Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo 명동 갈국수

A trip through North Road is not complete without some Korean food. I have widely pronounced my love for the little gem of a restaurant, Kimbap Cheonguk. There are many other nooks and crannies of North Road (aka Koreatown) that I have yet to venture into, so I convinced the family to try something new today. There aren't that many reviews for Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo, but all the ones out there seem to be good. I know some of my Korean schoolmates have eaten there as well.

Find Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo in here!

I though Kimbap Cheonguk was a hole-in-the-wall, and then I came here. It wasn't terribly difficult to locate, as I saw some photos on other blogs. Here are some tips to help you find this little eatery:

• Park in the plaza lot where Hannam Supermarket is
• Look for the stairs that lead to the upper plaza
• Underneath the staircase, look for the automatic sliding doors
• The yellow speech bubble I added onto the photo points to the sign which says 'Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo' in Korean and the English simply says 'Korean Restaurant'.

Myoung Dong Khal Kook Soo

Once inside, the restaurant (or more like a single-stalled food court) will be to the right. You can't miss it with its bright yellow walls. There is also a travel agency, coffee shop, and a few other small businesses sharing the same indoor plaza (all of which were closed Sunday). 

Menu

As my parents noted, their menu is not friendly to non-Koreans, or those unfamiliar with Korean food. The menu is divided up into four columns: dumplings, noodles, rice, and snacks. I'll describe each item:

- Giant dumplings - Giant dumplings with spicy sauce - Rice cake & regular dumplings - Regular dumplings in soup

- Knife cut noodles - Knife cut noodles with regular dumplings - Noodles with spicy sauce - Chewy Noodles (see Jjol Myeon here)

- Rice, beef, and vegetables in a hot stone pot - Rice, beef, and vegetables in a regular bowl - Spicy squid and rice - Marinated beef and rice - Spicy beef soup

- Rice cake in soup - Korean sushi roll - Spicy rice cakes - 1kg of kimchi

Place your order at the cashier. Seating and drinks are self-serve; there's a hot and cold water dispenser off in the corner. Trays and dirty dishes are returned on top of the newspapers by the water machines.

Myoung Dong (sorry, I must shorten the name) is a couple-run business, the wife rings up orders on the cashier, organizes orders, and cleans up the tables. The husband is in the kitchen doing the cooking. Despite only having two staff, the food came out very efficiently. There were not that many customers when we went on a Sunday at lunchtime, so service was quick. Keep an eye out for your own order, you'll have to retrieve your tray(s) from the front. 

Karl Gook Su ($7.95)

Karl Gook Su (or Khal Kook Su or Kal Guk Su...), is Korean comfort food. Nothing extravagant here, but since the restaurant is named after this dish, gotta try it right? Don't be fooled, because this bowl contains a lot of noodles. At least enough for two people. Paired with the noodles is some minced beef, carrots, zucchini, and quite a bit of onion. My mom didn't think the onions matched the noodles, but I thought it tasted fine. The broth isn't super strong, but it's flavourful enough to slurp up. However, I found the noodles to be overcooked, past al dente, so it was too soft for my liking. This Karl Gook Su isn't something I would specifically recommend, but it isn't bad. Remember, it's comfort food. Very filling comfort food.

Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap ($10.38)

I admit, the Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap was the main reason I wanted to come. While Kimbap Cheonguk across the street serves an amazing 'modern' rendition, I was in the mood for the traditional kind, with lots of colourful vegetables. Although it's a bit pricier here, this dish was spot. on. Made perfectly. Complete with an egg on top. It's a large bowl, served sizzling hot! I know it's difficult to be patient when your stomach is calling, but let it sit for a minute or two to let the crispy layer of rice develop before mixing it all together. Add a generous squeeze of the hot sauce that accompanies the rice and oh my, oh my, you've got a perfect meal right there. The stone pot rice here is perfect!

Oh and that bowl of soup is a broth made of daikon radish and some green onion. Plain and even blander than the noodle soup. We got two, so two of the dishes we ordered came with a soup. Don't know which ones though..

Wang Man Doo ($8.95) and Kim Bob ($4.19)

This was my first time eating Wang Man Doo. Five of these massive, fist-sized, steamed dumplings stuffed with a juicy pork and vegetable mixture would make for a hefty meal. Two ladies sitting at the table behind us shared one bowl of Karl Gook Su and one order of these 'king-sized man doo' as their meal. Like xiao long bao, the wrapping is thin and a bit of soup came spilling out when I cut my dumpling into half. While my dad though these dumplings were nothing special, my mom and I think they are yummy. With a splash of the accompanying sauce and a bit of the spicy pepper sauce I will mention below, these are simply delicious. 

The Kim Bob here is not bad here, but it isn't especially good either. The filling is lacking and the price is expensive compared to other places, such as Kimbap Cheonguk. Even Hannam Supermarket next door sells two rolls for only five dollars. I wouldn't bother getting kimbap here again.

Spicy Pepper Sauce

A little pot of this spicy pepper sauce sits at each table. The peppers look really fresh so I suspect it is made in house. The flavour of this hot sauce is different than others, can't exactly explain how but I guess fresh is always special! My mom kept praising this condiment throughout the meal. Be warned that the peppers are really spicy!

The kimchi here is really good, and they give a lot of it as well! One plate was mainly the stalk of the cabbage and the other plate was mainly the leaves. They also make the kimchi in house, and it can be purchased for ten dollars per kilogram.

The total for our lunch for four came to about $33, which is very economical for the amount of food we received. The owners are very kind and soft-spoken. Although I utilizied my limited Korean vocabulary when ordering, it was evident that it was my first time here. The owner treated us just as warmly as all the other Korean customers. Yes, yes, my mother still argues that Kimbap Cheonguk is cheaper, but eating the same dishes every time is boring. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed our meal and I'm sure we'll come back for more giant dumplings and stone pot rice.




Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Kimbap Cheonguk: New Menu!

It's been a while since I've last eaten at 'Kimbap Heaven'. This 'four colours' Korean restaurant has become a favourite in my family. My mom and brother went recently and mentioned they had new items on their menu so I was curious and eager to try it myself. 

Kimbap Cheonguk's new menu (as of January 2014)

New items on the menu include Stone Pot Rice with Pork, Potato and Pork Bone Soup Hot Pot, and Ddukbokki with Chicken and Cheese. All of which sound pretty appealing to me~

Back: Al Bap ($7.99), Front: Stone Pot Rice with Pork ($8.99)

The Al Bap is by far my favourite dish to order at this cozy little restaurant. You can read my love rants (yes there is more than one!) for this bowl of rice in my other posts here and here. It may sound like I'm exaggerating, but no seriously, this Al Bap is perfection. I ate more than half of that rice. There goes my Saturday morning exercise...

On this particular visit with my father and brother, we ordered three rice dishes (the roll of kimbap with crispy seaweed was already devoured well before these two dishes arrived). One of which was their new Stone Pot Rice with Pork. Like the Al Bap, this rice dish is served in a smoking hot stone bowl that actually crisps the rice touching the side. I always wait a few moments (because I'm impatient and can't wait minutes) to give the rice some time to form a 'cake' on the bottom. That's the whole point of cooking it in a hot pot; that crispy rice is my favourite part! The toppings of bean sprouts, sliced pork, and seaweed are smothered in a spicy sauce. They even provide you with an extra bottle of sauce in case you are really in the mood for something fiery. However, I don't think extra seasonings were necessary at all. This dish is quite oily, and it can evidently be seen when comparing the cleared stone pots of the Al Bap and this one; the pork one has a lot more oil. While the new pork rice packs a bigger punch of flavour, I still prefer the more unique flavours of the less-greasy Al Bap. But if you're a spicy food lover like my brother, the Stone Pot Rice with Pork may be more up your alley.

If it isn't obvious yet, I really love Kimbap Cheonguk. It's a family run business (as told by my Korean friend) and the staff are efficient and friendly. The main male cook in the kitchen gives each customer a loud and friendly greeting as they enter or leave the restaurant. The restaurant seems to be doing pretty well, considering they reprinted their menus and are able to offer their customers more choices. Many non-Koreans are beginning to dine here as well! As for the seating, there aren't many tables so come a little earlier or a little later to avoid waits. But even then, the waits are never long because food is served up really fast. 

As an important note, they only take cash or debit card.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Kimbap Cheonguk 김밥천국 - with photos!

Dad: Where are we going for lunch?
Mom: Let's go to that little Korean restaurant on North Road.
Dad: You mean the 'four colour words' one?
Mom: Yes, see you there!

So, my family is back at this 'four colour words' restaurant for some cheap and tasty Korean eats. The logo of Kimbap Cheonguk has each Korean character placed in a red, green, yellow, and blue box, respectively. My parents can't read Korean so that's the little nickname they've given this restaurant. It has quickly become one of our favourite places to grab a quick and cheap lunch besides going for local dimsum. Although the menu is small, there are quite a few amazing dishes to be found. Please read my first post for additional details of some of the other dishes we've tried on previous occasions.

Regular Kimbap ($2.99)

The restaurant is called 'Kimbap Heaven', and thankfully the kimbap here certainly does live up to its name. I usually order the Regular Kimbap which is filled with egg, pickled radish, picked cabbage, carrots, and fishcake. But, it is the crispy seaweed that sets this simple dish apart from other similar rolls. It is also the cheapest kimbap around, only $3 for the regular roll! Definitely a winner in Coconut Crumpet's book, I come back just to have their crispy-seaweed rolled kimbap~ However, after my recent discovery of the super stuffed kimbap from Miga Korean Food, Kimbap Cheonguk's isn't 100% perfect. The crispy seaweed is perfect, but Miga's kimbap has better stuffing ingredients. Each has their own strong points and both are worth trying. 

Ddukbokki ($5.99)

My brother really wanted spicy rice cakes, so we got a ddukbokki just for filler. Ddukbokki is a common street food in Korea, also a comfort food. Sticks of chewy rice cakes are simmered in a red hot and slightly sweet sauce. Some fishcake, cabbage, and onions are thrown in this dish here. It gets pretty spicy as you eat more and more of it, probably not the best option for those that can't take the heat too well. The dish is okay, but not the best I've eaten. Therefore, I don't think it's worth $6. 

Al Bap ($7.99)

This, THIS, is the best item on the entire menu. I present to you, the Al Bap.

Seok Gi Si Dae 석기시대

Men like meat. That's kind of an unavoidable fact of life. My brother chose to celebrate his commencement with a dinner at Korean barbeque. Seok Gi Si Dae is a very homey restaurant run by a family of three near Koreatown that specializes in samkyeopsal (pork belly) and galbi (boneless beef rib). The parents prep in the kitchen and the son serves the guests.

We made a reservation at 6pm and found only two other tables eating at the time of our arrival on a Sunday evening. Originally, we were reserved a table in the larger area where you are seated on the ground. The tables are longer there and can fit more people. However, my grandparents were also coming and they are unable to sit on the floor. So we had to all squish at a small table with chairs. This resulted in my sitting right in front of the stove. It can get pretty warm and beware of the splashing oil. I had to put my cardigan back on to avoid getting tiny burns all over my arms... This is probably a benefit of having a longer table. I want to sit on the floor next time, more traditional and adds to the experience!

The menu is small, very small. There are only two choices of meet on the menu, and I believe they now have bulgogi as well for about $25 per serving. I've read that their servings are very plentiful and can fill much more than just one belly. It comes with unlimited side dishes and accompaniments to wrap the grilled meat, one small stone pot of soup, and kimchi fried rice at the very end. It's the full package with the price printed on the menu. The waiter said for our table of seven, a minimum order of six servings is needed. So we went with 4 galbi and 2 samkyeopsal. I think we enjoyed the beef more than the pork, as the pork gets pretty oily... Next time I would order one less pork.

Seok Gi Si Dae Menu

After ordering, all the side dishes (banchan) and wrapping ingredients were served. My family is so funny, we thought the lettuce with julienned green onions and hot sauce was a salad and started eating it before the meat came. Turns out it is supposed to go into the wrap...whoops. The kimchi and picked bean sprouts are put on the grill at the beginning to heat and crisp up. The hot plate is on a tilt, allowing the oils from the meats to flow down, through the kimchi, and into a little bowl under the opening at the end of the board. The kimchi and bean sprouts are also wrapped with some of the meat, but don't eat it all! It'll be used to make the kimchi fried rice at the end. The waiter had to come refill our grilled kimchi a few times since we kept eating it all. Warning: Do not come here if you're on a diet. This meal is full of fat, mwahahaha!

Side Dishes

Bean Sauce & Sesame Oil

Sushi California with Two Nutty Crumpets

Schools out and the sun's shining, it would be a pity to waste it at home. After writing numerous paragraphs in fellow classmates' yearbooks, Peanut Crumpet and Coconut Crumpet went to fill their growling tummies with some sushi. And Sushi California was the closest stop that also fits our student budget.

Peanut Crumpet had an Avocado Roll ($2.95) and Coconut Crumpet an Unagi Roll ($3.95). A review on the unagi roll and other items from Sushi California can be found here. There isn't much to say about these two rolls, as they are both very simple. 

Gomae Salad ($3.25)

We shared two appetizers, both of which we really enjoyed. The Gomae Salad is fresh seaweed with sesame oil. This is sold at T&T Supermarket or in a large tub from Costco. Nevertheless it's an aromatic and delicious dish of fresh algae. 

Wakama Salad ($3.50)

The second appetizer we shared was the Wakama Salad. It's cooked spinach smothered in a peanut sauce. We dipped pieces of rice into the remaining peanut sauce. I'm pretty sure its the same sauce they drizzle on the Spinach Crab Roll. Obviously Peanut Crumpet loves this.

In addition to the Fried Oysters, these two appetizers are worth ordering if you're wanting some extra food to nibble one between bites of sushi.



Love from Coconut Crumpet & Peanut Crumpet

Sushi California

For an early Father's Day celebration, we met up with my grandparents at their favourite sushi restaurant, Sushi California. Located across from Lougheed Town Centre and the Skytrain station, it's a bustling little restaurant with many customers. I've been visiting Sushi California every now and then for the past few years. The cheap price and decent portions are what draws most customers back.

California Roll ($2.95) & Alaska Roll ($3.95)

Kimbap Cheonguk 김밥천국

Kimbap Cheonguk, meaning kimbap heaven, is a tiny gem located in the heart of Koreatown. Always filled with Korean customers, you know you can trust this place.

I've passed this small complex countless times but never bothered to venture in until Peanut Crumpet and I were looking for lunch at 2pm on a Saturday after visiting the Winter's Farmers Market back in April. With a growling stomach and not much cash left (since we spent it on mushrooms and tomatoes...) we were seated and given a simple menu. 

The interior is very narrow and only holds, give or take, 10 tables. I would recommend going in groups of six or less. It appears to be a family-run business, with the dad and son cooking in the kitchen and the mom and daughter serving. 

The menu is limited, with many items being more 'snack-like'. But that doesn't mean you can't make a meal out of it! Their kimbap is the best I've had; the seaweed is still crispy, perfect ratio of rice to filling... I've been craving it since my first visit and dragged my family to go again this past Saturday. Good to know they live up to their restaurant name.