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I came to M Kokko after trying M Sushi their two vegan dishes. I went on a Thursday evening and was seated immediately as a party of two. I was disappointed however when they told me they are currently out of the vegan udon curry dish, which was 1/2 items I could eat. Nevertheless, I ordered the other dish, Biang Biang Noodles. The store was not full, there were two servers and at least 3 tables that were empty but the wait time to get my single dish or noodles took over 30 minutes - way longer than expected. While the noodles were well cooked and packed with flavor, I felt that the dish was far too oily and without much tofu/protein. Perhaps the other meals are less oily and more protein packed, but for being the only vegan option available that day, unfortunately this is all I have to offer at this time.
Honestly my favorite of the (two) M restaurants I have been to so far. The biang biang noodles were umami and hit all of the notes. Unfortunately the jajamyeon tasted burnt initially (it is wok fried so maybe it was too caramelized and charred for my liking), but the chef remade it and the remake was great! Seating is limited but luckily there was no wait for lunchtime on a Friday.
I came for a weekday lunch with a group of 4 and had to wait for a table to open up as the space was small. We were also disappointed to learn they didn't have the biang biang noodles, as they came highly recommended. After that though, the meal was great! We started off with drinks - some of alcoholic and others not - all of which were refreshing. We also shared the pork buns, which had a delicious smoky flavor. Of the dishes I tried, I preferred the chicken sandwich to the jia jiang mian, but everyone was happy with their choices. By the way, don't get confused about the entrance. It shares a corner with m sushi and the doors are 90 degrees from each other.
The food was really good! The menu is small but plenty of options still. The service was quick and on top of things. Never had to wait long for anything. I'd recommend. Just be aware that the restaurant is small so there might be a wait but everything else is speedy.
I've wanted to come here for so long and I finally got the chance to come for dinner on a Tuesday evening. They do not take reservations, but my friend and I got there around 5:30 pm and we were seated right away. The restaraunt is quite small (less than 10 tables) so I imagine it must be hard to get a table on the weekends / during busy hours. The menu is displayed very artfully on the wall and while it is small, it includes a nice variety of meat and non-meat options. Even though there were only 8 menu options, almost all of them sounded good to me so I had a hard time deciding which to pick! I ended up ordering the jajang mieng and my friend got the Korean fried chicken with a side of rice. I hadn't tried Korean food before so I didn't have much to compare these meals to, but I loved the flavor of both dishes and found them uniquely delicious. Our waiter was also super kind and the food came out quickly. I already want to go back and try the other menu items that caught my eye!
This restaurant has to be one of the best ramen restaurants I've been to in the triangle. It only has about 10 tables in the entire place. When we walked in, we were told we could sit anywhere. And we were immediately greeted and walked through the menu. Now, it only has 8 things on the menu but with the items we tried, they do these items well. The server was patient and did a wonderful job of clearing out tables and pacing our meal. We started with the Perfect Snow sake, which was unfiltered and an acquired sip; unfiltered being that it still had rice particles in the sake. Good, slightly sweet, I'd definitely order it again. We ordered the Pork Buns to start and the char on the pork belly with the freshness of the shallots and cucumbers and the plushness of the bao bun. These were very enjoyable. The ramen we ordered with pork broth but no mushrooms or bamboo shoots due to a mushroom allergy at our table and it was a really good, deep broth. I adore that they give you the entire egg, instead of just half like, most ramen places. We couldn't finish it all and our server boxed it up to go, and packaged the noodles separately from the broth, to keep their integrity. I enjoyed this place and would return to try other items on their menu.
This place was pretty solid! We very much enjoyed the ambience and the speediness of the food that arrived! We had to wait awhile since this restaurant has the space that is basically the equivalent to a walk-in closet in comparison to the space that M Sushi enclosed. We got the hainanese chicken rice, ramen, korean fried chicken, and yuzu semifreddo. Tldr: the hainanese chicken and yuzu semifreddo was great, the ramen was good, and the KFC was tepid and soggy by the time it got to us. KFC: this was a solid appetizer... if it had come about 10-15 minutes prior to when it did because it was a bit soggy and somewhat warm by the time it got to our table. I felt the flavor was solid and penetrated through the large pieces of meat Hainanese chicken rice: this was great! The flavor was very good with the chicken and the fried scallions. I feel like the cucumber could have bit cut to smaller pieces though since they were very large but maybe the point was to bite through them? Definitely recommend giving this dish a try. Ramen: solid bowl of ramen! had all the elements needed for ramen with solid amount of toppings. nothing to complain about. Yuzu Semifreddo: This was a great one! I didn't know what semifreddo before this but it was not as cold as ice cream and the creaminess was balanced with the citrus taste of the yuzu. The red sauce was definitely a bit offputting but the flavor was good. Recommend giving a try. Overall, recommend giving this place a try. Definitely worth trying at least once
My first M restaurant experience! I got the Ramen, which was pretty standard & hit the spot on a cold day- good portion size with a good number of toppings (pork chashu, black garlic oil, bamboo shoots, woodear mushroom, scallions, soft boiled egg). I think the broth's depth of flavor could be improved; the chashu wasn't the most tender I've ever had, but it was good. It may be the best ramen in Durham, but that's relative when you don't have a lot of great ramen around lol. Service was great, but they did seem short-staffed so it took a while for our food to come out. The doors to M Kokko & M Sushi are v easy to confuse, so don't be embarrassed if you go to the wrong one haha, happened to me as well. As a lot of people have mentioned, seating is very limited so would recommend coming close to opening, especially if you have a large party (they do not take reservations). Otherwise, the ambiance is good. There was a parking lot next to it, but not sure if it's paid (there are a lot of City of Durham garages nearby that are free on weekends or weekdays after 7pm). 7/10 would recommend, may be a bit overhyped but definitely try for yourself.
If you're looking for a meal that'll make you wish you could eat the same thing every day, M Kokko is the place to be. We went with three people, and, as soon as the dishes hit the table, we were completely blown away. The menu is perfectly curated (thankfully, not overwhelming), and honestly, you can't go wrong with anything on it. We kicked things off with the Nashville hot chicken wings, which packed a punch but were perfectly crispy, followed by the pork belly bao--oh my--it was so tender and flavorful, it practically melted in your mouth. The beef noodles? Unfortunately, we got so caught up in devouring them, we forgot to take a picture, but let me just say they were divine. Tender beef, savory broth, and noodles that soaked up all the goodness--you can't leave without trying them. We washed it all down with some sake and a beer, but at this point, we were eating so fast and in such bliss that we were already planning our next trip before we even finished our meal. The service was also top-notch, which only made the experience that much better. If you're in Durham, you need to make M Kokko a priority. Trust me, it's worth every bite. We'll definitely be back.
Tried to go to M Sushi next door but the wait was too long (Saturday night and this guy forgot to make a reservation) so they suggested this sister restaurant. How lucky for us! The menu is TINY - only 8 items including appetizers. But everything was executed so perfectly that it didn't matter. We split the pork buns (2 per order) and they were probably the best pork Bao I've had anywhere. For the mains my daughter got the Biang Biang noodles (which were absolutely amazing - especially the wide noodles themselves) and I got the Jia Jiang noodles (extremely rich and not for the faint of heart - but brilliant nonetheless). The service was impeccable. A 2-person team who ran the small dining room well, keeping tea and water full, running and checking on food and never letting an empty plate sit for more than a minute. My only complaint is that with the tiny dining room I don't know if we will ever be able to get in again!
The stars aligned and somehow on a Saturday night at 7pm, I was able to walk into M Kokko and be seated immediately! Fully intending on having to wait nearby and have a drink, I instead got to enjoy the Bamboo cocktail while surrounded by the delicious smells coming from the kitchen. Obviously there were pork buns involved, but if you've had them before, then you know they were demolished before I even had the thought to snap a pic for you. Others have it handled, though. The chicken sandwich is the stuff of legends, but I decided to branch out and try the Jia Jiang Mian noodles, which were DIVINE. They were HOT (temperature, not spicy) and flavorful and gosh just so darn good. 10/10 would order again. All of the M restaurants are fabulous, but M Kokko will always have a special place in my heart (and my belly).
Tiny tiny restaurant. They feature a curated selection of Asian dishes. The menu is online you can see the latest one by scanning the QR code in my review photo. I tried the jiajiang noodles and pork buns. Both were pretty good and solid representations of the cuisine.
I stopped here for a quick lunch with my son. It was close to the nearing close time so we were able to get in no problem. I will note this restaurant is so small, not at all a good place for a toddler who likes to move around. It had a very simple ambiance, with wooden tables and just a chalk board. Despite the tight corners and my son acting running around, the server was still patient and kind with us. The food was really good, I ordered the chicken wings and they were delicious, they were flavorful and saucy and crispy. I ordered a noodles dish as well but did not have time to eat it. My husband ate it later and he said it was tasty. I would recommend this place for a quick lunch if you don't mind being in close quarters.
7 years ago
M Kokko is a really attractive hole in the wall place. Initially I had trouble finding it as my gps said to make a turn into the little brick road between two parking lots. But have no fear your maps is correct, it does in fact lay between the two parking lots next to M Sushi and the Durham Hotel. Now onto the ambience. It is a a smaller location with only a handful of tables, so I would not bring a group bigger than 3-4 people. Yet this place still made it on my list for a nice little date night spot. They have the menu chalked on the wall, which was cool and smart IMO, and a list of beers from local brewery's. Me and my date couldn't decide what to eat so we both got a bowl of Ramen and of course some Wings!!!! The wings were really good and definitely fit into the tastes of other Korean wings that I've had from other Korean restaurants. On the other hand the Ramen was amazingly delicious, you can tell the freshness of the ingredients and that it was homemade. Major props on this dish. Our sever recommended that we don't get a spicy ramen bowl and simply add the chili oil from the bottle on the table to reach our liking, that was a good tip. Overall I would come back here and maybe make a reservation if possible next time. There will be a wait dude to limited seating, so if you can make it during the week or off hours that would be perfect! read more
3 years ago
Holy crap this place is unreal. Came in last week and waited around an hour just to be seated but it was totally worth it. The place itself is super small so definitely prepare in advance when you get here (they also don't take reservations). The chalk wall was super cute and the atmosphere was really casual and fun. Now for the best part: the food! I got the curry udon and have to say that it was the best curry udon I've ever had. The portion size was perfect, the flavor was balanced and you can tell they use fresh ingredients. My table also got the korean friend chicken wings and they were also great; just the right level of crisp and flavor. My friend got the chicken sandwich and that was also literally perfect in terms of flavor, size, and uniqueness. Also the prices here are insane for the food you get! An incredible value. Tldr; please come here. read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
Fancy fusion Asian restaurant. I got the ramen. The noodles were cooked to perfection. The soup however was on a salty side. Since this ramen was not authentic already I wish they would also toned down the salt. The "soft" boiled egg was so soft the yolk was running out of it where you can't really see it, but flavorful. The "char siu" pork was a piece of pork belly cooked and charred over flame. But the meat wasn't tender and it came with a big piece of fat that's not very tasty. The wait for a bowl of noodle was a bit long considering they only had four of five items on the menu. read more
5 years ago
Was very excited to try the spicy ramen after seeing all the great reviews. However; if you order take out....you'll get home to cold broth and packaged noodles with a note indicating how you can cook your food M Kokko this defeats the purpose of ordering take out! Now here I am boiling water and dirtying dishes to cook my take out food lol read more
I was excited to finally try this place! Since we knew the line can get long, we went around 6p on a Friday night and only had to wait about 20 min. What I loved most about the check in process is that it's a kiosk! What a way to cut down on staffing costs! They simply text you when your table is ready and you can see your status on your phone! Loved that. In terms of food, I had seen so many reviews for the ramen that I had to get it. I will say, I wasn't thrilled with it. The ramen I've had at places like Jinya in Houston have a far better flavor and spice to it. We also split the pork buns, which were luke warm upon delivery to our table. I've had better. What I did love and would solely come back to this place for, are the AMAZING WINGS! My boyfriend ordered those as his meal and I was so envious the entire time after trying one! He did the garlic aioli sauce which was great. Definitely would come back for those, and maybe order take out. read more
5 years ago
I can't say enough good things are this restaurant! It's a tiny restaurant and truthfully I did not try it sooner because I have heard it is hard to get a table especially on a weekend. However, we put our name down and grabbed a drink across the street and only waited about 30 minutes which was well worth it. Certainly, this would be a difficult restaurant to go to with a large group. The space is really fun with the menu written out on a black wall. The Korean fried chicken wings are the best chicken wings I have ever had. They at crispy, tender and the sauce is sweet and spicy. We had the spicy ramen which was just the right amount of spice. Finally, the pork buns were also delicious. I don't think you can go wrong with anything you order here. read more
Wow. They know what they are doing here. I had the spicy Raman and my dining companion had the Rice Bowl. We shared the "KFC" (Korean fried chicken), which was perfectly crispy, flavorful, and wonderful. I loved all the flavors that graced my palate. The venue is teeny. The menu is scant. But don't let that turn you away. Everything they have on the menu they do incredibly well. I am a firm believer that smaller menus leave a lot of room for perfection. And said perfection was achieved. Everything was out of this world. read more
This place is every bit delicious as it's made out to be! Only down sides: Few vegetarian options (2 things on the menu are vegetarian including the Biang Biang noodles which are DELICIOUS), and small space = potentially long wait times since they dont take reservations The Biang Biang noodles and chicken wings here were AMAZING! This place has a cute and cozy feeling, and it's perfect for seeking warmth and comfort on a cold night The wait staff are super knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful! The costs are pretty reasonable as well - you get a ton of food for the amount you pay. read more
Decent hole-in-the-wall Korean-Japanese eatery in downtown Durham, in a building sandwiched between the Marriott and Durham hotels. Owned by the same person who runs the more upscale M Sushi next door - in fact the two restaurants share a kitchen. Limited menu - just five entrée options hand-drawn on the wall. I opted for the jjiajang men black bean noodles with soy-marinated chicken - this was strongly recommended by the server, who also suggested I get the Dassai 50 Sake. The Sake came first and was just ok. But the server was spot on with his entrée reco. The noodles were cooked perfectly, the black bean sauce not overpowering, the chicken delicious. Two quail eggs and julienned cucumbers completed the presentation without detracting from the down-home heartiness of the jjiajang men. Service was quick and the place wasn't crowded though I can imagine it can be, because seating is quite limited (about ten small tables). The whole meal came to a little over $20 - I may have finally found a high-quality Asian restaurant in downtown Durham that's not too pricey. Will be back for sure. read more
4 years ago
I always say, "the best way to start your weekend is with some bao buns", and M Kokko won't disappoint. Then grab the crunchy wings that had me sippin that h2O like a kid. Small but lively atmosphere too! read more
7 years ago
get there before they open! They only have a few tables and I hey fill up quick once those doors open at 5:00. Go with a small group order entree to share. The good is so good. & menu is always changing. read more
3 years ago
6 years ago
Supreme deliciousness!!! No seriously. If you haven't been told about or stunned upon this secret gem, you've got some exploring to do. Pros: 1. The food is booming with flavor. I mean it. 2. It's street food, meets comfort food, meets quality ingredients. 3. Exclusive type of dining( you'll feel special haven eaten there) you've gotta get in where you fit in (stay close so you can actually fit in ;)). 3. The menu is simple, something for everyone, and great for family style eating (a personal fav.) 4. Memorable AF Cons: not open 7days/week. Favs: 1. Spicy wings 2. Ramen 3. KFC SANDWICH!!! read more
I've been to M Kokko several times now, and it's always great. I mean, the waiting isn't always great (outside in the elements for 20-30min without a possibility of a reservation), but the food is delicious. Those "KFC" wings are just absolutely mind boggling; they combine the crispy double fried crunchy goodness of a fried chicken with the deliciously garlicky and soy sauce-y coating. And yes, that outside is still perfectly crispy even with that luscious glaze completely coating it. It's absolutely wonderful. This place also keeps improving its menu - I got the matcha and white chocolate tiramisu this time off the new dessert menu. It was absolutely delicious. My boyfriend said it was one of the desserts we've ever gotten, which is high praise coming from a man who self-professedly is not a big fan of desserts. The only reason why it's 4 stars instead of 5 is that the other items on the menu aren't quite as great. The jjajangmyun, the rice bowl, and the ramen all left me feeling that I had overpaid a bit. I mean, they're definitely good, but probably not exceptional enough to justify spending as much money on them as the chicken wings. Overall though, a great place to check out! read more
7 years ago
The spicy ramen here is amazing. I live in the DC area and we don't have ramen that taste nearly as good. The broth is creamy and spicy, the egg was perfectly cooked and had a sweet taste to it that compliments the ramen. The curry udon was good but I wouldn't come back just for the curry udon. The curry didn't have any unique taste so I feel like I could easily make this at home. read more
4 years ago
More of a 3.5 or 3.7. Ordered the ramen with biang biang noodles. Ramen broth had good flavor, toppings were good as well. Wish there was more pork but I think it's about the amount most ramen places give so not that big of an issue. I also thought they had spicy ramen and ordered the spicy but I think they either only had the regular or mixed it up. Biang biang noodles were a good level of spice. Not that many veggies but the noodles were chewy and good. Overall, the experience was decent. The seating felt a little cramped and the wait to get in was nearly 30 minutes. Would maybe go again to try other items on the menu. While the food was good it didn't blow me away and felt a little pricey. Would recommend both items we ordered though. Honestly they tasted good together. read more
Thank you, next. I have mixed feelings about M Kokko. The food is good, and I kind of wish it wasn't so I could just write it off. Instead, I keep going back and swearing I won't again. Starting with the good - the food. The Biang Biang noodles are seriously amazing. This vegan noodle dish is perfect with great texture and flavors. It has some spice, and with the mushrooms, you'd never miss meat. The KFC wings are also delicious, especially the garlic soy ones. Additionally, the chicken sandwich and jjianjang men noodles are tasty. I personally didn't love the ramen but I know people do. It's a limited menu, but that isn't a problem to me. The bad - pretty much everything else. As everyone else has said, it's a tiny restaurant that doesn't take reservations. The wait can be long, and the times they estimate are wildly inaccurate. Don't expect any helpful information or sympathy from the host though because I've only experienced rude service. Last time, they asked my party to move after we'd be seated and ordered drinks. Next, it's not actually a great environment. You might be sitting in the kitchen, you might be blocking the door to the bathroom, you probably won't be able to see the menu, and you'll definitely be closer to strangers than you want to be. Service is usually fine, but it's not enough to make up for everything else. Also, everything seems a tad overpriced, including drinks. Overall, I keep going back for the food or to take people, but I end up annoyed every time with the wait, service, and actual setup of the restaurant. It's not the most enjoyable to me, and I'm not sure that even those delicious biang biang noodles can make it worth it. I'm going to try to branch out to other places more. read more
2 years ago
5 years ago
Durham gets another great eatery in the form of M Kokko courtesy of Chef Mike Lee. Popped inn here for a quick meal during its soft opening. M Kokko is simple and humble, occupying the back of a restaurant space behind sister restaurant, M Sushi. But it's a totally different feel here with all items under $15. All five items right now! We tried out the soy-garlic Korean fried chicken and I was blown away by my fried chicken sandwich. While it didn't look spectacular we're talking about wonderfully tender and perfect fried chicken with aioli and paired with sweet, thick-cut pickle slices. A twist on the Southern fried chicken sandwich but way better! The space here is tiny, the prices are reasonable so make an effort to get here soon before everyone else in Durham finds out about M Kokko... read more
A hole in the wall with limited menu. But wow is that menu amazing. We came at the perfect time and didn't have to wait to be seated. Opted to sit outside! Started with some sake and GT and wow were the drinks strong and delicious! Dinner consisted of Hainan chicken and biang biang noodles with chicken. And it was fantastic! So many flavors blended for an amazing dining experience. Ended with the mochi donuts with warm chocolate, and that was the icing on the cake! Can't wait to come back for the ramen and the rest of the menu! Will be back. read more
3 years ago
Delicious - the place was packed even for a late lunch. Good service, better food! Have to go back read more
As invited by Mike, I came again with my friend. He politely apologized for what happened last time. The service is so much better this time. As to the food, I really like the ramen. It's the best ramen I've ever tried in the triangle area, very authentic Japanese style. I also tried the kfc chicken. Juicy and crispy, good for sharing. I will definitely come again. Also looking forward to upcoming new items! read more
Stopped by on a rainy Friday night around 6PM and put ourselves on the waitlist. You leave a name and a phone number but they won't give any estimates on how long the wait might be and you can't wait in the restaurant so we stopped by some stores nearby until we got the call! It was roughly a 20-30 minute wait, which makes sense since the place is so small. I can definitely see it being a lot longer during busier days and nice weather. We had the "KFC" wings with the garlic soy glaze and they were amazing! Perfectly crispy and an excellent appetizer to share between two people. I got the ramen and my friend had the biang biang noodles and they were both excellent! We did notice that both dishes tended to be a little on the greasier side but not much to be done about that. My one only complaint would be that the only menu is on a large chalkboard and some of the tables have chairs with their backs against the board, which makes it very awkward to try to read. However, since their menu is so small anyways, it makes sense to just look beforehand before you get in! read more
7 years ago
Definitely not recommend this place for Ramen. We can on Saturday evening and we put into the waiting list and and waited almost 2 hours to sit down. They seated people way behind us first. We ordered regular Ramen and it's taste very salty and the noodles were not good. If you are looking for the Ramen place . I am not recommending this restaurant. Service, bad settings management. And over price. read more
Stopped in to MKokko for dinner while in downtown Durham. This was my first time to the location, and really enjoyed the experience. We had a little difficulty finding it at first (initially walked into M Sushi). The facility is relatively small, but we were able to get a table with no problem. We got the ramen bowl, which was fantastic. The broth had a coconut infusion, which I loved. We also got the pork baos which were out of this world. I would recommend M kokko for great authentic Asian fusion. read more
3 years ago
I've been wanting to come here after seeing all the glowing reviews on Yelp since its inception. Several times, I've tried to go on weeknights but the wait times presented to me were outrageous. Finally, I came on a weekday for lunch with a friend right before closing and we were able to snag a table. I would not recommend eating here if you don't want your neighbors to be able to hear your entire conversation. It was slightly awkward because the person next to us was eating by himself and I felt like he had no choice but to listen to what we were saying, being a foot away. I'm the type of person to pick sandwiches over noodles, so I went with the pork buns. I'm not normally a huge fan of pork belly, but I was not let down. M kokko knows the elements to a perfect sandwich: buns were fluffy and taco-shaped, pork was covered in a sweet bbq sauce, came with plenty of house-made pickles that added a nice crunch and acidity, and some peppery arugula to add freshness. I devoured the 2 buns in approximately 2 minutes and was still alarmingly hungry. So for $9, you're not really getting a full meal. You'll get more bang for your buck with the other noodle entrees, I think. I had some of the curry udon as well, and I liked the crunchy tempura on top, but felt the noodles could be chewier and the curry was lacking in flavor. It was still better than 90% of the vegan food you can get in durham though. If you like your food spicy, I'd recommend asking the chef to add spice. There's a bottle of hot oil on the table, but it's very strongly sesame flavored (the base might just be sesame oil) and is not very hot. Therefore, to make your dish spicy you'd have to add a ton of oil, which ruins the dish. I personally would not wait more than 10 minutes for the food here, especially since it's not suited for larger groups to hang out. I wouldn't mind coming back to try the wings, though - they look incredible . read more
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I'm sorry but Kokko is first come first serve please and no reservations
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