New Seoul Restaurant

New Seoul Restaurant

Met up with some old friends at New Seoul this evening. They were neophytes to Korean BBQ, but seemed to dig it a lot, starting with the pancake, which contained some squid and shrimp and longitudinally sliced sweet pepper and green onion (which made chewing a little challenging, though the flavor was good, and this might very well be the traditional way of doing this veg):



Potstickers were toothsome (by which I mean not, as is the commonly understood definition, sexually attractive, but full of good tooth, texturally intriguing).



We had a very good grill, enhanced by the fact that we were talking so much, we lost track of our cooking responsibilities, and let much of the meat cook to a caramelized crispness that was complemented by palate cleansing splashes of cool soju. We had beef, pork and chicken, all well marinaded. One oddity: the short ribs were pretty much all bone, no meat.



Of particular note, our server was a cruel mistress, most pleasing, correcting us on our misuse of condiments (“No, that sauce goes with the pancake”) and training us with patient if sneering contempt in the ways of the grill. I’ve noticed this before at Korean places; the ladies keep the diners in line, discipling as necessary, demanding that we eat their food the right way. I’m totally okay with that. Strike me, if I fail to obey, Lady from the Land of the Morning Calm.



As we left, we ran into Sweet Willie and threadkiller, who were enjoying a most delicious looking grill of plump shrimp.

This is a fine little place. With picnic tables in front, you might mistake it for a carry-out joint, but it's nice inside, the people are gracious (if sometimes stern), and the food is pleasant and well-priced (about $30/person for apps, entrées and drinks).

New Seoul Restaurant
847.439.3720
638 W Algonquin
Des Plaines

I have eaten at New Seoul several times, and always had a good meal. In fact, it's currently my favorite Korean BBQ in the NW burbs. They're known for their Gal Bi and when I've gone with Korean friends, that's usually all they get, so I'm not sure what to make of your comment about the short ribs. Whenever I've gone they have been very good, much better than average with a very reasonable portion size. Along with the Kim Chee pancake these are my favorite thing on the menu. Please note though, that they always serve these with the meat trimmed neatly from the bone on one plate, and the now meatless bones on another, for those who wish to gnaw (or for "bringing home to the dog" as some in our group like to do).

Sounds like either you guys got the Gal Bi meat separately and ate it without realizing what was going on (I could see how this might happen in a large dinner with lots of dishes) or they forgot it entirely and just brought the bones which would amount to a huge error on their part, certainly not something I've encountered there in the past. If that's what happened, they owe you another order . In any case I agree the food is good, and in my experience, the short ribs are no exception.

kuhdo wrote:They're known for their Gal Bi and when I've gone with Korean friends, that's usually all they get, so I'm not sure what to make of your comment about the short ribs. Whenever I've gone they have been very good, much better than average with a very reasonable portion size... Please note though, that they always serve these with the meat trimmed neatly from the bone on one plate, and the now meatless bones on another, for those who wish to gnaw (or for "bringing home to the dog" as some in our group like to do).

kudho, I'm sure that's exactly what happened, though we had all the meat on one big plate. We cooked up the bones and gnawed upon them, none of us having any dogs at home, and the little meat upon them was very tasty.

Glad to hear it.

By the way...Korea is the "Land of Morning Calm".

kuhdo wrote:By the way...Korea is the "Land of Morning Calm".

I was going on this: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Towers/5067/ma-out.htm

But you're right, of course, and I will edit.

Any other corrections? I have to get to bed.

That should do it for now. Sleep well

I like New Seoul, too, although as I wrote here, service can be hit or miss.

However, they seem to be one of the few in their vicinity to use live charcoal, and that counts for a lot.

Along with the kalbi, I like their spicy pork, and they do delicious stuffed peppers, which is something you don't see everywhere.

Korean is probably one of the world cuisines about which I have the least familiarity, so I don't fully understand what passes for "normal" or "usual" at a Korean BBQ. For those who know New Seoul, have you ever had the Vegetable Gui (I believe it's the last menu item on the BBQ section of the menu)? We wanted to order it last night (The Wife, wisely, preferred some veg to balance out the meat orgy), but our waitress admonished us, gently and firmly, by observing that there would be vegetables "all around" (she made circular gesture with arms). Thinking this meant veggies to grill (which I believe I have had at other Korean BBQ places), we relented to her unwavering disapproval of this order (and got another meat order). When the panchan arrived, she observed definitively: "Vegetables." Panchan were veg, and they were spread around the grill, but my question is, does Vegetable Gui mean panchan? I somehow doubt (it was priced around $7).

A few months ago I learned that New Seoul is owned by the family of a good acquaintance of mine and it immediately piqued my interest because he mentioned that they cook over live coals. Since then, I'd been meaning to try it for some time (unfortunately, I'd not seen this thread until I searched before making this post). Last week, a doctor's appointment took me to the general vicinity and we decided to take advantage of the opportunity and have lunch. I'm certainly no expert on Korean cuisine but I really enjoyed this food and thought it compared quite favorably with some of my favorite Korean spots in the city . . .


New Seoul BBQ - 638 W. Algonquin Road, Des Plaines



Love the customized chopsticks



Jap Chae
Very nice rendition with distinctive morsels of meat and veggies throughout.



Seafood Pancake
I really liked the inclusion of the peppers and octopus in this version. A real stand-out for me.



Mandu
Made in-house and with a light, crispy texture.



Spicy Octopus
Nicely al dente octopus in hot, tangy sauce.

We ordered 4 different proteins for bbq'ing. What I really liked about these meats was that they were of noticeably good quality. The marinades were herbacious, flavorful and not overly salty . . .


Bulgogi
No sinew here.



Brisket
I really loved this super-thinly-sliced, non-marinated rendition. It cooked fast and crisped up very nicely. Since it was sliced so thin, it was still tender, even though it only spent a few moments over the coals.



Squid
Again, nicely-balanced marinade and super fresh squid. Our waitress actually steered us away from the eel -- informing us that it was not fresh. I really appreciated that.



Galbi
Very gingery and again, flavorful without being crazy salty. The meat was super tender, too.



Meats on the grill
We ordered so much food between the 7 of us, we were grilling for looong time.



Squid and veggies on the grill
Another glimpse during cooking.

We tried a couple non-bbq entrees, too . . .


Dolsot Bibimbop
Solid rendition but divided 7 ways, I didn't get too large a taste. I will say that I got one nice piece of crusty rice from the bottom of the bowl.



Spicy Pork & Tofu
Really loved this one for its heat and distinctive, zesty flavors. The tofu had taken on some good flavor from the broth and the pork was tender without being dried out.

I really enjoyed New Seoul and am thrilled to have another go-to option for live coal Korean BBQ. While it's not exactly close to my house, it's a pretty quick trip to get there and I'll definitely be returning soon. With my very favorite K-BBQ place, Hae Woon Dae, no longer being open for lunch, it's especially nice to have New Seoul available.

=R=

New Seoul BBQ
638 W Algonquin Rd
Des Plaines, IL 60016-5703
(847) 439-3720

ronnie_suburban wrote:With my very favorite K-BBQ place, Hae Woon Dae, no longer being open for lunch, it's especially nice to have New Seoul available.

Another thumbs up for New Seoul, live charcoal, quality meats, nice selection of panchan, good service. If it was closer to my house it would definitely be in Korean BBQ rotation with Hai Woon Dae and San Soo Gap San.

It's actually been a few months since my lunch at New Seoul, but with posting about Cho Jung this morning I realized I had meant to, but had not, posted about New Seoul.

Enjoy,
Gary

I stopped by here for an impromptu lunch w a friend today. Since there was only two of us there wasn't much ordering power but what I did have makes me want to come back to try some more of the menu.

Seafood pancake- really good
Bibimbop- very good with plenty of crispy rice
Gal bi tang- star of the lunch IMO. The broth had a great complexity and body to it. There was also two nice sized short ribs in it that were very tender.

The banchan was also really good, although the kimchi was a little on the mild side.

Service and hospitality were both top notch. Nice place-glad we happened by today.

ronnie_suburban wrote:
Squid
Again, nicely-balanced marinade and super fresh squid.

Recently took a few out of town guests to New Seoul after not having been for a bit. I generally go about 3-5 times a year to New Seoul and never go on Fri/Sat/Sun as place is generally packed then. I find going on weekdays allows plenty of breathing room & the staff is pleased to see us & no worries about lingering as there are tables to spare.

The squid was the big hit of the night with our group, we really liked the other proteins we grilled but the squid was the home run.