The Best Bibimbap in Toronto
To my stomach's great dismay, I spent four years eating my way across red-pepper obsessed Korea. Ignoring daily digestive protest, I found spicy Korean food too tasty to say no. Bibimbap, a medley of rice, veggies, meat, egg and that Korean spice staple, gochujang (red-pepper paste) is one of the most popular dishes in Korea and I was pleased on my return to Toronto to learn how many tasty bibimbaps can be found here. Lucky for my stomach, in Toronto, the gochujang is served on the side.
Since the toppings in bibimbap are cooked separately, it is easily made vegetarian - a rarity among Korean dishes. Served in regular and dolsot (hot pot) varieties, the latter is generally a little more expensive and a lot more tasty. A good dolsot should produce an audible sizzle at the start of the meal, and a golden rice crust by the end. No matter the variety, bibimbap is classically preceded by banchan, or side dishes, and should come colourfully arrayed with a variety of vegetables.
Here are some of Toronto's best:
Writing and photos by Devon Scoble. HoSu photo by Debbie Ohi
Buk Chang Dong Soon To Fu
How BCDSTF gets their rice so crispy with so little oil is one of life's most delicious mysteries. Gingery kimchi kicks its heels, salty baby anchovies kiss soy-marinated beans and earthy Chinese bellflower root presage a main course that is as complex and flavourful as its appetizers. There's a reason patrons line up for lunch at BCDSTB. Look for the green all-Korean sign on the southeast corner of Clinton and Bloor. More...
Korean Village Restaurant
Korean Village Restaurant serves a bibimbap for the bibimbap lover. Sizzling hot pot, crispy rice and a medley of fresh side dishes will fill your belly with goodness, while traditional Korean-kitsch, cheery service, and huge booths make this spacious restaurant just the place for large gatherings of kimchi-lovers. More...
San
With a veggie to rice ratio of 1 to 1, San's selection of dolsot bibimbaps are an excellent choice for healthy eaters. Barely oiled hot pots make scraping the rice crust a delicious challenge. Wash your meal down with one of a great selection of authentic Korean drinks, including my favourite citrus-honey infusion, Yu Ja Cha. More...
Dilly Delicious
Bibimbap at Dilly Delicious is as bright and colourful as its surroundings. Served cafeteria-style, the dish is remarkably vegetable-laden, especially when you consider its low price. Dilly Delicious also serves up a plethora of trashy entertainment magazines, so you can eat clean while you read dirty. More...
Witches Table
Go to Witches Table when you're feeling sad. If the Kimchi Cheese Bacon Bibimbap's bubbling trio of fat, carbs and salt doesn't make you feel better, spicy doses of kimchi and gochujang will either spike your endorphins or set off that well-needed cry. This is fusion the way they do it in Korea, where decor means glowing plastic orbs, and cheese (pronounced "cheese-uh") comes in little plastic squares. Yum! More...
Hosu
I like Hosu the way I liked my kindergarten friends. All they needed was a house on my street and an interest in She-Ra to play with me. You like to eat, right? Then you'll love Hosu! Like most of the food at Hosu, the bibimbap is neither challenging nor spectacular but quick, cheap, good, and plentiful. Bonus points to the server who I.D'd me for my Stella (I'm 30!). More...
Nak Won
It takes a while to get a table at Nak Won on a Saturday night, but it's worth the wait. After a total of seven delicious complimentary side dishes - double the variety than most other restaurants, you may have little room left for the main course. More...
BibimQ
Topped with chunks of real cheddar, orange peppers and green beans, BibimQ's Dol Sut Cheese Bibimbap is as tasty as it is unorthodox. The pot isn't hot enough to crisp the rice, but plenty of veggies and quick, pleasant service make this dish worth trying. More...
Ka Chi
Ka Chi means "together" in Korean, and this restaurant embodies the theme of union by marrying such disparate elements as Van Gogh reproductions, cafeteria tables, house plants and a Rob Zombie soundtrack. The squid-topped bibimbap does an equal job, joining tender, springy squid, crunchy veggies, and soft rice in delicious matrimony. More...
Comments (33)
Another great DolSot is to be found at 'Hana Korea' (45 Baldwin St.). It is fresh and delicious in a very hot stone bowl. DolSot is the lunch special ($6) every Wednesday. Mmmmm!
Note: For Pork Bone Soup, I prefer Ka Chi.
Don't you ever travel to the east side of the city???? I'm sure there's great bibimbap over here, and I'd love to know about it!
Try to broaden your search horizons next time.
Courtney: I'd agree with you, as an ex-east sider, except you just say you're "sure" there's something over there, without naming any names. How about throwing BlogTO some tasty bones?
Wow! You hit the nail on the head with the descriptions of Dol Sot Bib Im Bap. Lots of veggies, go chu jang, and crispy rice crust for the finish! I'll be sure to try Buk Chang Dong Soon To Fu next time I'm in K-Town. Any suggestions for a good Soon Du Bu? :-)
East side, East side!!!! BlogTo never makes it east of Broadview...well, maybe Pape. You gotta try the Bibimbap at Gumi (Pharmacy and Lawrence Ave. E.) in Scarborough. Koreans will know what I'm talkin' about! This list is irrelevant without Gumi. Best ever!
That's fair Tim. Yes, the article on the Taste of Lawrence/Wexford neighborhood was a refreshing read this past summer. But really, that's pretty rare. Of the 15 killer brunch spots on Queen E, only 3 or 20% are east of Pape and likewise, of the 27 non-greek restos on the Danforth, only 2 or 7.4% are east of Pape.
It's just funny when BlogTO does a 'Best of' series featuring the foods of Asia and yet makes no mention of places in Scarborough. Scarbs is like 40% Asian and if you ask some of these people where their favourite restos are, chances are they're in the burbs...sushi being one exception, but there are income-related reasons for that.
I really don't like these 'Best of' articles. They're so incredibly biased. Leave this crap to the Toronto Sun or something. Why not just feature 'interesting' restaurants by neighborhood as a way of highlighting the uniqueness of Toronto's neighborhoods like what you did with the Wexford area. That's a much better approach if you ask me.
Anyone with me on that?
The 'Best of' articles are voted on by readers... have you ever voted in our 'Best of' polls, Sean?
I tried my hardest to get through each of the categories but the pre-determined list of restaurants was quite frustrating and limiting. I know, i know...you were asked to nominate restaurants ahead of time, but seriously, some people don't have time for a two-part, best-of selection process. To be fair and unbiased, I'd suggest dropping the nomination process and list all together and just have readers type in the name and location of their favourites by category. I think you'll find the results will be much less influenced by the few people who helped contribute to the pre-fab list. Makes sense no?
I guess that's what comments are for. If you don't find a favourite place in the list above definitely add it to the comments. Personally, I always appreciate the added suggestions/picks in the comments.
Thanks Tim. Sorry if I've come across as negative but as a regular BlogTO reader and someone who works downtown and lives in Scarborough, it is frustrating that places east of Pape rarely get the attention they deserve. I'll be adding more Scarborough eateries in the comment section in the future, so 'Best of', you're on 24hr Scarborough watch :-) Now, I'd better head home before the SRT permanently freezes to the tracks.
Sounds good Sean. We'd like to include even more coverage of the east end but unfortunately we've been unable to find many contributors who know the area well. If you or anyone you know who lives in Scarborough would like to contribute occasionally to blogTO you/they can drop me a line at tim [at] blogto [dotcom]
Granted I haven't tried it at many places but I highly recommend the bibimbap over at Young/Yonge(depending on the sign) Ichiban at Yonge/Finch. The rice is super sticky, the beef full-flavoured if not a little salty and the bonus sushi pieces a nice finish - be sure to ask for extra wasabi if you like it hot.
Good news, Mel. Buk Chang Dong Soon To Fu is the translated name. In Korean, it reads Buk Chang Dong Soondubu ("dubu" means tofu), and I'm happy to report their soondubu is as delicious as their bibimbap!
FYI, "Ka Chi" in this case means magpie.. (you'll notice the bird drawn on the sign) the bird that is symbolic of Sul Nal, the Korean new year's day (same date as Chinese). "Ga Chi" would mean 'together'.. Try Jae yuk bok um in that place.. very nice blend of pork belly and kimchi!
In general, the best Korean food places are north of Sheppard... where most of the Korean population in Toronto now lives and there's far more competition. For instance, the best soondoobu in Toronto is by far the overlooked "Won-jo" in Connaught Plaza by Yonge/Drewry. The best Korean BBQ (REAL Korean BBQ, not that fake stuff at Korean Grill House etc.) is either Seoul Kwan at Yonge/Steeles or Sariwon at Yonge/Centre. The quality of the food in the Bloor and Christie area has somewhat catering to tourists, students and... non-Korean folks. There are a couple of gems downtown (eg. the bibimbap at Korean Village, or the pork bone soup at Owl, or the blood sausage stew at Im Ga Ne) but in general it's pretty mediocre.
As a downtown dweller, I find this quite unfortunate, but sometimes I rev up the old four wheeler and make a trek up to satisfy my cravings.
As a sidenote, I don't know why the caucasian persausion seems to like bukchangdong soondoobu so much. All the food there is so ... cookie cutter. No personality. Good for an occasional quick fix, but not worth the rave reviews. It's the Korean version of Druxy's. It seems obvious, like most ethnic food, there's a clear schism between what the ethnic people like, and foreigners prefer.
Korean Guy beat me to it -- anyone serious about bibimbap needs to hit more than one spot in the Willowdale/Thornhill nexus that has long since displaced the Bloor St. "Koreatown".
Korean Guy is right on! i love "won-jo" too! they have something called.. seafood dolsotbap..(which is kind of like bibimbap with seafood.. but it's way hotter!) mm.. so goood! i also love buk chang dong.. but i am a huge fan of their tofu soup that i rarely get bibimbap there! but i know it's good! aww now that i mention it... i want it!!
it's true, K-town on Bloor is not the what it used to be, mostly catered to tourists and hungry students looking for a quick, cheap fix. I still like Bookchangdong though, the food is consistent and better than most restos in the area.
A few things:
1. Korean diet is very vegetarian friendly. Meat is used as compliment to dishes, if any, and rarely as a main. Maybe it's because of the many korean grills around the globe - most of which are not even owned by koreans - that people think meat is such a staple in kroean cuisine...it grinds my gears!
2. Next time you're around Bloor/Christie area, try Imone. Closest thing to my grandma's kickass cooking I've found here, and mostly an old-school korean crowd. Killer gamjatang and kongbiji!
3. gamjatang at the Owl/Kachi = overrated and full of MSG
It's true that Korean food is vegetable-friendly, but I wouldn't say it's great for vegetarians. Kimchi contains shrimp paste, most soups contain a fish base, and most dishes come with a little bit of meat. When I lived in Korea, I learned that the meat doesn't count unless it can be seen; generally strict vegetarians want more assurance. While it's true that vegetables are a major feature in Korean cooking, read the ingredients carefully and you'll usually find a meat or fish base lurking somewhere. Seafood-eating "vegetarians" have an easy time in Korea, but it's tough to be a strict vegetarian there. I agree with you that there's more to Korean food than barbeque....
Anyone has a recommendation to a restaurant that serves traditional Korean soup that has ginseng and chicken, served piping hot? I recently visited Seoul, tried it, and found it delicious, comforting and heartwarming. I really wanted to have it in Toronto as it will warm us in this blistery weather. Thanks!
I made my comment about lack of east side representation, then disappeared - sorry!
Gloria - I wish I had some recommendations to make, but I've just moved over here so I don't know the area very well - exactly why I was hoping to hear about some gems in this article! It's just frustrating that everything seems to be so west-centric in this city. I know that the west side is great, but c'mon, so is the east!
I promise that when I find some good places out here, I'll definitely send blogTO my thoughts!
and Tim - thanks for the east-side links! I really appreciate it.
Also, Sean, I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels this way! Thanks for backing me :) definitely recommend some good spots out here, k?
I tried the cheese-bacon-KIMCHEE (which this review fails to mention, not sure if that's a recent change) bi bim bap tonight.
I feel like the cheese and bacon weren't too over the top and complemented the spicy rice. The fact that the rice was mixed with kimchee helped make up for the that that none of the three complementary dishes include bi bim bap. I was kind of disappointed though, kimchee should be THE standard freebie.
Then again this is coming from someone who views every weird combination fusion dish she sees on a menu as a personal challenge.
I feel like this particularly strange combination is the thing that could bring me back to The Witches Table and make it a regular eating spot.
I think Joon should be added in 2009. This Korean restaurant is close to Bloor Cinema or Bloor/ Bathurst. Comes in a hot stone bowl. Served with tea and a few appetizers. less than $7. Perfect for this cold weather.
I think Joon should be added in 2009. The restaurant is on the south side of Bloor just west of Bloor Cinema. It is served in a hot stone bowl and comes with tea and a couple of appetizers. Warms you up in this cold weather. Fits cheap too at less than $7.
Vicky, I was going to ask if anyone had been to The Witches' Table!
Has anyone else been to any Korean spots anywhere else on Yonge, in the area between Bloor and Dundas? There's quite a few Korean spots in this stretch, I've noticed. Any other recommendations for places here?
I have gone many times to Oja Noodle House on Yonge (just north of Charles) many time for dolsot (hot pot) bibimbap. I love that it comes with three or four bottomless side starters (which I always get refilled a couple times), and I always use the rooster hot sauce they have there (don't know the brand name) generously on top. Yum! Service is a little slow and could be friendlier, though...
Here is a thing about Bibimbap. It's something you just put together from fridge with rice and gochugang - hot pepper paste to eat for dinner or lunch. Generally there is at least some type of Kimchi and namul - seasoned veg in typical Korean fridge and rice in the rice maker in Korean house hold.
It can get very luxarious but it's basically that. Something you can put together in 5 mins. Hot pot bibimbap is good but I don't think I had it anywhere here that was Great.
I take that back, I had it Once 10 years ago in a resturant where they had so many namul that I thought table was going to break and they actually cooked the rice in the hot pot. The rice was so steaming hot that the raw egg cooked when you mixed with all sorts of namul and rice. Too bad the restaurant didn't take off and closed.
CK there is a restaurant that has exactly what you are looking for, I can't recall the name but it's on Yonge St. North of Finch South of steels. I hope you find it.
How come Cho Sun Ok isn't mentioned here they have the far best Cold noodle soup there is. It's on Yonge & Clark.
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