Miki M.
Yelp
Let's face it. Bend, although a great city for culinary experiences, has limited Asian choices. Because of that, Yoli has a large gap to fill. We are experienced foodies that have been to lots of Korean restaurants over the years, different kind of Korean styles... so as such, my first advice to you is: when you visit Yoli, please set your expectations right. Read on.
This is a nice place- visually beautiful, kind of fancy, a nice clean interior, comfortable chairs that look like they're Eames-inspired. No musty smells, no stench, clean floors, good lighting with warm color temperature, a pleasant cost ambiance that is good for dates, during which people can actually converse with each other without having to shout. Quiet background music that I didn't even pay attention to.
The food itself is very clean, well prepared- but as I hinted already above, more of a fusion taste than a hardcore authentic Korean taste, I would say. Set your expectations right. They do use the right set of sauces and flavors. Good quality ingredients.
Wine list was nice but we ordered by the glass and selection was good- about $15 per wine glass on average, acceptable price I would say. Didn't drink Soju but their selection was also decent. Also they had a large list of South Korean lager beers, like Hite, Cass etc. And one local IPA for people like myself lol. A good selection of teas that they steep for you in a fancy teapot. Also they offer flat or sparkling water, in nice bottles. Cool.
To be honest I would have definitely given them 5 stars to give them a boost (which they deserve) but I was a bit upset that they were so stingy with their Banchan small plates. We got our appetizers (yukkae, pancake - see my pix) and then our main dishes arrived, and we still had not seen any Banchan so my family was already kind of baffled... and I had to go ahead and request it. When we finally got it, it was kind of a tiny quantity, we were surprised because we were 4 people. And when we eat Korean food we are accustomed to always get a generous amount of Kimchi, Kkakdugi, Kongnamul-muchim, etc... basic fundamental elements. And also I had seen other pix on Yelp and Google- I knew they served other people much fuller Banchan plates, and those were merely 1 or 2 person groups... We ordered some of their priciest items on the menu so we felt it was kind of odd, to be honest.
I hope they do read their reviews so they can fix this small detail, small issue- be generous with the Banchan, as it's a Korean custom, integral part of the Korean Experience (yes, with capital E).
I had the Australian Wagyu, with bone marrow covered with some kind of green pesto sauce (that I would have preferred to not have as I like the marrow with a bit of salt only) and kimchi potatoes, with a small accent of kelp salad, and a side of white rice (purple Korean rice was not provided as an option but the white rice was excellent). My steak was well prepared, and very tasty and flavorful. When I read the word "wagyu", it automatically sets a very high bar or expectation as a "super tender marbled texture"; this wasn't as tender- it was more like a really high quality flavorful sirloin. Very satisfying, even if it didn't quite melt in my mouth.
Like I said- set the right expectations here, to be happy! Yoli is an awesome choice while in Bend, it can help satisfy your cravings for Korean flavor.