If you are looking for a new restaurant in Clarksville and you are open to trying new foods, you have to check out JibBop on University Avenue. With names like Bi Bim Bop, Yaki Mandu, Jeyuk Bokeum and Jja Jang Myun, even the menu at Jib Bop sounds fun. Walking in, there is an immediate sense of Zen, as the smooth jazz beckons you to chill, letting the dark gray environment wrap you in a relaxed state that takes you away to another place, if only for a lunch hour.
On my third visit, I brought along a friend who had never eaten Korean before. She ordered the Bulgogi, a tender beef in a sweet soy sauce (9 bucks). Having tried the Kimchi Samgyupsal-Grilled kimchi with pork belly—(9 bucks) and also the Jeyuk Bokeum—Stir-fried Spicy Pork—(9 bucks) on my previous visits, I was looking to try something new. I went with the Jja Jang Myun—Udon noodles with black bean sauce (12 bucks).
One of the servers told me that this is the dish that Koreans eat when they want to have Chinese. Confused, I asked him to explain.
“When we want Chinese, we don’t make, say, Kung Pao Chicken, like they do here in America. In Korea, we make Jja Jang Myun,” he said. I was definitely game to give it a try, especially when the same server gave me some tips for properly eating noodles with chopsticks. “You have to get messy!” There was no difficulty there! (Forks are available upon request).
A fun assortment of sides accompany the menu items. The day we were there, we had pickled radish, a macaroni salad, kimchi, spicy squid (my favorite!), a bean sprout dish, and a slightly fishy tasting pickled yellow vegetable, the name of which I did not catch. We were also served a bowl of spicy cabbage soup. We did not leave hungry!
Jib Bop is open for lunch from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., and then again for dinner from 5:30-9:00 p.m. Seating is limited to 20-24 people, so there may be a bit of a wait if they are busy. My friend and I both agreed that both the food and the atmosphere at JibBop are definitely worth the wait.
Jib Bop
132 University Ave.
Clarksville, TN
(931) 542-6652 (Take-out available)
Mon-Sat Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. / Dinner 5:30-9:00 p.m.
