I haven't touched any Chinese restaurants until this meal at Menhachi (麺八). I had received a tip that this place had some mixed reviews but it seemed like a reasonable time for something cheap so I decided visit and see what's up. I also was feeling especially single and a dish that I should enjoy because of this is Zhajiangmian (the Korean version is jjajangmyeon but there's no Korean restaurants near me....)
Zhajiangmian is a noodle dish dressed with a sauteed pork and black bean sauce, though the version showcased at Menhachi is not as dark as the Korean counterpart. At this location, there were also additions of green onions, menma (I think, it could be ginger but I didn't feel it too much), and something else. I think this extra hidden ingredient was anchovies to add extra umami in the sauce but this feels very atypical.
I had also tried their gyoza to have another data point to evaluate this establishment. It was a bit too oily with an inconsistent sear on the bottom. The flavor of anchovy was a bit overwhelming for me (reminds me too much of one of my mother's favorite dishes, which I disliked) and the layer of oil on top of the sauce was a bit unpleasant. The seasoning was at least decent and the thin Chinese egg noodles were fine. I know thicker wheat noodles are some people's expectations but I don't think it mattered too much for this preparation. The accompanying broth I think was made with store bought broth but I think it helped break up how oily the dishes were.
Overall, I understand why this place got mixed reviews from my colleagues but it was worth a try. Maybe their ramen would be better but considering the ramen scene, maybe not worth. Maybe a 5.5 or 6 out of 10 is what I'm currently feeling...
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