Over a decade ago, former Westword food editor Mark Antonation began his food-writing career by eating his way up Federal Boulevard. Now, we're turning our attention to another vibrant culinary corridor.
The four-plus-mile stretch of Havana Street between Dartmouth and Sixth Avenue in Aurora is home to the most diverse array of international cuisine available in the metro area. From restaurants and markets to take-and-go shops and stands, food lovers of nearly any ethnicity or interest can find a place that will remind them of home or open new culinary doors. In Eat Up Havana, Antony Bruno will visit them all, one by one, week by week.
Previous stops:
Next up: Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot (the BBQ)
Before there was Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot, there was just Seoul BBQ… no hot pot. In 2018 budding entrepreneur JW Lee of the now ubiquitous Seoul Hospitality Group acquired the business as part of his plan to establish a Havana Street empire, and added the hot pot option shortly after.
The result is two restaurants with one address. Last week we featured the hot pot side of the business. So now, we’re turning our attention to the original space — the BBQ.
If you’ve never had Korean BBQ before, the basics are pretty much the same wherever you go — tables with round inset metal plates, heated by a propane powered flame, on which you grill strips of meat brought to the table raw. Around the side of the grill are small bowls of vegetable-forward side dishes called “banchan” meant to accompany the meal. And there are usually two to three types of dipping sauces.
That’s the framework. But what sets BBQ restaurants apart from each other are the quality of both the meat and the banchan. By this criteria, Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot stands particularly tall.
The Meat
First, there’s the meat. The menu allows you to order each cut a la carte, or bundle them in combos from three to five different types of meat, usually dedicated by the number of people you have. (The servers will help you choose based on your party). If you have at least six people, the Premium Beef Combo is hard to pass up, consisting of ribeye, prime rib, both marinated and unmarinated bone-in beef short ribs, and boneless short ribs).
At Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot, the meat is beautifully marbled and remarkably fresh. Let’s face it, a plate full of raw meat can be pretty hit or miss visually speaking, but here it presents incredibly well. You at once wonder if you have the capacity to get through it all, yet feel determined to give it your best shot at the same time.
A few helpful translations:
Galbi = ribs. Specifically, beef short ribs. How these ribs are cut and treated results in several derivatives, such as
LA galbi = flanken cut beef short ribs
Galbi-sal = boneless beef short ribs
Saeng galbi = unmarinated short ribs
Galbi Jumulluck = seasoned and marinated short ribs
Galbi Jjim = pre-prepared short ribs in a special sauce mixed with various vegetables and sometimes cheese. You don’t grill this at the table, but order from the kitchen.
Bulgogi = rib eye cut thin and marinated in either a savory mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and peppers, or with an added spicy gochujang paste. It is an absolute must at any Korean BBQ (it’s literal translation is “fire meat” so you do the math). Sometimes bulgogi may refer just to the marinade and applied to other cuts of meat (such as pork or chicken).
Daeji = pork, which can take several forms:
- Daeji galbi = pork ribs, either spareribs or baby back, marinated for grilling.
- Daeji bulgogi = pork with the bulgogi marinade.
- Sam-gyup-sal = Pork bell
The Sides
If you really want an eating challenge, add a few sides or appetizers to the table. The kimchi fried rice, complete with a just-right-runny fried egg is a solid option, as are the rice cakes and japchae (translucent sweet potato starch noodles served with assorted vegetables).
If you’re going the combos, know that these also come with soup (get the kimchi stew), fried dumplings, and rice.
The Cooking
“It’s definitely possible to screw up,” says Rose Lee, COO of Seoul Hospitality Group, who started with the company at Seoul BBQ prior to the acquisition. “I’ve seen people setting the grills on fire. But our servers are there to help cook the meat and keep the heat at the right temperature. But for first timers, I would definitely say you have to get the help from either a server or a friend who knows what they’re doing.”
(Pro tip: don’t be too proud to let the servers help! They know the menu, the grill, and are trained to do this with both skill and a smile. You’ll find them a welcome addition to the experience, and your group.)
There are lots of little nuances in the cooking that really deliver. The grill is first seasoned and “greased” with a cut up onion rather than oil (which can burn and taste a bit rancid). There’s also pineapple and garlic to add for extra flavor as well. The server is very diligent about adjusting the heat, and will encourage you to assist in small ways (“Two minutes, then eat”).
There’s also a kettle of water, which the server will splash on the grill if it gets too hot, or maybe to add a little steaming cooking to the process. Either way, give them room or you may get an unexpected facial guaranteed to open up your pores.
How To Eat
For ssam, pick your piece of lettuce and add any one of three different sauces (an oil and salt mix, to a mild green herby sauce, to a spicy red concoction). Then your meat. Add rice if you like, or any of the banchan. And then eat like a little taco.
Just be sure to eat it while freshly grilled. Even once turned off, the grill stays hot, so any meat left can easily get overcooked if neglected.
By all indications, Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot is a solid choice for both the experienced and the novice Korean BBQ diner. Those in the know will appreciate the freshness of the ingredients and the vastness of the banchan options. Those newer to the format will appreciate the helpful staff.
Between the BBQ and the Hot Pot options available here, the biggest difficulty is choosing which side of the restaurant to enjoy.
Seoul BBQ & Hot Pot, 2080 South Havana Street in Aurora, is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. For more information, visit www.seoulkoreanbbq.com.
