Been on a little Bi Bim Bop binge. I approve of all three of these.


En Hakkore - 14 Veggie Toppings made for a salad bar style BBB w/ an interesting well spiced pork mixture at this Korean Mash Up spot in Bucktown.


Bento Box - Menu Changes Daily. BBQ Pork BBB ft. on a visit. Was expecting sliced pork but the top notch ingredients they use made this one a winner, just wish they served it dolsat style.


Smalls - I've gone thru the menu and this will probably be what I order most. Wonder if it can made with garlic rice? That could be dangerous...

En Hakkore
1840 N Damen Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 772-9880

The Bento Box
2246 W Armitage Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 278-3932

Smalls Smoke Shack
4009 N Albany Ave
Chicago, IL 60625
(312) 857-4221

Went back to my roots the other day with Laikom and hit the Noon Hour Grill , a simple Korean diner which appears to cater predominantly to RP youngin's and Loyola students. The origins of this place and its owner (Susie) can be traced to the Pusan House from the 70s/80s - my very first bowl ever of bi bim bop (I believe $2.75 a bowl in 1980).

I'm not really sure if sentimentality kicked in big or what but all I know is that this bi bim bop, with its brown rice, homemade Gochujang (she also makes her own kimchee), molten fried egg, and gobs of marinated beef (bulgogi), had us looking at each other trying to figure out if the other could really be enjoying it anywhere near as much.

As we walked out, Laikom asked me if I've ever had a more enjoyable bowl. I'm still thinking.

Noon Hour Grill
6930 N Glenwood Ave
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 338-9494

PIGMON wrote:Went back to my roots the other day with Laikom and hit the Noon Hour Grill , a simple Korean diner which appears to cater predominantly to RP youngin's and Loyola students. The origins of this place and its owner (Susie) can be traced to the Pusan House from the 70s/80s - my very first bowl ever of bi bim bop (I believe $2.75 a bowl in 1980).

I'm not really sure if sentimentality kicked in big or what but all I know is that this bi bim bop, with its brown rice, homemade Gochujang (she also makes her own kimchee), molten fried egg, and gobs of marinated beef (bulgogi), had us looking at each other trying to figure out if the other could really be enjoying it anywhere near as much.

As we walked out, Laikom asked me if I've ever had a more enjoyable bowl. I'm still thinking.

Noon Hour Grill
6930 N Glenwood Ave
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 338-9494

We hit Noon Hour Grill regularly. Used to be a short walk, now it's a short L ride. There is something so comforting about a bowl of Susie's bi bim bop.

Poolgogi and later, Pusan were my go to's when I lived in RP late 70's-mid 80's and my intro into Korean. The poolgogi omelet w/cheese and crispy hashbrowns are missed as well as the more tradtional dishes.

PIGMON wrote:Went back to my roots the other day with Laikom and hit the Noon Hour Grill , a simple Korean diner which appears to cater predominantly to RP youngin's and Loyola students. The origins of this place and its owner (Susie) can be traced to the Pusan House from the 70s/80s - my very first bowl ever of bi bim bop (I believe $2.75 a bowl in 1980).

I'm not really sure if sentimentality kicked in big or what but all I know is that this bi bim bop, with its brown rice, homemade Gochujang (she also makes her own kimchee), molten fried egg, and gobs of marinated beef (bulgogi), had us looking at each other trying to figure out if the other could really be enjoying it anywhere near as much.

As we walked out, Laikom asked me if I've ever had a more enjoyable bowl. I'm still thinking.

Noon Hour Grill
6930 N Glenwood Ave
Chicago, IL 60626
(773) 338-9494

It must be more than just sentimentality, considering Susie and her food are new to me. The quality and attention to detail concerning everything about Noon Hour Grill was top notch. I'm still thinking about the bowl of bibimbap a few days later - telling everyone about it (just ran into RAB and REB today and mentioned it to them). Atypical for korean food in general, nothing skewed sweet, neither the gochujang, nor the bulgogi. The brown rice in the bibimbap added an excellent texture and flavor to a dish I typically find a bit on the boring side, this was anything but. Rob and I had a long conversation about how much Koreans really love their various types of rice, (there must be 100 varieties to choose from at joong boo market).

The place is really cozy, tucked away on a brick road with the EL roaring by right outside. Susie checked back to make sure we were happy with the food many times, and was very pleased when we ate it all.

Jazzfood wrote:Poolgogi and later, Pusan were my go to's when I lived in RP late 70's-mid 80's and my intro into Korean. The poolgogi omelet w/cheese and crispy hashbrowns are missed as well as the more tradtional dishes.

In addition to the bibimbap we thoroughly enjoyed a bulgogi/kimchi omelet with gooey white american cheese. Half the menu at Noon Hour is omelets, all damn cheap ranging from $5 to $6 with crispy hash browns or rice.

Haven't had one in 30yrs. I'm so there. Like finding an old friend.

This thread is jumpstarting my nostalgia engine - back in the early aughties, I used to eat whatever Susie was cooking for lunch daily when Noon Hour was under the Irving Park el. Bibimbap, fried drumsticks, doctored ramyun. I once convinced Susie to meet me at Joong Boo to recommend good brands of kimchi, sesame oil, etc - was fun, but it seemed like price drove most of her brand decisions. She invited Kerensa and I to come in after hours one day to learn how to make dumplings with her. I remember worrying that Kerensa would be jealous of Susie, but they hit it off fine. I will have to get back up there soon.

edit: here's the link of our visit to Joong Boo from chowhound. I can't believe I forgot - Wiviott was there! http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/111709

Happened to hit Hamburger King/Bread & Rice for "brunch" today. Not a bad BBB there, not bad at all. Maybe the dish is essentially diner and grill fare.

It did my heart good to see one of the greatest GNRs (that's not a GNR) bustling with regulars and newcomers alike.

JeffB wrote:Happened to hit Hamburger King/Bread & Rice for "brunch" today. [ ... ] It did my heart good to see one of the greatest GNRs (that's not a GNR) bustling with regulars and newcomers alike.

As someone who's referred to Hamburger King for decades as having been the closest thing to being his personal church of solace & comfort, I will add an especially qualified "Amen."

I'm *this* close to nominating it for a GNR, but let's see how its new persona as Rice'N Bread pans out; your BBB comment is encouraging, Jeff....

--Matt

Rice'N Bread (aka Hamburger King)
3435 N Sheffield Ave # 1
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 281-4452

You sometimes can go home again. Besides growing up in E Rogers Pk, I lived there in late 70's-mid 80's. Restaurants of choice were La Choza, Poolgogi and just around the corner, Pusan House. A visit to Noon Hr today was like walking into deja vu. In the same location, after 30 yrs Susie remembered me, pointing to some youngish students saying "you used to look like them". I get the same feeling whenever I go to Due's, or Al's and Mario's and can picture a much younger self eating food that hasn't changed in taste over decades. While it's open to debate as to better examples of the fare, it's a moot point.

To me, the above mentioned are like mothers milk and my history w/them trumps reason.

Benchmark bibim bop coupled w/a strong rendition of chop chae (albeit in need of more yam noodles). The flavors didn't skip a beat and were as remembered, comforting and delicious. Now I can only think of going back and getting the poolgogi omelet w/cheese and crisp hashbrowns that I ordered a minimum of twice a wk back in the day. Would probably still have to order the b-bop as well, but this time it won't take me 3 decades to get back there. It resonates on many levels and to me, a GNR if there ever was one.

Jazzfood wrote:You sometimes can go home again. Besides growing up in E Rogers Pk, i lived there in late 70's-mid 80's. Restaurants of choice were La Choza, Poolgogi and just around the corner, Pusan House. A visit to Noon Hr today was like walking into deja vu. In the same location, after 30 yrs Susie remembered me, pointing to some youngish students saying "you used to look like them". I get the same feeling whenever I go to Due's, or Al's and Mario's and can picture a much younger self eating food that hasn't changed in taste over decades. While it's open to debate as to better examples of the fare, it's a moot point.

There was a thread from 6 years ago about Pusan House and Noon Hour Grill when Susie first re-opened Noon Hour in its current location (next door to the old Pusan House location). I love that place. Susie is amazing. She still does all the cooking, serving and busing herself. The feel of the place is much like Deta's used to have, like eating at your grandma's (except this time your granny is Korean instead of Montenegrin). It is the only restaurant where I have an overwhelming urge to hug the owner (although I am afraid of crushing her).
viewtopic.php?f=14&t=5234

Here is a picture of Susie's Bi Bim Bop. Not fancy, but full of heart and Seoul. (I folded the egg over to reveal the BulGoGi underneath)

Susie's omelets are amazing too with ingredients like ginger, KimChee and BoolGoGi.

Speaking to those of us in the far northwest suburbs, Kim's Korean Restaurant in Mundelein has grown on me in a favorable way. At first glance, when I'd drive past Kim's on the way to Garden Fresh or to the yummy Alef's Sausage & Deli (Russian) next door, I'd think 'how can this place be much good with a dearth of Korean folks out this way'?

Well, either they're here or they come from other 'burbs. In my maybe ten visits to Kim's, only once have I seen a Caucasian person in there, a subtle vote of confidence for me. And it's funny. Just as with any Asian cuisine, each Korean restaurant has its own nuances, especially on the panchan. See Kristina Meyer's article on LTH for an excellent explanation of panchan. My first couple times dining there, I was unfairly comparing the little dishes to Chun Ju on Dempster in Morton Grove, my favorite Korean restaurant (discussed upthread), and thinking 'why don't they have the little potatoes', or 'why don't they have the black seaweed'? I think the answer is to just go with it, accept their own personal touch, with the upshot being you might find something good.

And so it's been with Kim's. The bibim bap is traditional, just the way it should be with the metal bowl, veggies, meat and the runny egg on top. One of the panchan surprises are strips of paijan, a frittata-like egg pancake usually offered as an appetizer, infused with seafood. This one was only with scallions, but was wonderful, even cold. And the pan-fried mandu was crunchy & stellar as an appetizer.

With the interminable traffic headaches in the late afternoon & evening from construction issues up this way, Kim's has served a worthy close-by stop when I am jonesing for Korean. Service is usually spot on, but when the BBQ alcoves are filled with Korean folks whooping it up (they love those big bottles of OB beer, as do I), it can be a little slow. And they speak little English, but they are sweet people and deserve success.

Kim's Korean Restaurant
358 Townline Rd
Mundelein, IL 60060

(847) 949-9900

PIGMON wrote:Went back to my roots the other day with Laikom and hit the Noon Hour Grill , a simple Korean diner which appears to cater predominantly to RP youngin's and Loyola students. The origins of this place and its owner (Susie) can be traced to the Pusan House from the 70s/80s - my very first bowl ever of bi bim bop (I believe $2.75 a bowl in 1980).

I felt that Noon our Grill deserved its own thread, so I started one here.

This thread needs an UP!

The BBB that I've been eating more than any other the past year is that of Uni Sushi. It's titled 'Robatta Bibimbub' on the menu, and instead of the normal meager portions of marinated beef that I find in most bi bim bop, this includes 5 robata skewers (2 kalbi, 1 baby octopus, 2 pork shoulder), as well as the usual kimchi/sprouts/egg. I don't recommend ordering this to go, as it's much better as a dine in dish.

Uni Sushi
1752 W North Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
http://www.unisushichicago.com/
http://www.yelp.com/biz/uni-sushi-chicago

Who else has some recent (past 12 months or less) dynamite bi bim bop dining experiences and suggestions?

Reading this thread made me miss Jim's Grill on Irving Park rd. Circa 1994. He sold bi bim bop as the supreme hangover cure. He was not a man to boast

My first bi bim bop was at the long-gone Poolgogi Steak House at 1334 W. Morse, probably in the early 1980's. And that was also sold as a hangover cure, so on Sunday morning before the football games started, we would shovel it in out of the metal bowl after a night on the town. Have loved it ever since...

I was the beneficiary of a smalls brisket bibimbap today, which is like hosting a rave for your tastebuds. The smoked beef and home-made pickles and perfectly fried egg are intense and yet totally harmonious. I really like this just as much or more as many other traditional places (two other faves being Seoul Corea / Cafe Corea in Hyde Park for homestyle, and Ahjoomah's Apron in Chinatown for dolsot).

bbq brisket bibimbap - soy/maple/sesame glaze, assorted vegetables, steamed rice, fried egg, kimchi, pickled daikon, korean chile paste

jnm123 wrote:My first bi bim bop was at the long-gone Poolgogi Steak House at 1334 W. Morse, probably in the early 1980's. And that was also sold as a hangover cure, so on Sunday morning before the football games started, we would shovel it in out of the metal bowl after a night on the town. Have loved it ever since...

That's the first place I ever experienced Korean food. It's still my benchmark for Korean fare.

These days, I'm very partial to the BiBimBop at Rice 'n' Bread.

I read something a while ago about the significance of the colors of the foods used in bi bim bop --- specifically, green, orange, black, white, and yellow --- and how they symbolize the directions north, south, east, and west and the center, and the health of different parts of the body. Here is what the Wikipedia article on bi bim bap says about it:

"Bibimbap ingredients are rich in symbolism. Black or dark colours represent North and the kidneys – for instance, shiitake mushrooms, bracken ferns or nori seaweed. Red or orange represents South and the heart, with chilli, carrots and jujube dates. Green represents East and the liver, with cucumber and spinach. White is West or the lungs, with foods such as bean sprouts, radish, and rice. And finally yellow represents the centre, or stomach. Foods include pumpkin, potato or egg."
Bibimbap

Ever since I read that, I've kept my eye out for how foods of those five colors are arranged in a bibimbap bowl. It was fun to go back through this thread and look for those colors in the photos posted.

These have all been mentioned above but my favorites in the city are:

En Hakkore
Crisp
Smalls (good modern twist)
Noon Hour Grill (great thowback style/diner experience)