My Overall Score: 4.1/5

Nathan’s Score: 3.7/5

Ordered:

• Spicy Ddukbbokki ($12)
• Kimchi Jjigae ($17)
• Pork Bulgogi Ssam ($19)

I actually first tried Nongbu with Byron on the third day it opened! It’s not your usual traditional Korean restaurant. It provides a modern twist and showcases popular Korean street food~ We got to meet John Anh, the owner of Nongbu too; a very personable guy!

Today I got to catch up with a friend I haven’t seen in a while! 🙂

Presentation:                    4/5

The overall effect is simple and neat. It feels like eating at home! The plating is average but I do appreciate the attention to add some contrasting colours to make it look appetizing to eat!

Nathan felt like the presentation could’ve been better, for example the stew that can show off the food in it better.

Nathan: 3.5

Health:                                  4/5

I don’t think the items on the menu are the healthiest representation of Korean food. But I don’t think that was what they were going for! It’s focused on yummy food to share among friends! They have flavourful vegetarian dishes and have gluten-free options.

Nathan: 4

Atmosphere/location: 4.5/5

When you first walk in, it feels a bit industrial and unadorned. But what will capture your attention is the black and white videos projecting on the wall. Nathan described it really well. It’s not disruptive, but having it in the background made the place feel livelier and warm.

The place is very accessible by walking as it’s located on Whyte ave! So it’s convenient to get to. The only downside–though like all other places on Whyte–is the parking. But what’s nice is Nongbu has a few spots at the back to park (don’t forgot to register your vehicle!)

Nathan: 4

Cost:                                  3.5/5

We feel like it’s pricier than some other Korean places I’ve eaten at. As well as I was still quite hungry after. 😦

Nathan: 3/5

Taste:                                4/5

Nathan: 3.8

The flavour of the Ddukbbokki is okay, definitely has the spice factor and has a nice soft texture. The thinly sliced fishcakes are a nicely added feature :).

The side dishes are shown below: (sorry the picture aren’t very clear)

Out of all the side dishes, the kimchi is the one I liked. I think the preparation in making the daikon could be a bit better to remove the bitterness and maybe a tad more vinegar. I also think the eggplant wasn’t ripe enough yet?

GUYS. If you are to come here and don’t know what to get, I would recommend this! This is the pork bulgogi ssam (lettuce wrap). It’s definitely not meant for when you are super hungry, but it’s satisfying. The sauce in the small dish is ssamjang, a kind of sweet dipping sauce (usually made with soybean paste, brown sugar, sesame oil etc).

But the meat is flavoured really well already so I find I could do without the sauce! The porkbelly is just really good D:

The stew was nice for the chilly day. Though Nathan’s tough to please haha! He says it was super spicy but still good. (he asked for the soup to be less spicy-as he usually gets it-but I guess they forgot).

Service:                              4.5/5
The service is average but I do have to thank this one girl who initiated in giving me some tea while I was waiting. I felt the staff could be bit more knowledgeable in their menu.

Nathan: 4

Thanks for joining me for dinner!

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Coming up is a Toronto chocolate shop we stumbled upon that many people have been talking about!

-Mish.

 

Omgosh after dinner I’m always craving some ice cream! Wish I had this: