.
- I think the prices are reasonable.
Space and atmosphere
The place is a bit small — I remember roughly three tables plus some seats at the cooking counter. There's an outdoor area too, but it can get hot at lunchtime. I hope the business grows and they expand the space. I'll definitely come back when I'm craving this dish.
Where to find it
Hwa Jin's Kitchen — Ganjang Gejang
19 Trần Ngọc Diện, Thảo Điền, Thủ Đức, Ho Chi Minh City 700000
Located inside the Food Course. Go up to the 1st floor.
