Bonchon in Arlington, VA

I love me some good fried chicken. Salt + crunch + fat + protein (that means it's healthy, right?). What else more do you really need in life? Answer: cookies, a pint of ice cream or two, chocolate. Did you really think I would say nothing?

Now Colonel Sanders can argue with me all he wants, but I strongly believe that KFC should really stand for Korean fried chicken. It's pieces of double-fried wings and drumsticks with a remarkably thin yet crisp skin that holds up its insane crunch factor under a messy, saucy, sweet + spicy gochujjang-based glaze. 

With DMV locations in Fairfax, Annandale, the Navy Yard, Arlington, and Rockville (not to mention other states and internationally), Bonchon makes KFC incredibly accessible for the DC food lover. Fun fact: my university has a bus that stops right in front of the Arlington location. My friends and I have dubbed it the Bonchon-bus.

Ddukbokki // 12

Now the ddukbokki was more of an appetizer than anything else and since none of my dining companions had tried it before, I insisted that we order a plate. It's a bit more expensive than what you would ordinarily pay for a platter of chewy rice cakes and fish cake drowned in a blood red sweet-and-spicy sauce, but they all loved it and hey, this girl hasn't had ddukbokki in months so I was happy. If you're short on money or mouths though, I'd skip it.

Medium wings + legs // 12.5

Now we're getting into the good stuff! If you're super hungry, plan ahead and order before you arrive because trying these monsters takes 20-30 minutes. And you're not getting those little drumlets either - Bonchon is known for their massive pieces of chicken and each "drum" is actually a whole drumstick. One drum and two wings (plus all of the complementary pickled daikon since no one else wanted them - more for me!) and I was full. This is coming from someone who can inhale 20 wings without batting an eyelash.

You can order the wings spicy, soy garlic, or a mix of the two. Between the five of us, we got a medium combo just spicy and then opted for a small set of drums in soy garlic. If you can't handle heat extremely well, I'd say steer clear of the spicy! It may look innocent enough but that stuff packs a major punch. I've noticed that Bonchon's sauce is more of a thin, watery coating (though the chicken is still fabulously crispy) while the Korean fried chicken I'm used to eating at home has a thicker, glossier glaze. I'd prefer the glaze, but nonetheless, Bonchon's rendition is pretty darn tasty.

I've eaten at other locations in Fairfax and Annandale as well and have noticed that the menu and pricing does change from location to location. Annandale offers additional things like takoyaki and bibimbap while Fairfax has katsu entrees, all of which are absent on the Arlington menu.

But for some KFC? Bonchon is not a bad choice.

Bonchon

Korean | $$

 

2201 N. Pershing Dr. Suite E

Arlington,VA, 22201

Takorea in Atlanta, GA

I think I've mentioned before that I'm not a big fan of fusion cuisine. That being said, Mexican/Tex-Mex is not really my thing either (psst, I don't like Chipotle). 

Okay.

Now that you are all revived from the shock and horror of those two pieces of information (don't worry guys, I'm CPR certified! I got you), let me tell you why I'm lovin' on Takorea.

Located within walking distance of Georgia Tech (yes, ya girl has personally tested this out for you), Takorea is a fast paced casual restaurant with locations in Midtown and Dunwoody with an energetic flare bringing traditional Korean flavors to the general public. I can't help but think that with its dim lighting, eclectic decor, and of course clientele, the Midtown location absolutely screams "college bar," not that it's a bad thing. 

I dropped by (or rather coerced -ahem-forced-ahem- some friends to take me) for dinner when I was home for spring break and spending a day at Georgia Tech. 

Sesame fries // chipotle ketchup // 4.25

Drizzled with fragrant sesame oil and tossed in a salty-sweet-spicy seasoning base, these fries were at the top of the recommendations list my friends armed me with. I really couldn't tell the ketchup was all that different from my trusty ol' Heinz, but trust me when I say that these babies don't need anything else. The seasoning coating gave the fries an extra layer of crunch that held up down to the very last one (not that these lasted all that long). 

Gogi nachos // pork belly + jack cheese + jalapeños + tako sauce + red sauce // 8.5

Remember the orange wanna-be cheese sauce that came with public school nachos? Turn your noses up all you want, but I absolutely love that stuff. Topped with a generous squirt of gochujang-based sauce and a heaping helping of grilled pork belly. Fatty, crunchy, smokey, sweet, spicy. I think you get the picture.

Chicken and fish tako // 3.25-4.25

Personally I didn't think the takos were all too special and a bit hefty in price for what you get, but then again I'm just not a huge fan of tacos in general. However, they were quite filling and one on top of all the appetizer munchies was enough to fill me (and I'm a bottomless pit, so that's saying something!)

Banchan // tako salad + sesame spinach + napa kimchi // 5

Maybe it's just a personal thing, but no meal feels complete without a bit of crunchy fiber (vegetables for all you normal folk), so a trio of banchan were in order. Of course, I couldn't expect flawlessly fermented kimchi, but the plate was tasty and nice to offset all of the heavy pork belly and fries I shoveled down my mouth hole.

I can see why Takorea is so popular with my friends back home: it's cheap, delicious, and caters to a whole range of tastes. If I were in Atlanta, I'd be back more than a handful of times.

Takorea

818 Juniper Street
 Atlanta, GA 30308

Café Mangosix Coffee & Dessert in Duluth, GA

I am much, much too late to the hype.

You know when you return to your hometown during a break with a solid list of places you need to visit and things you need to do? All business, no survivors. That's me. I had been seeing pictures from Mangosix pop up on my personal instagram feed since last September so naturally it made it onto my all-too comprehensive list. 

Located in what I describe to my non-childhood friends as Atlanta's Ktown or Asian-central, Mangosix is a Korean café situated right next to Iron Age (for all your post-KBBQ dessert needs) serves a mix of desserts, drinks, frozen yogurt, and café foods like soups, salads, and sandwiches. It's quite spacious and has seating that accommodates groups of two all the way up to 10+.  

If I were to sum up Mangosix in two words they would be: bubblegum K-drama. The interior is trendy and modern, but I can't help but feel as if it was pasted straight out of a Korean drama, not that it's a bad thing. I actually quite enjoyed myself there. DC, don't get me wrong, I love all the eccentric independent coffeeshops, but this is one thing you're missin'.

Mangosix is most popular for its all-fruit based drinks and at $5.45 for a tall, they aren't cheap. My friend and I ended up splitting a mango+honeydew juice, which I found to be quite delicious and refreshing, but I'm still a bit apprehensive about the price tag. 

Pesto chicken panini // basil pesto + sun dried tomato + feta

Basil chicken sandwich // basil pesto + mayonaise + chicken breast + tomato + red onion + swiss cheese + romaine  

My friend and I ended up getting incredibly similar orders, both sandwiches served warm with a side salad. My biggest gripe with Mangosix was the service. There were only two other tables, but even then it took about 20 minutes for our sandwiches to be ready. In fact, they didn't even start making them until we went to the counter and asked how much longer it would take.

The sandwiches though were quite tasty and filling. I wouldn't come here for a protein-fix, for sure, but they were everything a café sandwich should be: light and relatively healthy.

I enjoyed my visit to Mangosix and I can see why it's so popular with the 20-something crowd, but quite frankly, I don't think the food quite lived up to the hype. The drinks are delicious, but with nearby drink places like Quickly's and Boba Mocha (and soon Sweet Hut) that are much cheaper, I can't see myself visiting just to buy a juice. However, I do think that it's a great spot social spot for groups, catching up with friends, or a post-dinner dessert fix. 

Of course I had to throw this shot in here. Thanks Umeki for buying me lunch. I had a great time (as always) catching up!

Café Mangosix Coffee & Dessert 

2131 Pleasant Hill Rd
 Duluth, GA 30096

Oegadgib in Annandale, VA

I think every owner of an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ place has the same look of horror when a group of college-aged boys walk in the front door. Fortunately, I'm not a college-aged boy. 

I have a love-hate relationship with Korean BBQ. While it's a fun experience and relatively healthy (or at least it can be), because I don't eat much beef or pork, I rarely get my money's worth and walk out wearing eau de grilled meat. Top notes of smoke, middle notes of grease, and base notes of pure protein. And trust me, the scent lasts. 

Oegadgib is a smaller Korean restaurant situated tucked away on a more quiet road in Annandale. While the main drawing factor is their all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ and shabu-shabu, the menu also offers things like soondubu, jeongol, and bibimbap. I'm planning on going back for the jeongol sometime, but for this visit, BBQ it was!

Banchan

One of my favorite things about Korean food are the banchan. We were given some lettuce seasoned with red pepper flakes, salt, sugar, and sesame oil (BF loved this - he never eats green things but fought me for it), pickled daikon, seasoned cucumber, beansprouts, kimchi, potato salad, steamed egg, and dwenjang jjigae.

Steamed egg

Dwenjang jjigae

For $18.99 a person, Oegadgib offers all-you-can-eat chicken, beef brisket, pork belly, beef tenderloin, and rice. BF loves the brisket and pork belly, so he got several rounds of it. I mostly stuck to the chicken. The meat quality was quite standard, but I do wish that for the price, they offered a bigger variety.

I really liked that Oegadgib offered thinly sliced picked daikon to wrap the meat in. A few pieces of lettuce, some meat, and a bit of kimchi makes for an absolute flavor bomb. It's a bit of a chopstick maneuver, but try it out!

While Oegadgib does satisfy a craving for meat, for the price I wasn't all too impressed with the Korean BBQ selection. On the upside though, all the ingredients are fresh, food is simple and to the point, wait isn't too long, and service was wonderful. All-in-all, still a solid restaurant and I enjoyed my experience. I think I will go back to try a few other things on the menu.

Oegadgib

7331 Little River Turnpike
 Annandale, VA 22003

Triple B Fresh in Dupont Circle, DC

I really don't know why more people haven't thought of this yet.

So we've got Chipotle (and Qdoba for Mexican), Shophouse for Vietnamese, Tom Yum District for Thai, Roti for Mediterranean, Merzi for Indian...and Triple B Fresh for build-your-own Korean?

If there is a "hot, new" cuisine, then it'd probably be Korean. With the rise of Kogi and other popular Korean BBQ taco trucks, Korean food is finally starting to get more mainstream, but frankly, I don't know how exactly I feel about it.

Yes, I love Korean food. Growing up in what is Atlanta's Ktown, authentic Korean food was always readily accessible, delicious, and cheap and because I've just been so spoiled, I've developed quite high standards (for a non-Korean) when it comes to Korean cuisine. That being said, I typically don't like the Asian-fuison stuff that comes when ethnic food becomes mainstream; it generally - excuse my French - half asses both cuisines that are supposedly combined and consequently the dish just tastes....confused.

However, bibimbap (mixed rice) is generally a pretty well-accepted dish: you have your rice, your veggies, your protein, and your sauce. Pretty standard and adaptable to everyone, right?

And that's exactly what Triple B Fresh offers.

The dining process is simple:

1. Step up to the counter



2. Be slightly overwhelmed by all the fresh and fermented vegetables laid out in front of you

3. Decide whether to get a regular bowl or dolsot (hot stone) bowl. Actually, scratch that and just get the dolsot. Thank me later

4. Choose a rice (white, brown, black, or multigrain)

5. Get either the classic (a mix of seven traditional vegetables + egg) or mix and match four vegetables of your own.

6. Top with a protein and (optional) egg

Build your own bibimbap // black rice, kimchi, bean sprouts, watercress, bracken, spicy chicken in a stone bowl // 9.95

Build your own bibimbap // white rice, carrots, bean sprouts, zucchini, watercress, bulgogi in a stone bowl // 9.95

7. Pour on sauce. Mix. Eat.

Pre and post mixing #transformationtuesday, anyone?

In addition to their most popular bibimbap, Triple B Fresh also offers kimbap (rice + fillings wrapped in seaweed), mind (Korean fried dumplings), tacos, and various types of noodles. BUTTT, before you try those, get the bibimbap first, just do it.

Back to what I mentioned earlier: the hot stone bowl. It's only available for dine-in and is a extra $2 charge, but oh so worth it. The bowl is brushed with a thin layer of sesame oil and after everything is added to it, heated for a while so that the bottom of the rice forms a nice, crispy crust. When they bring it over to you, RESIST THE URGE TO MIX RIGHT AWAY. Luckily I was busy snapping pictures. You want to maximize rice-crispiness, so let the bowl sit for a few minutes and when the cracking sound dies down, then you can start mixing. My favorite thing about the stone bowl is that it holds heat for an absurdly long period of time, so my food continues to be hot down to the very last bite.

So would I go back again? Confession time: this was not my first trip to Triple B Fresh. Nor my second. It's a wonderful place that is introducing authentic-tasting Korean food that is inexpensive and easily accessible to the general DC public. Pricing is comparable to the little ajumma-owned places back home, but we're not getting any banchan here. Nonetheless, it's a bite of home and I'm lovin' it.

Triple B Fresh
1506 19th St NW
Washington, DC 20009

Review: Naru Japanese Restaurant in Duluth, GA

Yum. Yum. Yum.

Naru has definitely made my favourite restaurant list. I've been here three times (and once to what I think is the sister store, Kang Nam) and walk away with a happy stomach and tongue each visit.

I didn't get to document my first two trips, but on my third trip, I made sure to bring my newest baby, my Nikon D3300 (an early birthday present from my dad. Thank you, daddy!) to capture the magic. On my first visit, I came with my boyfriend (hereafter BF) who is Korean, and so he ordered from the Korean menu. We ended up getting a small platter of mixed Korean style sashimi and shellfish. I have to make a note here that this is a restaurant that serves its meals in several courses. We picked the small platter, but along with our raw fish, we were also served porridge, noodles, banchan, cheesy corn, agadashi tofu, tempura, grilled fish, steamed egg, fish tofu soup, spicy cod soup, and rice. Everything was artfully prepared and presented and for $50, we were stuffed.

On my second trip, I went for lunch with my mom. I got the $10.99 lunch combo with hwedobap and spicy cod soup. Hwedobap is raw fish chopped up over a bed of vegetables. You mix in rice and squeeze on some gochujang, Korean pepper paste, and eat. Naru serves theirs in a giant bowl with the rice on the side. My mom got the unagi don, which she enjoyed a lot, but I just don't like eel in general, so I can't say anything. We were also served some pumpkin porridge and banchan. Once again, the portions were great. 

Finally, my latest and documented trip: I went for lunch with my dad and got the lunch special Uh Jung Sik for 2 that costs $29.99. The meal started off with some savory porridge. I actually really enjoyed it - perfect amount of salt with the roast aroma of sesame oil.

Next came the banchan and tempura. We had some steamed broccoli, fish cake, cabbage, and bean sprouts. I really enjoyed the tempura - one of the crispiest I've ever had!

After that came the four pieces of nigiri and sashimi. Now, I must say that the sashimi in the lunch special is Korean style, which I believe is flounder. It's not as fatty and melt-in-your-mouth as tuna or salmon, but still very good and very fresh.

After that we got the final pieces of our meal: stir fried spicy squid, steamed egg, roe rice, spicy cod soup, and grilled fish. I particularly loved the squid and would just get it by itself. The steamed egg wasn't as silky as it could be, but I'm not too bothered by it. Oh, and the spicy cod soup definite had a great amount of kick to it. I loved it.

It's a lot of food, and we were beyond satisfied. Would I make a fourth visit? Already planning it! Go with a big appetite, a large group, and preferably someone who can speak/read Korean. I've noticed that the best menu items are in Korean and the servers aren't that good at English. 

We killed it!

TLDR: Fabulous restaurant, multi course meals, go with a lot of hungry people and order a giant combo platter. 

Lunch menu - Click to enlarge