Korean Tofu Soup

Beef Bulgogi

I love Korean food on a day in typical Vancouver-ish weather - cold, wet, and wet, and cold. Did I say wet and cold? In any case, a boiling spicy tofu soup, served with rice and kimchi would warm the body and the heart.

This time it was the House of Tofu Soup in Burnaby in the heart of the "Korean stretch" along North Road. It's a no-none-sense restaurant specializing in tofu soup. There is no gimmicks or fancy decoration at all. It was just simple tables and chairs.

Kimchi

Upon my arrival, I was immediately greeted and seated. Appetizers - kimchi, seaweed, mashed potato - were served after taking my orders. The appetizers were great and tasty. Kimchi felt like it was pickled for sufficient amount of time, unlike many places that serve kimchi with no flavour inside the cabbage. We ordered the Combination - mixed tofu soup+beef bulgogi, and the Bibimbob in stone bowl.

Tofu Soup

The soup was the first thing I had. It was hot, spicy, tasty, but not grossly rich. The rice was freshly cooked in a stone pot, and delivered to our table in the pot. It was cooked to perfection, and fresh. While sweet and chewy, it was filled with great aroma as well. Most Asian restaurants cook their rice in big batches, but not this Korean restaurant. The beef bulgogi was great - pan-fried with onion then served on hot plate. It was sweet and slight crunchy on the edges but still retained the moisture. My only complaint was that the shrimp wasn't so great compared to the rest of the food here. Next time I think I will order the beef tofu soup with chicken bulgogi instead.

Bibimbob

The bibimbob was one of my favorite Korean dishes. It literally translates to "mixed meal". It was rice, vegetables, meat, and egg all in a hot stone bowl. As I mixed the food in the bowl, the hot stone bowl slowly cooked the food further and brought out flavor of fresh ingredients. If you wish, you could add hot sauce to it. The best part, however, was at the bottom of the bowl - crispy rice chunks. Crunchy and sweet, I always take my time to savor this part of bibimbob. :)



Overall, for the price range ( ~ $10-15 per person ), this restaurant presents great value and great taste. Unlike the typical 'Korean BBQ', the menu here offers a lighter, healthier alternative. The amount is satisfying enough, and it leaves enough room for people who like to migrate to a dessert place. Which dessert place? That's for the future posts...