The Buoy

Korean classics at Buoy Bar feel fresh without being overworked - Review - San Francisco - The Infatuation

"This Korean spot in Hayes Valley feels tailor-made for an intimate date with barely-there lighting, lo-fi beats that hum just loud enough to require leaning in, and small dishes made for splitting. Buoy Bar (or The Buoy cafe during the day) mostly serves Korean classics with small unexpected touches. Yukhoe gets a shower of shaved parmesan, galbi is battered, fried, and sprinkled with spicy corn flakes, and bossam is stuffed with minari. All these small flourishes successfully push otherwise traditional dishes into new territory without trying too hard. The food teeters mostly between being rich or spicy, but light soju-based cocktails balance everything and keep it from being too much. Not all the dishes land, though. The gamjatang is a bit grainy from the potatoes, and the rice balls lean bland with the promised garlic confit and roe almost undetectable. Still, these minor misses won’t ruin a night brushing hands while maneuvering a plate around a small two-top. Reservations (for now) are easy to get any day of the week, and if you’re just in it for a cocktail, book a spot in their lounge. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown Cocktails Most of the drinks are made with a fruit juice and soju or prosecco and are a great counter to the heaviness you’ll find in many of the dishes. Get the soju einspänner to go along with your dessert. PlayMute video credit: Patrick Wong Kampachi Yuzu The fish is just firm enough to require only a couple of chews. It could use a tad more salt, but the accompanying seaweed rice paper chips help. PlayMute Honey Butter Baby Potatoes You could smell these things from a mile away even if you’ve missed your daily dose of Flonase. But we could use a bit more of the glaze. Otherwise, the potatoes are fried so well it’d be rude not to give them a mini tableside clap. photo credit: Patrick Wong Leaf-Wrapped Rice Balls These arrive warm and chewy, but would be boring on their own. The spicy tofu ssamjang on the side does a lot of heavy lifting. But we’d still get this again, if not just for the sauce. photo credit: Patrick Wong Yukhoe We love the sweetness from the asian pear and sweet soy. The light dusting of cheese adds just a little creaminess without weighing the dish down. PlayMute video credit: Patrick Wong Chilly Jjamppong Pasta Our favorite dish on the menu. Hot enough to make you dab your brow, but not feel like you’re on a Hot Ones episode. This is a required order. photo credit: Patrick Wong Galbi Crunch Another must-order. There are layers of crunchiness with the airy crust, caramelized glaze, and crushed-up spicy corn flakes. photo credit: Patrick Wong Minari Bossam It’s easy to get a consistently perfect bite with this dish. Take a tender slice of pork, swipe it through the tofu ssamjang (the same one served with the rice balls), top it with some mildly spicy kimchi, and devour. Our go-to main. PlayMute video credit: Patrick Wong Gamjatang The texture is the only letdown of this dish. The potatoes are unevenly cooked and make the stew a bit sandy. photo credit: Patrick Wong Black Sesame Brownie With Mochi The only dessert option, and that’s fine by us. It’s one of the most popular dishes from Buoy Bar’s daytime bakery concept. Fudgy, chewy, and topped with a black sesame cream that’s well on its way to becoming ice cream. Even if there were more to choose from, we’d still get this. photo credit: Patrick Wong" - Patrick Wong