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Sura Korean Restaurant
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 3 pm
Mon-Fri 5 pm - 10 pm
Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
10 reviews for Sura Korean Restaurant
10 reviews in English
-
Review from Wendy P.
1/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Holy! Can I said lottadeliciousfoodmuch? We grabbed some takeout from Sura today... it's maybe the 5th time in my life I've eaten Korean, but I'm learning my way around the menu a little bit. Every time I read Bi bim bap, I can hear Sylvie C saying in my head... she's my link to knowing even the slightest bit about Korean food.
I got there right at 5 when they opened for the evening. I was the only one there! But I ordered myself some kimchi and pork fried rice, beef bulgogi and veggie stir fry. There wasn't a whole lot to do while I waited, but they gave me some tea in the meanwhile.
If my memory serves me correctly, this spot was once an Italian resto. Anyway, obviously that isn't the case anymore. There's nothing remotely Italian left about it. The three dishes were under $40... and holy mackerel were we full! Especially after the kimchi and fried rice... there's still some of that left in the fridge.
I daresay, if I keep eating yummy Korean food like this one, I might have to start learning how to cook it myself. -
Review from Linda C.
Initially my review was gonna be 4 stars as I do enjoy dining at Sura, but recently I came for a birthday dinner and they insisted on charging us a 'cake cutting' fee (which seems to be something new as they have not charged us this in the past), and also charged us a preset tip amount. We questioned it and they were quite firm on both. It's not pleasant at the end of the meal to find out that there are extra charges (especially since we've done the cake thing before with no such charges).
The several times that I've been, it's been hit and miss... sometimes good and sometimes not so good (both food and service). -
Review from Jane D.
Calgary, AB
3/7/2012
The food at Sura is fantastic and affordable. I bring my two kids: our fave dishes are the crispy pan-fried dumplings and the beef bulgogi. With all the side dishes that come for free, the three of us are well fed for under $30. The server is sometimes overwhelmed (I've never seen more than one server working even when the place is jumping) but it has a nice family atmosphere.
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Review from Queenie M.
Calgary, AB
9/4/2010 4 photos
Food: 4/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 3.5/5
Overall experience: 4/5
(1- Terrible; 3- decent; 5- Fantastic)
Great Korean food here! My bf and I have been here plenty of times for lunch and dinner. Their menu is small so we've tried most of their foods.
When you walk in, the place is very simple, clean, and casual. Unlike Korean restaurants like Seoul, Koreana, and Dae Jang Geum there are no vents over the tables or built in burners in the tables. The crowd is mixed, usually Koreans like to come here. When it's busy and only a few servers are working, the service can be quite slow and really bad... but the food makes up for it. However, when it's dead the servers are usually attentive, refilling our teapots and offering more sides if we wanted.
I'll start with their amazing $9.99 lunch where you have a choice between beef, chicken, pork, or Kim-bab (Korean-style sushi). The meal comes with rice, mung bean cakes, kimchi, and jap-chae (Stir fried noodles with vegetables). What I love about this is the giant portion of food they give you and the ability to try different sides. The mung been cakes are always too salty for me but I still eat them. According to a friend it is one of their popular appetizers on their menu and i think it's one of the few Korean places that serves it. Their meat is really flavourful with the right amount of sweet, spicy, and salty. I suggest getting the beef or chicken with the lunch special. The pork is a little underwhelming in flavour.
I love spicy foods, kimchi especially and I highly suggest you try the Kimchi-Jeongol hotpot ($25.99 hot n' spicy kimchi and pork stew) for 2 people which includes a plentiful amount of pork, kimchi, and a sidedish of rice cakes and onions to put in yourself. It's quite large and we always have trouble finishing it, but it's totally worth it. The soup has just the right amount of spice and the broth is very tasty. However when it begins to cooks down and thicken the broth can get super salty and you have to dilute it with water. Included is rice and a variety of side dishes. What I especially love about Sura is the vast amount of side dishes you can try such as Korean potato salad, bean sprouts, sweet mung beans, kimchi, korean cucumber pickles, sea plant, and pickled radishes. Sometimes they bring out new side items which you'll notice if you been here a few times.
I also tried the Gam-Ja-Tang hotpot ($28.99 fall off the bone pork and potatoes in savoury soup) which was alright, something nice to try if you don't like spicy foods. There was plenty of fall off the bone pork and the soup had a mild, salty, pork taste. Bulgoi (korean BBQ) is around $13-$15 which is served with lettuce and other condiments. It comes out in a hotplate and as mentioned before is often tasty with the exception to one time when I came with a large group of friends and the meat was bland.
Their Yuk-Gae-Jang ($11.99 spicy beef soup) was full of spicy beef flavor and I absolutely love their Soon-Tofu ($11.99 soft tofu and seafood soup) which has the perfect amount of spiciness and deep flavour. If only that was carried over to their JJam-Bbong ($11.99 spicy seafood noodle soup) which was quite mild and kind of watered down. There is however, plenty of noodles and seafood such as shrimp, squid, and mussels.
It wasn't until my friend mentioned trying the 'black noodles' that Koreans ate in dramas that I decided to try JJa Jang Myun ($10.99 pork and seafood in black bean sauce over a bed of noodles). There was plenty of noodles to share among 2-3 people and it had a nice black bean flavour to it. In the end we were left with a layer of black sauce with small pieces of pork on the bottom of the bowl.
Overall, this is one of the best Korean restaurants in Calgary. The flavors in their food is fantastic (with the exception to a few items) and I highly recommend at least one visit. It's run by Koreans and many Koreans come here to eat here, so I guess they are doing something right. What I find really nice of them is that when you order a spicy dish they mention that it is spicy and ask if that is okay with you. This is nice for someone who doesn't like really spicy foods and who wants to adjust the taste of their dishes.
*Recently came back to Sura (oct 2010) and they changed the look of their menus and increased the price of some of their things. Despite this, their food is still high quality and I will keep coming back!* -
Review from Julianna C.
Calgary, AB
3/5/2010
I'm most familiar with Sura's fabulous $9.99 lunch special. You choose:
A - Beef
B- Chicken
C- Pork
D - Kim-bab (Korean-style sushi)
... and they serve it up with rice, jap-chae (stir-fried cellophane noodles served with thinly sliced vegetables, flavoured with soy sauce & sugar), bindae-duk (mung bean fritters) and kimchi.
Really, really tasty grilled meat. The variety of sides is really delightful, and are the perfect accompaniment (which would be why they're served).
I may be totally off, but the tea that they serve tastes like genmaicha (green tea blended with roasted brown rice)... awesome.Listed in: Korean Calgary
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Review from vanessa t.
Calgary, AB
1/21/2009
This place opened sometime around January 7, so they're still pretty new. There weren't a lot of customers that night. The place is pretty small, so if they get busy, reservation is preferred.
First of all.. i think this is the cheapest Korean restaurant I've ever been to. Total + GST + tips was only $35 for 2 people. and it was quite filling. We ordered the stone rice and the beef buligou (spelling?) + 6 of those free tiny small dishes of appetizers. Overall, the beef was pretty good, but the red sweet-ish paste that came with it was a little salty. The beef had a lot of flavour in it to begin with. As for the stone rice, it come with the hot sauce and a soup. i really liked it. I don't think I have a criticism about it.
Their menu's still very limited and no homemade dessert; just those 'Italian' dessert, but overall, I really liked this place.
I would definitely go back
price wise(the more $, the more expensive): $$
food quality(1 is the lowest, 5 is the highest): 4
services wise(1 is the lowest, 5 is the highest): 5 -
Review from J W.
Calgary, AB
8/17/2011
Every time I come to Sura, it's always pretty quiet. WIth a maybe 3 or 4 other tables (including myself), service was decent. They gave you drinks, the food, and then cleaned up when you're finished.
I had the Gamja tang and liked it! Although there was a lot of salt and pepper, it was still really good for the price. It's a really nice Korean restaurant in the NW, therefore I would definitely come back! -
Review from M N.
Edmonton, AB
11/16/2009
I don't know about you, but I don't believe I have ever left a Korean restaurant without smelling like delicious grilled meats. Don't get me wrong, I love the smell of the barbecue and the char just like everyone else, but I usually would like my food to smell that way, not myself and my clothes!With good ventilation and the kitchen doing the grilling for you, you can leave Sura and jump right into bed because you'll be so full of delicious food you won't be able to do much else.
Savoury and tasty, their meats are marinated with gobs of flavour. Great balance between sweet and spicy, and salty. Their meats are of good quality too, relatively lean but still fall-apart-tender. Fired up on a grill for that unique smokey flavour you just can't get anywhere else.
Sura has a wonderful traditional stewed whole chicken dish with a bunch of Asian roots and herbs. It's basically chicken noodle soup but infinitely better, and actually has medicinal properties!
And their sides, by golly, what tasty sides, kimchi, kelp, bean sprouts, soy beans, all tasty, and you can eat until you cry for mercy.
Pricewise they are pretty much on par with other Korean joints, but hey, minus the drycleaning bill and you've got yourself a deal! -
Review from Jerry C.
Calgary, AB
1/23/2011
We went for dinner here last night, and although I somewhat felt like I was cheating on my regular Korean place, it was a great change. And it will even be my NEW Korean place. The food was great, they had the rice cakes with the Kimchi/Pork Hotpot which was missing at our other place. The service was really good - they checked in regularly, helped us with the hotplate, and refilled glasses, lettuce basket & Korean side dishes often. The staff was also very sweet.
I found the hotpot to be really tasty. It's the first time I've really loved Kimchi soup. Thank you Queenie for the recommendation. Delicious.
They were very busy, so I suggest you make a reservation if you can. They turned about 8 people away while we were there. For a small place, that is a lot. -
Review from Mame G.
Calgary, AB
4/15/2010
Very savory restaurant in a great location! Love how they cook the food for you. The proportions and price are just right. This would be my pick for Korean any day!
