Restaurants
Buk Chang Dong Soon To Fu
One of my favourite places in Toronto to dig into a big bowl of Dolsot Bibimbap is the basic but always busy Buk Chang Dong Soon To Fu in Koreatown.
Dolsot Bibimbap is one of the perfect antidotes for the winter blahs. While traditionally served with beef, I opt for the "veggie" which comes with mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, sprouts and other vegetables, as well as a fried egg all served on top of a bed of rice in a hot stone bowl. Unlike some other places in the city, the bowl is decidedly hot which means the rice will develop a tasty, crispy if not slightly oily crust.
Along with the Bibimbap comes an unlimited supply of free tea and an assortment of traditional Korean favourites such as pickled bean sprouts, kimchee, daikon and sweet dried soybeans.
For the uninitiated, Buk Chang Dong Soon To Fu might seem like a bit of a hole in the wall with a limited menu, but I've been going here for years and still haven't found a more popular Korean joint in the city. The service is fast and friendly and the food is great value. My only, um, beef is that they don't serve a version of this dish with cooked tofu. They'll happily add un-cooked tofu but that's not an option I'd recommend.
That said, when I'm looking for a restaurant with a bit more mood lighting or decent wine I often opt for San or even Ninth Gate which also make this dish really well.
Buk Chang Dong Soon To Fu, 691 Bloor St. W. (at Clinton), 416-537-0972
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Lol @ rek...
Ehwah(spelling?) on Yonge, near north york civic centre subway stop
Sorbaral(spelling), right at yonge and finch subway
there is also a fancy one at Yonge and Clark
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan
And a link to the top of this post, in case you want to reread and note that tim never says it was a vegan bowl.
http://www.blogto.com/restaurant_reviews/2007/03/buk_chang_dong_soon_to_fu_does_mean_dolsot_bibimbap/
lol.
Some of us order veggie dishes because they're good for you, 'not 'cause we're vegans.
Which is common in some Asian countries (eg. Japan).
For those who like their bulgogi, I advise this restaurant's version of that hot-plate beef and onion dish (green and white/yellow/conventional) -- toss it right into the bibimbap and enjoy.
My only caveat with this place is the hard-to-handle flat metal chopsticks. Hey, maybe I'll bring my own next time. (I do it with plastic takeout containers & resuable chopstix when I remember, which I'm proud to say is much of the time.)
rice is quite 'special' - purple short grain rice served in a stone pot with a date and some peas.
service is attentive (given its massive clientele)
another 'eat and run' Korean eatery - don't expect to linger for over an hour after you finish your meal.
will definitely come back - try to make it on weekdays when there will be less people.
Good comfort food at the right price. It's totally worth checking out.
also, you are supposed to lay them flat over your bowl when not eating (or so i've been told). apparently having them tip down in your bown symbolizes incense burning which means death. or something... definately open to correction!
I go all the time and all items on the menu are great. My favorite spot for comfort food. I recommend #4, #8, #9 and the bibimbap.