I am a native Korean & just wanted to share my thoughts about this restaurant.
First off, we have not tried this place for a few years after the disastrous experience with them during the pandemic.
I used to LOVE this restaurant when I first tried it about 5 years ago . We were new to town and didn't expect anything decent Korean food in this desert city, Tucson . But once we tasted the foods , we were pleasantly surprised. The foods were amazing. The service was awesome. The ambiance was great. Very authentic Southern Korean cuisine in this Sonoran desert. Wow. As a Korean- American-New Yorker, this was a pleasant surprise & we enjoyed visiting there with friends and family frequently over the years.
Fast forward, after returning my family visit in Korea about a month ago , I was craving for some spicy Korean foods that I decided to visit the restaurant again encouraged by the new glowing Yelp reviews.
A nice young wait staff greeted us upon arriving at the restaurant and we were promptly seated.
We noticed the new decorations on the wall that reminded me of a restaurant in the middle of the boondocks in Korea somewhere back in the mid nineties , regardless, it was different & refreshing. The nice young server brought us the side dishes upon seating & we ordered a few to eat - kimchi pancakes, chicken fried rice , tofu/kimchi spicy pork, & OB Korean beers.
While waiting for the food, we tried the side dishes and we knew it right off the food would be mediocre . The side dishes were so bad . The fish cakes were dry , the cucumber kimchi was " sweet!!!" & the Napa cabbage kimchi tasted like a mock-kimchi with some salt & vinegar! How awful, we murmured.
Most Korean recipes require the basic ingredients-soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, ginger, scallions, & salt. With this, one could make all kinds of savory, spicy Korean dishes in all forms- side dishes, main dishes, BBQ, stews, etc. Once the side dishes are made in this awful manner , there is no way to make other dishes taste better, as the same ingredients are used for the main dishes. Simple is that.
The Korean culture is hot these days- the pop music , movies, fashion, history , foods, and beyond. There is no way this restaurant will be able to contribute to the trends with this below average quality of food. What a shame.
I would not bring my friends and family to this restaurant AND their newly opened Karaoke bar , as I have nothing to show to my friends. Fortunately, there are a few other decent Korean restaurants in Tucson , where I could introduce a taste of the Korean cuisine.
I hope the new owner(s) of the restaurant takes my review seriously and that they will improve the quality of the food. If not, they will not be successful in this competitive environment. I feel bad for the young wait staff , who was excellent; personable, friendly, polite, and respectful. read more