Catherine Chan-Bhanushali
Google
Once in a blue moon, you come across a restaurant where the food fills not only your stomach, but your heart and soul. It is even rarer to come across a chef who speaks so passionately about his craft with his customers and interacts with them throughout the entire dining experience.
My husband and I stumbled upon this tiny restaurant while exploring downtown SF and checking out dinner options. The aroma of the Korean marinades emanating from the restaurant (I detected the aromas from nearly half a block away!) were so enticing that we walked in to investigate.
I am not exaggerating when I say the place is small - it can only seat 12 people at any given time. Eight of those seats are bar seats right in front of the kitchen, which provides an intimate view of Ryko's kitchen and prep setup (he is the owner and mastermind of this establishment).
The menu is small - no more than a dozen different items. For the kkochi box, you choose your skewer - your choices are tofu, chicken, pork, beef, and seafood medley (prawns, scallops, and calamari). The boxes also come with japchae (clear noodle and veg mix), potato salad, rice cakes (not the ones you're thinking of - these ones are waaaaay better!) and a fresh salad with homemade dressing. The finished dish is presented in a paper box and opened before you by Ryko - no dishes!
Now for the food review - if the definition of beautiful had a taste associated with it, Ryko's food would be the physical embodiment of that definition. No words I put down in this review can do justice for the explosion of flavor that bursts forth from Ryko's culinary creations. The skewers are pure perfection - full of savory spices with a thin layer of sweetness and a hint of hot spice to top it all off. I ordered the kalbi beef, and it was so good I wanted to order another one, but I was already full!
Seriously, I cannot do justice with Ryko's food through written word. It must be experienced first-hand. It is not only the food that must be experienced, but the personal interaction with Ryko and the whole dining experience. He loves chatting with his customers to gain an understanding of what they love about his cooking and what can be done better. There is a reason why he has so few items on his menus - he has focused on what works and keeps improving on those few items.
Ryko's passion for his culinary creations reminds me fondly of another culinary artist and perfectionist - Jiro Ono, sushi chef and owner of the 3-Michelin-star restaurant Subiyabashi Jiro in Tokyo, Japan and star of the documentary film Jiro Dreams of Sushi. I say Ryko's passion for kkochi matches Jiro's passion for sushi. I will go even further and say that Ryko is the Korean Jiro of kkochi.
My restaurant reviews are rare - my high praise of the owner of a restaurant are even rarer. Ryko and Kkochi have earned this glowing review in spades, and if I could give this review 10 stars, I would gladly give 10 stars a hundred times over.
