Kyung Bok Palace, Richmond. Photo by: Alyssa Dawson
Do you have a restaurant where the servers know your name because you’re in for lunch every Monday at the same time?
As nice as it can be to have food and service that you know and can, therefore, count on, I personally love exploration when it comes to food. It is in this spirit that I found Kyung Bok Palace in Richmond. This traditional Korean barbecue restaurant may not have been off the beaten path, but it was nonetheless exciting to experience all new dishes in an atmosphere entirely new to me.
When seated, we were immediately served a variation of green tea at an ideal drinking temperature. There are a few menus to sort through, but our server helped us narrow down our selections, and so the dizzying number of dishes became manageable.
I decided on the rice cake and dumpling soup, and my mom, joining me for lunch, went with the chicken yaki soba.
Served alongside our mains was a selection of banchan, or small plates of food, including scrumptious potato cubes, a salad of bean sprouts and shredded carrot, and a delicious serving of spicy kimchee (pickled cabbage).
Dumpling and Rice Cake Soup. Photo by: Alyssa Dawson
I would like to highlight the soup. It was as soul-warming as a good old fashioned bowl of chicken noodle, but with more sustenance and layers of flavour. The dumplings were composed of minced pork and beef and green onions, and literally melted in my mouth. The rice cakes offered a starchy element that made those bites feel creamy even though the base was simply chicken stock, and the pieces of beef brisket on top were as tender as any brisket I’ve tried (and I eat a lot of southern food!)
Chicken Yaki Soba. Photo by: Alyssa Dawson
The chicken yaki soba, while typical in its components and flavour, was jam-packed with more fresh vegetables than most.
These two entrees were more than enough for two people with good appetites, so I am happy to report I have leftovers for lunch today! I think I’ll pan-fry the dumplings and come up with a sauce to dip them in…thoughts?
As always, wishing you a stamp of culinary royalty in all of your dining endeavours! xx
