BCDST is one of the best dining experiences in my arsenal of jaw dropping, mouth watering, incredibly tasty and tummy satisfying meals. There are a plethora of positive characteristics with this establishment and really nothing negative to say which is why Buk’s IS the most popular Korean restaurant in the city. Yeah I said it.
This quaint little restaurant specializes in their rendition of Sundubu Jjigae (pronounced chee-gay), a Korean stew containing the softest tofu within a 1000 mile radius. I will religiously order the #3 – Kimchi Soon Tofu because I am an absolute kimchi whore. The stew is made with items such as beef, pork, vegetables, kimchi, tofu and gochujang (fermented pepper paste) among other delicious ingredients.
The bowl of jjigae will arrive to your table between 6-9min after you order bubbling with heat, seriously, it is literally boiling away when it hits the table in front of you shooting love-steam up your nasal passage. This is your cue to crack the egg that was placed on your table with the condiments into your soup, the boiling stew will cook the egg for you with ease.
Buk’s stew/broth has a similar effect on me like that of Pho Tienh Thanh’s pho broth. I honestly feel so charged up and empowered after consuming it I feel like scooping up a manhole cover and launching it into space. It is that good.
In addition to the Sundubu you are presented with purple rice and 3 types of banchan (Korean side dishes). The rice is a glutinous rice and when it is unmilled it can produce purple and or black grains. It is served hot in a stone pot and although it is tasty, it is definitely more visually pleasing. The banchan really floors me because they are always so tasty and so much fresher than most Korean establishments I dine at. The kimchi (fermented/seasoned cabbage) is arguably the best I have ever had in the city, I would assume it’s made in house. Same goes for the Kongnamul (cold boiled bean sprouts w/ sesame oil and other seasonings) and the shredded pickled daikon.
A beauty of this restaurant is their limited menu, there are only 9 items. I feel that every restaurant should have a menu similar to Buk’s because how can one restaurant make over a dozen perfect dishes? Each and every restaurant should specialize in one genre of cuisine and do it as perfectly as possible. Buk’s limited menu ensures you that you will be ordering a quality dish, it’s as though their menu is a listing of their “house specials” when really that’s just their actual menu.
In addition to the ideal menu the staff are courteous and efficient and it is so important to be courteous, it has the potential to make or break a meal for me. Price-wise it is one of the best deals in town, you can change your life for under $10 a meal.
Well played Buk, well played.
EAT IT
