Arun K.
Yelp
From the owners of Shin Jung, a brand new Korean bar restaurant opened in the West Colonial Drive area near Metrowest. No reservation was needed on a Saturday night, but I had to park in the back and take a short walk to the restaurant. It wasn't too crowded when I entered, and I sat in the bar. I asked for a good drink and the bartender suggested the Busan boogie (16 dollars), which was also recommended by the guest next to me. It was a refreshing drink with the blueberries and other sweet bitters, and the bourbon was strong enough to be a little tipsy. However it was hotel expensive. For my food, I took the fish katsu (20 dollars), which included salad and rice with pickled radish. I was expecting small portions for a Korean bar, so I was surprised at the size of the plate. The fish was swai (part of the catfish family), which was mild and flaky. It tasted fresh and was lightly fried with panko, which made it filling. The salad was fresh too and the vinaigrette dressing was good. The rice had sesame and pickled radish, which had the right amount of crisp and sourness. I ordered the kimchi (3 dollars) as a side. It also had a nice amount of sourness and spiciness to enjoy. I wasn't sure if it was homemade, but still good.
My bartender was friendly and helpful. Service was pretty quick too, and I was in and out within an hour. The atmosphere is pretty casual as it used to be an Ale House. I did like some of the Korean decorations, but felt the background music was a bit too light. It sounded like light soft rock and the crowd wasn't loud enough either. For a bar restaurant, I would have expected the noise and music to Pump It Up a bit more (Korean dancing game pun intended). The bar was in the center and dining area was ample. I didn't see outdoor seating though.
Pocha 93 is located in a strip mall in the Colonial Drive area. Parking can get filling during the weekend, but you can still park in the back easily. I am very happy to see that Shin Jung added this restaurant near my parents' house. While the food and drinks are a bit pricey, it's filling and great quality. Definitely much better than the Chili's next door, and one I would visit again for nice Korean bar food.