Opened: September 2023
Sugar, garlic, salt. They are gifts to humanity, and many of us could not consider life without them, but they can also lower a curtain of sameness over food when deployed repetitively, and that’s most definitely a thing at this puffed-up Desert Ridge offering from the owner of Sizzle and ShinBay. Among the 30 or so noodle, soup and entrée selections on the Chinese-Korean menu, La-Jo-Gi chicken ($38) has one of the more interesting elevator pitches (“Korean-style Sichuan chicken”), but neither of those Asian styles coherently emerges from the sweet-garlicky-salty stir-fry glaze. There might be a touch of gochujang in there, but the server doesn’t know, and it basically tastes like slightly elevated P.F. Chang’s. The same could be said for the Classic Chile Garlic Shrimp ($37) – chiles? If you say so – and even the Seafood Medley Pot ($87), which doesn’t eat like the splurge it’s priced to be. Resting in a leek-infused oyster sauce, the lobster, scallops, king crab and calamari all have a meager, overcooked mien to them, though I do later slurp up the leek sauce.
Jin Jia isn’t bad – in fact, it’s the kind of scrubbed, repeatable experience that’s great for big groups. But it’s also a typical mall restaurant, and it might be in denial about that.
Wild Card: Skip the over-sweet, overpriced Shanghai (read: whiskey) sour ($18); order the supple steamed dumplings ($15).
21001 N. Tatum Blvd., Phoenix,
480-878-0411, jinjiausa.com
