Matthew C.
Yelp
Got: Bulnak Jonga- bbq beef and octopus stew ($42), kimchi pancake ($19)
Price: 7/10, on par with most Korean places. Not divey or cheap. Fair
standard price.
Value: 7/10 good portions. More value if there are 3-5 people in the group to eat family style. Sharing is caring :)
Went with a coworker on a Friday night. The ambiance is casual but well put together. The tables around the perimeter of the room have kbbq griddles while the tables in the interior do not.
Bulnak is a combination of the words "bulgogi"- BBQ beef and "nakji" = octopus. The jongal stew was flavorful with a slight sweetness. Seafoody, savory, and spicy. There was plenty of udon and beef. It was slightly lacking in octopus and the veggies - more would have been welcomed. The crown daisy veggie, for those who aren't familiar, is the leafy part of the chrysanthemum plant. It's slightly herbally with licorice notes.
Banchan was options were meh. Macaroni salad, sweetened braised potatoes, etc are not my favorite options but I'm assuming they rotate based upon ingredient variability.
The kimchi pancake was the best I've had. Crispy, craggly, slightly soft on the inside, crunchy veggies without an overwhelming kimchi taste. Scallions, zucchini, and kimchi laced the inside of the pancake, providing a structure for the batter to cling to. The batter was super crispy on the outside. Almost tasted like it was deep-fried. The pancake itself was red but didn't have a strong sour or fermented taste.
The friendly waiter took our Polaroid picture and placed it on the wall. Attentive service and great food. Overall, would come back again with MORE people to try more options. Would get the jongal and pancake again but would add some bibimbap and KBBQ meat!