Jang is a new creative Korean Japanese hybrid restaurant from the Mins Group (Sushi Sato, Hakko, Hon, Dento). Their current soft opening tasting menu is $85 for six courses, with a uni scallop hand roll supplement. The beverage pairing is $50, and they also have wine, sake, and soju by the glass or bottle.
I enjoyed my experience overall and saw a lot of potential in this Hayes Valley spot. I dined a month after opening and appreciated the presentation and friendly service from owner Tony Lee. I liked the unique menu and thought it was a good value for San Francisco, though I did note some areas of improvement with the execution.
The hwe course, with five cuts of sashimi was solid. And I enjoyed the flavorful kalbi tang soup, though I would have liked to see some short rib in the soup as well. A butter seared Hokkaido scallop was slightly overdone, and the sweetness of the uni citrus purée detracted from the dish.
The main course was a generous set with American wagyu short rib and abalone, presented alongside uni rice and banchan sides. I wanted the kalbi to be more tender, and the abalone was forgettable.
I enjoyed the Hokkaido uni and scallop hand roll, although the rice was not traditional sushi rice. And the injeolmi panna cotta could have used some texture contrast or brightness. A bottle of off-dry junmai ginjo went well with the tasting menu.
I look forward to seeing how Jang evolves, and they plan to also offer a la carte and cocktails at the bar.
