Best place in Ontario for raw marinated crab! The spicy crab is amazing and the soy one is great if…read moreyou like sweeter flavours. The kimchi stew was extremely flavourful and a must try if you like rich kimchi flavours. The marinated shrimp was not bad but the crab is the star of the show. The free sides are great as well as the complimentary barley tea! The restaurant had ample seating and I did not feel rushed at all. The place was clean and the workers were kind. Must visit if you're in the area!

I came here during Korealicious to try traditional Korean soy-marinated crab and shrimp…read more The complimentary side dishes were great. My favorites were the sweet soy-braised tofu skin, japchae, and spicy cucumber salad. The hot barley tea also paired really well with the marinated seafood. Marinated Crab The platter comes with six half pieces of soy-marinated crab and six half pieces of spicy marinated crab. The soy-marinated crab tasted very traditional, with a strong sweet soy sauce flavor. Compared with another Michelin pop-up restaurant I tried before, this version was much richer and saltier. The blue crab meat had a soft, jelly-like texture from the curing process, which was impressive. However, the soy sauce became quite dominant after a few pieces, so I highly recommend pairing it with the beef tendon soup or barley tea to balance the flavors. The spicy crab, however, wasn't my favorite. Instead of the sweet, savory heat that I usually associate with Korean gochujang, it leaned more toward the direct heat of Korean chili flakes, similar to the spice level in tteokbokki. I felt the spiciness overwhelmed the natural sweetness of the crab rather than enhancing it. Marinated Shrimp I was worried that eight shrimp wouldn't be enough, but the plate was huge. They use giant tiger prawns, each about the size of my hand, so two or three are already quite filling. Because the prawns are so large, they are only lightly cured, so the meat stays firm and springy instead of becoming soft like the Cantonese-style marinated shrimp I'm more familiar with. The sweet soy marinade penetrates the meat very well, making every bite flavorful. However, after a few shrimp, the soy sauce becomes increasingly dominant and the flavor starts to feel one-dimensional. Personally, I prefer the layered flavors of Cantonese-style marinated seafood, where the freshness of the seafood is complemented by ginger, garlic, cooking wine, and fish sauce. Beef Tendon Soup This ended up being my favorite dish of the meal. The broth was rich with beef flavor and had a wonderful silky texture from the collagen released by the tendon. It paired perfectly with the marinated seafood. A sip of the soup cleansed the palate from the strong soy sauce, making the next bite of crab or shrimp taste fresh again. The tendon itself was tender and well-cooked. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the mustard soy dipping sauce served on the side. Overall, this meal felt more like experiencing two very different marinated seafood traditions. Korean-style marinated seafood emphasizes the deep savory flavor developed through soy sauce curing, while Cantonese-style marinated seafood highlights the natural sweetness of the seafood with layers of ginger, garlic, cooking wine, and fresh aromatics. Even though I personally still prefer the Cantonese style, I enjoyed experiencing this traditional Korean approach.

Service was good and food was delicious…read more We got fried rice and bulgogi, overall it was yummy! We got here at 5pm on a Sunday. It was only a couple of tables that had customers. Shortly after, the whole place got so packed! So I guess that's something to watch out for in terms of timing. I specifically preferred this place because of the location and good parking spot. Overall, I'd go back here again.

Spicy Stir-Fried Squid and Pork Belly…read more I could hear the wok going absolutely crazy in the kitchen, so my expectations were high before the dish even arrived. It came out sizzling on the hot plate, with the oil still crackling. The pork belly was thick-cut but perfectly sized for one bite. The real surprise, though, was the squid. It had that firm, springy chew you get from grilled squid, but the flesh was also surprisingly thick and substantial. It felt like an indestructible little fighter that just wouldn't give up. Every bite turned into a tiny tug-of-war between my teeth and the squid, and I genuinely loved the texture. The shredded onion, zucchini, and carrot each added a different texture, with the zucchini especially helping cut through the richness. Almost every chopstickful had some meat plus two or three strips of vegetables. The ratio was pretty much perfect. It is on the expensive side, though. I checked Jindallae afterward and a similar dish there is around $22, making this one roughly 30% more expensive. A little disappointed that I didn't get the eggplant banchan I'd heard so much about. The side dishes I did get were simple and very home-style in their seasoning.

Came here for dinner with my family and enjoyed all of it. Their dumplings are pretty massive and…read moretheir seafood pancake is the bomb!!!!

Just recently been there. I actually went there a few times when it was first opened a few years…read moreand it was great, the dumplings, noddles and most food were all very good, so I had an impression and expectation for it. But the food I had seemed very different taste now... we ordered dumplings and two more combos, most of the food we had added spices (a lot of pepper). There was a dish where it was a few slices of pork wrapped in lettuce but the pork smelled too "pork" (if you know what I mean). I may only go for signature dumpling next time...

Extremely disappointing experience. The staff were cold, dismissive, and seemed completely…read moreuninterested in providing basic customer service. To make matters worse, I paid over $10 for this container of kimchi. After getting home, I found that it was only about two-thirds full. The photo shows exactly what I received. Charging over $10 for an underfilled container like this is unacceptable. Bad service, poor value, and definitely not an experience I would recommend.

This shop has many different locations and I think it's great that the quality and consistency is…read moregenerally the same throughout all of them! This location is small but the tables are spaced out so you can sit comfortably. It is in a busy plaza but it is never too crowded. You can order via the QR code and they are pretty quick! Side dishes are my favourite and they are delicious but limited to one refill. The portion sizes are pretty decent. I like the seafood pancake here. It is great for sharing.

De Chou has a lengthy menu to match with dishes made for a crowd. The kamjatang jeongol ($47.99) is…read morea hot pot stuffed to the gills with pork bones, potatoes, rice cakes, zucchini, and even enoki mushrooms and jalapeno garnishes. The broth wasn't very salty but still flavourful and once you let the peppers steep into the broth, they add a lovely spicy kick. Another substantial dish is the steamed pork bo saam ($49.99 for large) where slices of pork belly are kept warm on a hot plate. Diners tuck these soft meat slices into lettuce, Napa cabbage, and turnip with a smear of the savoury bean sauce for a protein packed bite. Our table was split about the haemui pa jeon ($28.99). The size of a medium pizza, it's made for a group. Personally, I found it way too thick and didn't contain enough ingredients to balance out the doughiness of the Korean style pancake. Conversely, my relatives preferred the heft as it contrasted the crispy exterior and soft interior. I guess it depends if you're a thin versus pan crust type of pizza lover. I'm firmly in the Neapolitan camp. I thoroughly enjoyed the crust that develops on the bottom of yachae dolsot bibimbap ($18.99). And the hot stone rice bowl contained a good combination of ingredients to ensure there was plenty of vegetables and beef to go around. De Chou's LA kalbi ($34.99) was rather neutral with very little sauce, so you mostly taste the beef. I personally would have preferred more sauce to help caramelize onto the beef ribs, but the older members of the family appreciated the plainness and liked that it was tender. This is a long review for the rest go to Gastro World.

(3/5) De Chou Korean Restaurant - Lunch Review…read more We stopped by De Chou Korean Restaurant for lunch today since we happened to be nearby. The sign said it opens at 11:30 a.m., and true to their word, the doors opened exactly on time. The restaurant itself is quite large and impressively clean -- that was my first good impression. We originally went in because of the sign outside advertising Korean ginseng chicken soup, but when we asked the server, he told us it's no longer on the menu. A bit disappointing, especially since my wife wasn't feeling well and I thought that soup would've been perfect for her. We ordered two Bulgogi Dolsot Bibimbaps ($21.99 each). The portion was decent, but the flavor was a bit bland and not salty enough for our taste -- overall I'd give it a 6/10. We also tried the Japchae ($13.99). Unfortunately, it was too greasy, a bit slimy, and overcooked -- about a 4/10 for me. They served five small side dishes, which were just average (5/10), and a small cup of noodle soup that was lukewarm and slightly sweet -- not to my liking, as I prefer savory over sweet in Korean food. The total came to $65.51 before tip, and we left a standard 15%. To be fair, by the time we finished lunch, there were quite a few tables filled, so maybe other dishes are better. But based on what we ordered today, the food didn't live up to the price. Would I go again? Probably not.

A Friend came to visit and watch the new Demonslayer movie. So we brought them here for a pre movie…read moredinner as they never had something like this. Service 10/10 - today they had 3-4 waiters/waitresses working so there was always somebody coming in to check if things needed refills. Our waiter (sorry the name is escaping me.) was a newer parttime worker but was providing us 10 out of 10 service!! Food - 10/10 we got alot more sides than normal today for our friends to try. The tteokbokki was nice and had a deep flavor. Not too spicy and not too sweet. Rice balls was nice and soaked up the tteokbokki sauce. This time we got the half half with spicy bossam and Bbq jokbal. They were both really good flavors. The store had kpop playing at a moderate volume. But we had no issues chating away while sipping on soju. Definitely recommend!

Came here to introduce our friend to Jokbal. We ordered the half and half (spicy Jokbal and the…read moregarlic Jokbal) along with the seafood pancake. We love how the sides are refillable but I don't think we ever ask for refills more than twice as the portion is so generous. Hanyang Jokbal has always been consistently good, and it's why we always come back. The portion of food is always plenty, the taste is unmatched and the sides are delicious. While the food took some time it was understandable as it was very busy. The waiter was very apologetic about the wait. In terms of the interior, it's just one more thing that makes this place such a good dining option. The interior makes you feel like you're not in Toronto. While it does get quite loud, I think it just shows how much people are enjoying the food and the vibe. Hanyang Jokbal is definitely a must!

This is a take-out only restaurant. I believe it's run by a older Asian couple and they're both…read morevery kind. They are located on Hwy 7 in a small lot with four parking spots at the front. We ordered the bossam, seafood pancake, and budae jeongol and the bill came to ~$100. The bossam was quite a large portion and the flavour was quite delicious. Our favourite item was the seafood pancake. We devoured that and if given a choice to only order one dish, I would definitely recommend the seafood pancake. The budae jeongol (as a solo dish) could easily feed two people. They pack the soup in two large circular soup-like takeout containers and the ingredients in a square container - same as the ones that the bossam and seafood pancake came in. There were plenty of tteokbokki, sausages, cabbage, and ramen noodles. We put the dish together in a wok and kept it heated on a portable induction cooktop. They gave four containers of banchan: fish cakes, japchae, radish kimchi, and mandu. My only complaint about this experience (4.5/5) was their inaccurate waiting time. I called in around 5 PM on a Wednesday to place my order and they quoted that the order would take around 20 to 25 minutes. I showed up ~30 mins after I called and they didn't have the food ready until 5:50/5:55 PM. I understand that they're busy, but I would have appreciated a more accurate wait time.

My go to take out Korean food spot!…read more This spot is on Highway 7 between Kennedy and Warden. It's a take out spot only and has no tables for dine in. I usually call in advance to order and pick up. Things that I love the most: Pork bone soup 5/5 - So hearty and tasty. On the spicier side but a must get! I usually get their hot pot size of pork bone soup to share with others. It comes with lots of pork bones and a huge piece of potato. Bossom 5/5 - I love their bossom here. The only complain is that their bossom comes with lettuce rather than napa cabbage. Still super delicious though. Banchans 5/5 - Their kimchi is the best banchan they have. I often times also buy just their kimchi to take home as it's very garlicky, fresh and delicious. Spicy pork rice 3.5/5 - A good rice option, but I still prefer their soup better. Jajangmein 3.5/5 - Another one of those dishes that I can skip. Only get it so that we can have a variety saucey noodle dish. I can't recommend this spot enough. Make sure to get their kimchi! But also make sure to check your order before leaving. One time I was there, there was a flustered teenager working the front of house. Because I'm a regular there, I touched my order he handed to me and noticed there was no hot soup burning my hand while holding the take out bag. When I brought this up, the chef came out and also mentioned that he had forgotten to pack my two containers of soup. Thank goodness I checked. Unfortunately when I got home, I noticed that he also forgot to pack my two white rice that comes with my soup. So just make sure to double and triple check before leaving when you get your take out! Other than that, it's a solid 5/5 for me!

The most bang for your buck! The server filled my bowl with so much food she used aluminium foil to…read morekeep the lid and bowl together as it did not snap shut. When you order the beef bowl, you get so much more than you pay for. The first time I ordered this, I wasn't fully aware of everything that would be included in the bowl. So I watched the server add in item after item after item. I was surprised as each addition was dropped into my bowl! Crispy gyoza, fried greens, japche, and kimchi were all so generously placed into my bowl! So much flavor, so many textures! Highly recommend. Price cant be beat for the portion size! Limited to no seating, more of a grab and go type setting.

100% Korean A Must-Try Spot for Korean Food Lovers…read more 100% Korean is definitely a staple in my books. The food is always consistent, the prices are more affordable than most other Korean restaurants, and the portions are huge. One thing I really appreciate is that every meal comes with 3 banchan of your choice and the lady always loads them up generously. My goto dish is their gamjatang flavorful, hearty, and comforting every single time. Whether you're craving a satisfying meal or just love authentic Korean flavors, this place won't disappoint. Highly recommend for anyone who loves Korean food!

Family style Korean vibe and service is attentive. We wanted Korean cold noodles and it was exactly…read morewhat we got. Tasty and so refreshing. Tried the Korean fried chicken with supreme sauce. Tender and juicy chicken that will satisfy your crispy fried chicken cravings. Bring and pay in cash for 5% discount.

Mediocre food. Not the friendliest service either. Disappointed as a friend had high reviews of…read morethis place, not sure if we came on an off day. The side dishes were not very flavourful either - bean sprouts, potatoes all were very bland. Kimchi was alright. Seafood tofu soup was bland as well - not spicy at all, not sure if they were trying to adapt the flavours to local tastes? Sweet and sour pork was very fresh but not enough sauce. The service from the lady at the counter wasn't great. She barely spoke to us or acknowledged us. Also did not appreciate that she seemed impatient when waiting on us to order and handing us the bill before we asked despite there not being anyone else in the restaurant. Overall, would not return. They currently offer a free drink with a google review. Friend and I both had stomachaches after eating here, so be a little careful. This meal was the first time we saw each other in several months so, this was the only common/overlapping meal we shared.

Food was amazing! Annie the server was very nice, will definitely come back in the future!read more

A great dining experience! The staff (especially Quinine) were wonderful - very patient with us…read moreShabu newbies! The food was out of this world, seriously good. So many flavours and combinations... I wish I had a second stomach. The shrimp paste, sirloin and beef tataki were my favourites. Each table has its own private booth so it doesn't matter how busy the restaurant is, it still feels intimate. Worth every penny!