Jae K.
Yelp
Looked on Yelp and Google Maps for an authentic Korean restaurant around/near Lincoln Park to no avail. It is a bit unfortunate, but at best, many of the restaurants around the Gold Coast area offer fusion fare at exorbitant prices.
Looking 2 miles out, Dong-Ne comes to the rescue as a new Korean restaurant in the Lakeview East area. Offering a selection of food items reminiscent of the numerous bars and restaurants I visited late at night in Busan, Korea, I can wholeheartedly recommend this place for authentic Korean food. According to the wait staff, the restaurant has been in business for only 4 months!
Service:
I walked into Dong-Ne at about 3pm and was greeted by the wait staff after about 5 minutes of sitting down. They seemed slightly understaffed as I was a bit confused as to why no one was at the counter. Nevertheless, after the waitress had arrived, she provided prompt, friendly assistance and even asked if I wanted extra plates, utensils, and bowls for sharing! Later on the waitstaff changed and we were served by someone else for the remainder of the service. He was extraordinarily attentive and even provided free Banchan (courtesy of the chef).
Quality:
The Tteokbokki (떡볶이) was delicious. Not too sweet and not too spicy. The flavor profile was very similar to the Tteokbokki sold by street vendors in Korea. Green onions and the halves of the boiled egg provided freshness, relief, and great balance throughout the dish. The Kimchi & Pork Soondubu Jjigae (김치순두부찌개) came out hot and spicy. This dish is best eaten with the side of rice you receive when ordering. Do yourself a solid and take a spoonful of rice to combine it with the broth full of kimchi, pork, green onions, and enoki mushrooms.
Technique:
The chef, who I know is Korean now after talking to the waitstaff, definitely cares about their dishes, customers, and Korean culture/heritage. The Tteokbokki was chewy and springy: much care was taken into ensuring it wasn't overly fried like some other places do. The sauce was a bit more on the sweeter end but this I cannot fault given how the sauce was more syrupy than congealed. I cannot put into words how well the The Kimchi & Pork Soondubu Jjigae was executed. The tofu had a silken texture with the broth having just the right amount of heat. It was neither incredibly rich or light, just perfectly simmered. The preparation of this dish was exemplary and was the definitely the highlight of my experience at this restaurant.
Value:
With a lot of the Korean restaurants raising prices and skimping out on quality ingredients, you get what you pay for here! Earlier reviews strike me odd with some claiming that the dishes are not authentic or that they are too expensive. The chef is Korean. Being situated in Lakeview East and close to Lincoln Park, the price is considerably fair when comparing other Korean places that I have recently visited. Some of these Korean places have even gone so far to raise their prices nearly double, triple of what they originally were post-pandemic. Portions are generously large with 1 order of stew with 2 bowls of rice being enough for a party of 2. Come hungry.