Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Tufts Daily
Where you read it first | Thursday, March 28, 2024

Porter Square's got Seoul

Boston certainly has its share of ethnic dining; Chinese restaurants rule in Little China, and nowhere can one find Italian food quite as authentic as in the North End. But for all its foreign flavors, Korean restaurants have never quite managed to pervade Beantown.

But one small restaurant in Cambridge bucks the trend. Seoul Food, a Korean restaurant situated just down the street from Porter Square, offers homemade Korean food at affordable prices, bringing Kim Chee and Bi Bam Bap to the masses. Though the restaurant's interior is fairly small (only a handful of tables are available to accommodate customers, making for a potentially long wait during busier hours), diners have more than enough elbow room to enjoy their meal without crashing into the party next door.

The waitstaff at Seoul Food is both friendly and helpful, and the servers are happy to demonstrate the proper way to mix and eat all the dishes. In an ethnic restaurant, where the average diner might not be familiar with all the dishes (or might even be confused as to which sort of utensils to use), the attention is reassuring; it comes as a safety blanket, one that means that a diner can order something different without worrying that the next hour and a half will be spent simply staring at the plate, trying to work up the courage to ask how to take the first bite.

And the first bite will be worth it. The restaurant's wide range of inexpensive appetizers (most are under $5) offers a great way to experiment with flavors even if you aren't quite adventurous enough to order the squid stir fry. Guests are greeted with a few small dishes of various Korean dishes, from Kim Chee (a hot fermented pickle made from a variety of different vegetables and seasoned with spices) to marinated bamboo shoots. Other dishes can be added on for a minimal price and either eaten individually or shared with friends.

All the entrees at Seoul Food are made to order, with crisp vegetables, fresh meat, and flavorful spices bringing a home-cooked quality to each dish. The menu has such a wide range of tastes, from sweet to spicy, and encompassing so many different flavors, that it is possible to visit time and time again and still experience an entirely different meal each time.

Bi Bim Bap (different varieties are $8-12) is a traditional Korean dish that mixes vegetables, meat, kim chee, and rice; diners can order theirs with vegetables, meat, or even raw fish, depending on which sorts are in season.

Those wanting something a little more exciting might try the aforementioned squid stir fry ($12), which comes mixed with broccoli and cabbage nearly too hot to eat out of the kitchen. Also available is a Korean beef stew with soybean sauce called Dwenjang Chigae ($10), various types of pan fried noodles, and a selection of vegetarian dishes for those who don't care to eat meat.

Good Korean restaurants are rare on the East Coast, but Seoul Food proves that there is a diamond in every rough. The service is quick, the waiters are helpful, and the food is delicious and affordable enough not to cause any winces when the check finally comes. If you're looking for a unique night out or if you simply want to try something new, Seoul Food may be the place for you.