kimbap cheonguk: the real deal in coquitlam

having tried almost ALL the korean restaurants in Richmond, it was time to go elsewhere and coquitlam, the land of korean food, was calling my name. after doing some quick shopping at h-mart there, we wanted some authentic korean food so entered into kimbap cheonguk where the signage did not seem all english to me…the best indicator of authentic! 

the dining area is tiny and their menu is limited but what they serve, they perfect. 

 bulgolgi kimbab ($3.50): my love for sushi is obvious so my love for kimbab is no surprise. this was my first time trying a korean roll and it was AMAZING. the rice had the perfect texture and flavour while the inside ingredients of beef bulgolgi, tam ago, some veggies and daikon were perfect. usually i prefer when sushi has lots of seafood/meat but the balance between the textures and flavours was perfect in this kimbab 

5/5

spicy pork stone pot rice bowl ($7.99): this stone bowl was nice and sizzling when it came to our table packed with veggies and a deliciously spicy pork. the flavours were bold and amazing with plenty of onion that cooked perfectly on the hot stone. my only complaint was that the whole thing was pretty oily but a great deal that will fill you right up!

4/5

zucchini hand pulled noodle soup (kal gook su) ($7.99): handmade noodles in a clear broth was the perfect balance to the spicy pork stone bowl. it was warm and comforting and the noodles were the perfect texture (until it sat in the soup for too long). the flavour was very light and veggie based but delicious! 

4/5 

overall: great prices, great food, surpassing expectations in korea-town!

favourite dish: kimbap - theres a reason its in the name, so delicious 

score: 4.5/5 

would i return?: in reality, probably not. as much as i loved it, i hardly ever go to coquitlam and there so many different korean restaurants to try!  BUT I DEFINITELY RECOMMEND EVERYONE TRY IT! 

hanok: korean lunch to satisfy the spicy craves

trying to hit up all the korean restaurants in richmond, my mom and i ventured into hanok korean restaurant on "eat street" and were given a nice surprise when we were presented with loads of food for a very small price. 

their lunch specials (which i do not know if they still exist) are an amazing deal with an entree and side dish for $8.99. 

banchan: complimentary and standard. love the sweet potatoes!! 

bibimbap ($8.99): this was actually quite large and filling for a lunch size that came with a side dish. the egg wasn't raw but otherwise it was a good meal! 

4/5 

japchae side dish (with bibimbap): surprising portion again, we HARDLY made a dent in this as we were too busy eating up all the bibimbap goodness but it was a good balance of flavours although it stuck together a bit

3.95/5

pajeon (with soft tofu soup): a little more doughy and less seafood that i wouldve liked but not too oily (also a bit "colder" since it wasnt served on the hot plate)

3.75/5

seafood soft tofu soup ($8.99): bubbly perfection! the soup was nice and spicy with the raw egg getting cooked up in there. it had a small amount of seafood but plenty of tofu! came with a bowl of rice as well! 

4.5/5

overall: their prices are SPECTACULAR and the food is pretty dang good too. there was way too much food for two people (yes mostly carbs) but still!! definitely recommend for a cheap and delicious korean lunch. 

potter's garden korean bbq: korean food for a happy tummy

 having to go to work at metrotown in about an hour, my mom and i looked for a quick lunch place and stumbled upon potter's garden.

i hadn't tried much korean fare before this so we werent sure what to order but was pleasantly surprised by the delicious food and reasonable lunch prices at potter's garden! 

complimentary banchan: sweet potatoes, kimchi and bean sprouts: all quite good! 

paejon: seafood pancake ($9.95) - the best thing about this was the fact that we could get it in a medium size as opposed to the HUGE one at other korean places. this was pretty good, not too oily or thick with dough but mostly comprised of imitation crabmeat.

3.95/5

pork bulgolgi: panfried spicy pork with mixed vegetables with rice ($12.95) - my mom and i really enjoyed this, it was flavourful and had a lot of pork in it! not too spicy but enough to give the entire dish a lot of flavour. 

4.5/5

tofu soup (came with pork bulgolgi) - SO GOOD...perfect amount of spice and lots of tofu bits. you could also taste some seafood which was not overpowered by the spicy. the best bowl for a cold day.

4.5/5

overall, potters garden today is still one of my favourite korean restaurants and tastes very homemade and simple. their lunch deals are a GREAT value and delicious :)  

cho sun: not bad but not great korean fare

i have a newfound LOVE for korean food. i recently learned to eat spicier foods and korean meshes my two favourite things (usually) being spicy and healthy(ier)

going back to the summer time, i asked my friend what her favourite korean place was as a starting point and she suggested cho sun so with a group of my friends, we decided to try it,

one of my best friends hates the smell of korean barbecue so we opted for food that did not require any grilling and i ended up ordering bibimbap to share with my friend and a seafood pancake to share with 2 friends. 

bibimbap (~$9.99): rice, eggs, veggies and minced beef on a bed of rice served in a stone bowl - this was okay. a bit tasteless without the spicy sauce (which my friend could not handle) and therefore was bland for her. i actually love bibimbap because of all the veggies and generally healthy meal.

3.75/5 

seafood pancake (~$15.99): pancake made with assorted seafood and vegetables - this was very oily and was lacking in seafood. the portion size was okay for the price but still leaning towards the expensive side.

3/5

overall food was not bad but it was not amazing. this was one of my first experiences with korean so i had nothing to compare it to but it quite bland, oily and overpriced here at cho sun. maybe we just didnt know what to order but this is not somewhere i would choose as a korean food regular.