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Korean BBQ
2 reviews for Korean BBQ
2 reviews in English
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Review from Li P.
North York, ON
6/16/2011
As a meat lover, BBQ with marinated meat in any setting would be a blast for me! Now with that said, the impression I got from this Korean bbq place is - - a lot of grease. Maybe it is the way bbq is supposed to be eaten, but it does feel like you are swimming in oil after awhile. The place is usually packed on weekends so you will probably need to wait for spots if you go after 8pm on a weekend.
I like the overall atmosphere, it is a good place to hang out with friends and socialize. Because it is all you can eat, the service there gets a little slow when there are a lot of people. Sometimes they get your orders wrong. But since you are just putting a lot of stuff into a frying pot to cook them, and there are just a number of items you can order, it doesn't really make too much of a difference.
I have gone to this joint 3 times within the past year, it is okay if you go once in awhile, but it does get a little bit repetitive after a few times since there are not a lot of things they offer there. -
Review from Yoga S.
North York, ON
Updated - 9/22/2011
"Ignorance is bliss" is often quoted to imply that what you don't know won't hurt you. If you agree with this statement, DO NOT READ ON. What you are about to read will open your mind and perhaps your horizons leading you to become an enlightened individual and possibly, even the next Buddha. Ok, I'm pushing it I know! ;-)
You have been warned.
Perhaps you don't have any Korean friends, or Korean influences in your life. Perhaps you never visited Asia and learned that the cuisines of China, Japan and Korea are distinct and unique from each other, EVEN when they are the same. Example: fried rice made by a Chinese, Japanese and Korean chef will be totally different from each other.
Perhaps you can't understand the differences between Chinese, Japanese and Koreans - as a people and as a culture. Asia is a large continent, as is Europe. French cuisine is not the same as Italian cuisine. Spanish cuisine is totally different than English cuisine. In the same regard, Korean cuisine is different than Chinese cuisine.
This restaurant calls itself a Korean BBQ establishment, but if you take a person of Korean descent here they will tell you the cuisine at Korean BBQ is nothing more than the Chinese interpretation of what they BELIEVE to be Korean BBQ. The management and execution of the Korean BBQ concept is most definitely Chinese. Nothing here is authentic.
This is most definitely NOT Korean bbq. Yes, that's what it's called, but with Chinese management and execution, the purity of the cuisine is no longer intact. What does this mean, exactly? It means, a Chinese run Korean joint may not even give you "pa mu chim", fresh "sang chu", the "ssam jang", the authentic homemade "ban chan"...I'll stop there. When I went here, I was given none of these.
My Chinese friends used to go to this joint with their families. They actually thought it was Korean food. When I heard this I took them to one of the many Korean establishments in the North York area for real Korean BBQ - as real as it can get in Toronto, anyway. They were blown away. Why? Because they ate Korean BBQ they way it was meant to be eaten. With 1) Ssam jang = slightly spicy miso paste; 2)Sang chu = Korean lettuce (for wrapping); 3) pa mu chim = a "salad' of green onions, tons of garlic and bits of lettuce used to put in the wrap; 4) an array of authentic ban chan = small sides served with the meal; 5) Korean rice - two choices of white or red bean. Oh, and yes, we had SOJU with our meal!!!! Without it, how can it be Korean BBQ? ;-)
Someone once said: "The mind is a curious thing, once in a while, new ideas are introduced and the mind expands; and once done, it can never shrink to its previous size." Ever since this outing, they [my Chinese friends] NEVER frequent this Chinese run Korean BBQ joint. In fact, they live in Markham but drive all the way to Yonge and Finch when they feel for real Korean BBQ.
Let me be absolutely clear: there is nothing wrong with eating here if this is what you like. I ate here because, at that time, in my youth, I was on a budget and couldn't refuse the all-you-can eat aspect of it. I knew it was not authentic but I was happy to eat as much meat as possible. If you are aware that what you eat here is the Chinese interpretation of Korean BBQ and it falls pitifully short of the real deal; more power to you! Enjoy your meal.
However, if you care that you eat the real-deal and don't want to be mislead, go elsewhere. Or, should you choose to remain - for whatever reason - enjoy the food and remain blissful in your present state.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/17/2010 First to Review
"Ignorance is bliss" is often quoted to imply that what you don't know won't hurt you. If you agree… Read more »
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