Maangchi's Korean food and cooking forum » Forum: Korean restaurant reviews - Recent Topics

Reinier on "Gamasot (Rotterdam, The Netherlands)"

Reinier — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 22:03:18 +0000

This place is owned by the chef who previously cooked at the unnamed Korean Restaurant under Idols (Coolsingel). This restaurant closed and he opened his own place now. His food is very good and the menu is compact but complete, you should try the Bento Box menu and the Bibimbap. His wife serves the food and makes the Kimbab. The price is very reasonable: Bibimbap € 9,= or a complete menu for around € 11,= Seating for about 15 people maximum, but you can also take away.

FleursDeLis on "Han Gang (Annandale, VA)"

FleursDeLis — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:22:48 +0000

A place a couple of friends and I decided to visit as a spur-of-the-moment type thing. Bad idea. First, we were told that we would have to pay for the dinner menu (like $15 average more expensive than the lunch menu) because we were 3 minutes over the time limit for the lunch menu. It was like 3:30pm. That aside, the food was alright I guess, pretty decent. We ordered some bibimbap as that was pretty much the only vegetarian/pescetarian friendly item on the menu (which was lacking in a lot of variety). It came with all the side dishes which was good, too. However, the one thing that can completely ruin a restaurant for me is the hospitality. Of which, there was absolutely none. Our waiter was rude, consistently absent (the place was 80% empty, so it's not like he was altogether that busy), especially when we needed water refills. After eating, we couldn't find a single staff member for like 15 minutes in order to flag down for the bill, which they were completely unwilling to split. My advice, don't go. There are plenty of other very good restaurants in the area.

stanford on "Pocha 32 (New York City)"

stanford — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:12:13 +0000

15 W 32nd St 2nd Fl New York, NY 10001 (212) 279-1874 I've been meaning to write about this one for a while now. It's one of my favorite places to drink in town, and especially when I'm in a Korean mood. It reminds me of a student drinking bar in Korea - full of kids, cheap drinks, creative decor, everyone in a good mood. The menu is actually pretty good, but everyone wants the budaechigae. I'm not a huge fan of the stuff myself, but I will get a pot of it to get into the spirit of things. Their other specialty is a watermelon hollowed out, then filled with soju and watermelon innards. The prices are reasonable, the place is open late, and they also have makkoli. Check it out! And give me a call on the way, I'll see you there. (photos from <a>roboppy</a> and <a>ghosty</a>)

dleehall on "Tong Sam Gyup Goo Ee Korean Restaurant"

dleehall — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:20:11 +0000

Hi Everyone I came across this restaurant on the net only. I will eat their very soon. I have been told by my Korean friend the name means "Mucho SAM GYUP SAL" he likes to mix Spanish & English... From reading it’s a small but incredible place that is all about the pork belly (bacon) I live in New Jersey so it few hours to get there. If anyone has been to this place or wants to go let me know I welcome your opinions and your company. David <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/tong-sam-gyup-goo-ee-korean-restaurant-queens" rel="nofollow">http://www.yelp.com/biz/tong-sam-gyup-goo-ee-korean-restaurant-queens</a> <a href="http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585453" rel="nofollow">http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/585453</a>

RonPaul on "Kogi in LA"

RonPaul — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 19:53:46 +0000

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBHcZEMi9YM" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBHcZEMi9YM</a> Has anyone had this? I can't imagine it being that great. I would think the taco wrap would numb the korean flavors (unlike the lightness of the lettuce wrap). Still, I'd definitely give it a try. I see Korean food popping up in mainstream a lot recently in random things. There was a commercial with Charlie Sheen where he asks Jordan to go out together for Korean BBQ. Recently, ESPN was on and I heard Stuart Scott suggest getting Korean BBQ before a game, and as a result the cohost used Kimchi as a segway to the next segment.

skoshamabosh on "Kim's Korean (Saint John, New Brunswick)"

skoshamabosh — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 23:11:44 +0000

A cute little lunch spot nestled right in the historical Saint John Market which serves up lunch specials daily. Bulgogi, bibimbap, japche, ramen. It was a very welcome surprise when I moved to Saint John!

redeast on "Seoul Hot Pot - Seattle"

redeast — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 04:50:18 +0000

Location: 2560 152nd Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052 (next to Microsoft campus, about 10 mi from Seattle) Fare served: they offer the most common Korean fare such as yukkaejang, Korean barbecue, bibimbap, japchae, haemul pa'jon. what I usually order: yhang gopchang (stir fried beef intestines and tripe in spicy sauce with mixed veggies), yukkaejang, and soondubu chigae (spicy tofu stew) Why I go there: I love the side dishes (excellent kimchi and seasoned fish cake). Although they tend to offer more of popular Korean cuisine, at least the food is cooked perfectly and flavorfully. They also serve purple colored rice (not that big of difference than white rice, but quite fun). It is the only place in the Seattle area that does the tripe stir fry. I can finish an entree, rice, and all 6 side dishes and not feel sick from the food. Now that's something. Pricing: moderately priced (japchae about $10, yukkaejang $8) Service: Starts when you get seated and ends when they serve you the food. Of course, they somehow remember to give you your check and return to collect your credit card for payment. Poor service seems to be a common shortcoming of Korean restaurants.

Andrea on "Restaurant 'Naru' in Mestre (Venice mainland), Italy"

Andrea — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 08:50:31 +0000

For all those who visit Venice and long for a Korean meal, the waiting is over. Close to the railway station in Mestre (Venice mainland), 10 minutes train from Venice station, I found a Korean restaurant. It is owned and run by a Korean family but their menu is half Korean and half Japanese, I guess because Korean taste is quite of its own, so different from the Italian taste, that an all Korean restaurant could have 'scared' the Italians, most of which (not me) tend to think that their food is the best in the world. When you come out the station in Mestre, take the street on your left (via Trento) and walk about 100 metres. The restaurant is on the right side of the street, it is called Naru. I already tried galbi, today I'd like to try their bibimbap. Can't wait! I'll keep you informed on bibimbap too...

stanford on "Koko! Share Bar (Toronto)"

stanford — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 22:03:30 +0000

Hey has anyone been to this place? An interesting review in the Globe and Mail: <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/restaurant-review-koko-share-bar/article1537039/" rel="nofollow">http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/food-and-wine/restaurant-review-koko-share-bar/article1537039/</a> First off, I love the exclaimation point in the name! You don't see it enough. <blockquote>In this establishment, there are two long tables where diners are expected to sit beside strangers. And there is some insinuation that the restaurant expects us to talk to strangers and maybe even share food with them. Now go ahead and call me a fuddy-duddy, but I am not even a little bit interested in sharing food with strangers. Eating is an intimate act. I prefer not to do it with people I don't know.</blockquote> "Fuddy-duddy?" How old is this reviewer, 109? And why send someone who obviously is not familiar with Korean food to a Korean restaurant? The review is horribly written, a real embarrassment. But the resto sounds good and like it would be a lot of fun. If anyone has been, please tell me about it.

trixy85 on "Park's bbq (L.A, CA)"

trixy85 — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:44:36 +0000

this is a really good place for the lovers of korean bbq, it's located close to downtown in L.A (korean district), you can check out their website to get more info: <a href="http://www.parksbbq.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.parksbbq.com/</a>

stanford on "Beoduelgol, Itaewon (South Korea)"

stanford — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 17:47:18 +0000

I've never been here, I know nothing about the place other than <a>this review I just stumbled on</a>. But tell me this place doesn't look fantastic: <a href="http://foodandsteez.blogspot.com/2010/02/beodeulgol-itaewon.html" rel="nofollow">http://foodandsteez.blogspot.com/2010/02/beodeulgol-itaewon.html</a>

jimin on "The Korean Grill House"

jimin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 03:30:52 +0000

For those new to Korean cuisine, never never believe that this Korean food. Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad, Bad.

stanford on "B-Bap Fusion Rice Bar (New York City)"

stanford — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:54:37 +0000

I saw this cool video on <a href="http://www.koreanbeacon.com/2009/12/30/food-column-b-bap-in-midtown/">Korean Beacon</a>: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSjTGleYmeY" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSjTGleYmeY</a> Fusion rice bar, sounds right up my alley! I've always got an open mind and no one wants to see Korean food succeed as much as me. The place is very cool, a great decor. Not much room at all to sit, and not very comfortable. There was a constant stream of people getting takeout. This place is quite popular. It looks a lot like Pinkberry. I had the "spicy" bibimbap, er - B-Bap, and it reminded me of an American take on Korean food. There were plenty of fresh vegetables, but the gochuchang was sweet like McDonald's ketchup. Overall it was pretty good. Look, if these cats can overtake Burger King, America will be the better for it, sweet gochuchang or no, and I'll be in the front cheering them on. But for hours afterwards I was incredibly thirsty. I drank a lot of cold water. Usually this means I had a huge dose of MSG in my dinner. I'm not saying there's a lot of MSG in that B-Bap, but there is.

Maangchi on "Writing Korean restaurant reviews"

Maangchi — Sun, 17 May 2009 20:04:10 +0000

Hi everyone! So many people have asked me about where to find good Korean restaurants, I thought this would be an interesting section for my forum, even though I think homemade cooking is the best in the world. I know there are people here from all over the world, and you guys are all experts in Korean food :) So why don't you tell us about the good places to go? The title of your review should be the restaurant name, and then leave the city and country in your review, with the address and website if you know it. Be sure to tag the review with the city name so people can find it. Have fun, and tell us about some new places. I'm hungry already!

stanford on "The "Kimchi Belt" in New Jersey"

stanford — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:36:28 +0000

The intro to this blog post is very confusing. I think the writer is in Hungary. Transylvanian mayors are namechecked. But he/she has a fantastic tour of Korean restaurants in New Jersey, USA: <a href="http://horinca.blogspot.com/2009/12/korean-new-jersey-kimchi-belt.html" rel="nofollow">http://horinca.blogspot.com/2009/12/korean-new-jersey-kimchi-belt.html</a> I keep saying that I need to get out there, to taste some of this stuff, but this blog is just as good!

MissElle on "Miju (Kitchener, Ontario)"

MissElle — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:56:44 +0000

I used to love to eat here when the older korean family owned it but have since been disappointed. The new owners (and by new owners I mean as in they bought it maybe 2 1/2 years ago) have kept a few of the same recipes but changed the menus and some of the dishes this place was known for have really gone down hill. However, all the main foods are still good (most visitors go for bulgogi or kalbi, both of which are very tasty) however the price is a bit higher then it once was and the service is a little more hostile then before (leave that one to having teenagers that do not want to be there working all day every day). I love the kimchi fried rice dish here and the spicy tofu stew, they always ace that. Stay away from the rolls here though, I really do not believe they are as fresh as they say they are as the taste tells a different story.

stanford on "Buk Chang Dong Soon Tofu"

stanford — Mon, 18 May 2009 00:54:56 +0000

691 Bloor St. W., Toronto, Canada This place is hardly a secret, but if you've never been there, you're in for a real treat. This is the best soon du bu in Toronto, probably the best that I've had outside of Korea. And it's cheap! Something like $8. Look, don't come here if you don't like soft tofu stew. The hotter the better. There are only a handful of things on the menu. There'a dolsot bibimbap, but I've never had it. You can bring Korean food neophytes here, just warn them first. And they should like hot food, and not be freaked out when someone cracks a raw egg over their bubbling stew!

dleehall on "Kimchi Hana South Plainfield NJ"

dleehall — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 02:26:47 +0000

I would like to start by saying thank you to Maangchi for all her videos and her time, effort she has put in to bring Korean food and culture to me and others around the world… so Thank You Ok I am hooked of Korean food I love to cook all kinds of food but for the most part I go out to Kimchi Hana in South Plainfield NJ Kimch Hana has been in town for at least 16 years and in my opion by far the best Korean BBQ around. I think it’s because of the real lump charcoal that they use (most places have electric of gas BBQ tables) No one ever brags about that real propane flavor :) Kimchi Hana has a Sushi Bar that I also visit at least twice/3-times a week this is a busy restaurant so I know that I will always be getting nothing but the freshest fish. Huge platters of sashimi fly out to the party rooms and BBQ tables all night long Kimchi Hana does not sell alcohol but offers BYOB service (so you will save $$$$) a liquor store is just steps away I have made friends with the staff over the past year or so. We have gone out as a group to other BBQ spots and ever to a place in Palisade Park for LIVE Octopus Anyone in the area who wants to give Kimchi Hana a try Tell Mr. Hong ( The Sushi Chef) that David told you about Kimch Hana on the internet I might be there Hope to see ya David Hall

stanford on "Gahm Mi Oak (New York City)"

stanford — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:35:58 +0000

Gahm Mi Oak 43 W. 32nd St. NY, NY, USA 212-695-4113 Ok so I didn't write this review, but I was going to! I went to this restaurant recently and enjoyed it. Midtown Lunch has a great review: <a href="http://midtownlunch.com/2009/10/12/with-winter-approaching-gahm-mi-oak-is-a-great-splurge-lunch/" rel="nofollow">http://midtownlunch.com/2009/10/12/with-winter-approaching-gahm-mi-oak-is-a-great-splurge-lunch/</a> Regular readers of that blog will know that he's a big fan of Korean food, and not just bulgogi - he's a freak for soon dae! Any time a blog recommends blood sausage, well, then you know it's a good blog.

rv65 on "Soban (San Diego, CA)"

rv65 — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:44:11 +0000

I've been to this restaurant a few times and it's a very good restaurant for Korean food. May not be the best for some but I really like it. They have a good selection of Korean dishes mainly the major ones. The appetisers are also delicious. I've tried the Mandoo, CCC, Kimchi Pancake and Jap Chae. The first time I was there I got a special chopstick and spoon kit with their business card. They have a bar with Soju cocktails. I've had a few of their main courses. I've had Spicy chicken bibimbap, Bulgogi, and their kimchi beef burrito. The Burrito is actually quite good with soy sauce and gochujang. They do accommodate vegetarians if you just ask. The nice thing about this restaurant is that it's close by to my house. I live in Rancho Bernardo and it's a good drive to get to Convoy. I've never been to the Convoy ones but have been to Zion Market. Overall I enjoy this restaurant and you should go there if you live in San Diego. Website is <a href="http://www.thesoban.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.thesoban.com/</a>. The word soban means a small table in Korean though it has it's roots in Chinese.

Mapanggulo on "Manna Wok Oriental Restaurant (Wichita, Kansas)"

Mapanggulo — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:21:34 +0000

Found Manna Wok Oriental Restaurant one night while driving around town It's located at 4865 E Harry St (East of Oliver on the south side of Harry). Manna Wok is a excellent, affordable Korean restaurant that has a down to earth, mom & pop feel that reminds me a lot of my favorite restaurant in Song Tan, Korea. The staff is very friendly, courteous and attentive. The place is pretty small and gets packed fairly quick. Majority of the walls are covered with pictures taken of previous customers. Prices range from $7-11 for most main dishes. So far I've been stuck in a rut since going there the first time and finding to my delight that they have Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap! Other family members have gone and got the Kal Bi and Bulgogi. I've sampled both and they aren't bad at all. The Kimchi is excellent to, they usually provide you with cabbage kimchi, green bean kimchi and been sprouts or cucumber kimichi. First time there we ordered Yaki Man Doo and Kim Bap. The Yaki Man Doo was no where near what I was used to getting in Korea, though I'm willing to someday give them another shot at that. I highly recommend the Kim Bap...it runs $7.50 but you get two large rolls sliced up for your enjoyment...it is so delicious! As mentioned before its one of two Korean restaurants here in the city. While Hot Stone Korean Grill would get my vote for a first date, this place would get my vote for a more authentic mom & pop atmosphere. The menu here wins hands down between the two because of the number of dishes listed. Its usually a toss up with our family on which one to go to though. Another plus is there Chop Chae has more vegetables in it so that get my vote too. I plan on trying the Ja Jang Myun next time I go.

Mapanggulo on "Hot Stone Korean Grill (Wichita, Kansas)"

Mapanggulo — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 03:27:29 +0000

A two years ago the Wichita Eagle's Go section had an article on a new Korean restaurant called Hot Stone Korean Gril, located at 3743 N Rock Rd (a few block north of 96 & Rock Road on the west side of the street). So since it was awhile since the family and I had a chance to go to a Korean restaurant off we went to experience this restaurant. Hot Stone Korean Grill is an excellent restaurant with very courteous staff. There Yaki Man Doo is the perfect appetizer to bring back some of that Korean experience you might be missing. This along with the meso soup that is served prior to your main course will get you revved up for so delicious and authentic Korean food. When the main course comes, whether you decide on Kal Bi, Bi Bim Bap or Bulgogi...you will love it! In addition to your main course you'll see the essential side dish of Kimchi and bean sprouts. One thing to not, when they opened the owner planned to install the traditional grills at each table (hence the name) that you'll see at traditional Korean restaurants but I think that plan has changed. While that would have been a very nice addition, I think it hasn't hurt this restaurant one bit. Pricing per dish is approximately $8-12. The only problem we have found with this Korean restaurant is that there is now another Korean restaurant (I'll add a seperate review for it) in town that's competing for our attention. It's a toss up on which to go to most of the time as both are excellent. Between the two, this ones Yaki Man doo wins hands down! This one is also a cleaner, less cluttered and more spacious. This one would be my choice for a first date.

MariaMaria on "Boka BonChon Fried Chicken (East Village, NY)"

MariaMaria — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 14:37:50 +0000

I went to Boka on St. Marks recently and it was really great. The ambiance is kind of that of a chic-ish pub and the wait staff is all friendly and helpful. My friend and I got the hot (spicy) fried chicken combo and bulgogi. The chicken was clearly the star of the restaurant, the skin was perfectly crispy and the sauce coating wasn't as sticky as some other chicken places can be. Everyone around us was ordering plates and plates of fried chicken. The bulgogi was also pretty good, the meat wasn't dry and it was perfectly cooked. My two qualms with the restaurant were that it was pretty expensive and that they didn't seem to have a lot of items that were listed on the menu. But, I guess that is to expected in Manhattan. Just make sure that you have some back-ups for what you want to order! The beer selection wasn't that large but the prices were pretty good. They had a lot of mixed drinks available and some other drink choices like plum wine and shoju. This seems like a good place to come late at night and have a drink with friends and split some chicken wings. Address: 9 St. Marks Place (between 3rd and 2nd Ave.)

J0722 on "MyungSan (flusing, NY)"

J0722 — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 11:37:31 +0000

Small restaurant by Northern blvd and 164 st (by the LIRR station.) You can really taste the 'homey-ness' ;o) in their soups and banchan. Their gae jang has been in the NY Korean newspapers. It always seem to taste different for me each time I have it. But everyone raves about it as well as place advance orders for it. The chungook jang seems to have the same following. If you're into kimchi-jjim (didn't know how else to spell it, but you know what I mean to say is: the kimchi steamed? in high temperture..) you can order it with different fish or just plain. I always end up finishing my bowl of rice when I have this! The leek and mesclun salad served with the pork belly cooked table side wss a delicious blend of sweet and spicy. Loved it! Their baek sook is moist and tender. They prepare it right when you order so call ahead. It's served steaming hot piled with leeks followed by chicken& rice jook(porridge?) I've been there countless times for dinner and can go on and on.... There is always something different served there- just a few mom-like women doing the prep to the cooking it seems. They adjusted the level of spicyness as we requested and also happy to make suggestions. It was crowded and noisy but our table of five had a great time.

stanford on "Kumgangsan (Flushing, USA)"

stanford — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:36:35 +0000

138-28 Northern Blvd., Flushing, Queens, USA <a href="http://www.kumgangsan.net/" rel="nofollow">http://www.kumgangsan.net/</a> Maybe too many people had built up this restaurant for me. Everyone told me how great it was. So when I finally went, I was expecting it to be fantastic. I ordered their highest quality kalbi, I paid top dollar. But it was really just mediocre. If this were in Korea, I wouldn't give it a second look or a second visit, and there's no way I would pay USD $80 for what I got. There's a nice waterfall in here. The service is good. Banchan is nice. The staff speaks English and Korean. I get the feeling that a lot of the Korean clientele have been coming for years and it's kind of a family tradition. That's great for them, and I understand how much that means. But for me, there's nothing here to make me come back a second time.