The first floor of The Royal Exchange at Bank hides a sophisticated marriage of Japanese and Korean cuisine.

Korean restaurants normally have quite a casual feel with open BBQ, sizeable tables and cheery families around. 

It’s anything but that in JANG. Established in the historic Royal Exchange, one of my favourite building in London, it gracefully overlooks the iconic square in its middle.

Expect white linen on tables and a well put together wine list. There is BBQ of course, but it arrives in a stylish little grill forms.

Tables are also well spaced out to ensure a fine dining experience without eavesdropping on the neighbours.

It wouldn’t be an Asian fusion without a fried chicken dish, JANG’s signature KFC. Taking inspiration from chicken karaage it has a perfectly crisp coating and is delicately tender inside.

To keep all parts of the tongue happy the bites are generously smothered with sweet, a little sour and just the right level of spicy in a form of gochujang sauce.

You can’t go wrong with karaage, provided of course the oil, coating and meat all align as expected, which they do here.

JANG is a Japanese and Korean collaboration, our Japanese street classic is followed by a sashimi and sushi selection. Like the décor the presentation of dishes is tasteful.

Presented on a heavy duty metal crocodile platter it’s no question unique but also stylish. The sushi along with sashimi disappear in a swift.

Keeping to the Japanese standards, the rice is well balanced with just a little touch of vinegar while the fish is as fresh as it gets.

With starters complete, it’s now time for mains, the menu offers a good selection of Asian classics such as noodles, black cod, bbq meats as well as sides.

Sides are needed here, ours is simple jasmine rice and sesame cucumber salad, which I presumed would be soy and sesame as the viral smashed cucumbers a few Instagram years ago.

However, it’s mildly sweet white miso paste mixed into fresh cucumber slices on this occasion. A refreshing side dish, just not quite what I expected but by my fault entirely.

To accompany we go all in with black miso cod, I can’t miss the opportunity to try it here and dry-aged sirloin from the BBQ section of course.

The cod is a brilliant example of how it should be made, dark but not burnt coating, some places are sin in burning it to an almost charcoal.

It’s dark marinated middle falls into flakes perfectly. The size also does not disappoint, at £42 it’s both the tastiest and largest I’ve tried in 2025.

As a bonus it comes on a pumpkin puree of Delica variety. Both a Japanese classic and my childhood favourite, it’s a dark green pumpkin with contrasting orange and a little sweet middle.

We share that alongside steak, which comes sliced for convenience, all there is to do is spread the slices along the net for them to enrich with the charcoal smokiness.

The desserts are selected for us, although they have a French appearance they’re in fact Korean in origin.

The very light and cooling, perhaps even too cooling for winter is Fig Hwachae, a Korean fruit punch.

Served in a clear deep bowl and complete by pouring Earl Grey lime hwachae tea from a cast iron pot, it’s a masterclass to admire.

On tongue it’s elegant with crisp nashi pear cubes, fresh fig and pink sorbet. A perfect refreshing completion to an evening.

For something heartier there’s a spiced Korean doughnut also known as Hotteok. A bit like eccles cake it’s dotted with raisins and infused with cinnamon.

The JANG tops it with brown butter cream and pear compote, just what the winter ordered.

JANG is a beautiful marriage of familiar dishes in a tasteful presentation, a place that would suit a formal business meeting, a date night to impress or just friends to satisfy that Asian food craving in a sophisticated ambience.

JANG, The Mezzanine, First Floor, Royal Exchange, London EC3V 3LQ, United Kingdom