Kimbaek Restaurant

Kimbaek Restaurant is located at 193 Isabel Street, (204) 942-1833. They make absolutely delicious and very authentic Korean fare. The entree prices range between $9 and $11. With an entree you get regular tea, four side dishes (called banchan), a bowl of rice and dessert tea. Four of us hedonistically shared five dishes and left stuffed, while the bill, before tip, was only $55.

Banchan

The banchan at Kimbaek consists of kimchi, a fermented suey choy (napa cabbage) dish loaded with fish sauce and Korean chili powder (gochutgaru or kochukaru, actually the western spellings I've encountered are much more varied than the product itself), wakame seaweed, crisp and light with a sweet chili sauce, blanched mung bean sprouts with sesame and potatoes that are served room temperature in a slightly sweet and spicy sauce. Every Korean restaurant serves banchan, but selection differs immensely. A friend of mine ate at a restaurant in Korea that featured 26 varieties of banchan, including one dish which consisted of fish eyeballs and orange crush!

Kimchi Chigae

We started with kimchi chigae, a spicy stew of pork, kimchi, potato, tofu and green onion. Served boiling hot in a heated stone bowl, the dish was a perfect start to the meal on a snowy fall day.

Haimool Pajun

Next, we devoured the haimool pajun, a savoury seafood and vegetable pancake served with a strangely delicate sauce considering its ingredients. Green onions, sesame, vinegar and soy all mixed together somehow seemed to balance each other out and made for a beautiful combination with the robust pancake.

Doenjang Chigae

The doenjang chigae, my least favourite selection, was exceptional. Doenjang (sometimes spelled doenjjang) is a fermented soybean paste, a Korean miso if you will. The soup was loaded with slices of zucchini, tofu, daikon radish and green beans. Topped with green onions, it was definitely the healthy pick of the day.

Beef Kalbi

Peppery beef kalbi, thinly sliced beef ribs are wonderful and simple, yet somehow mysterious with their subtle charbroiled flavour. Served sizzling on a hot plate, I could've scarfed the whole dish by myself. Lucky for my dining companions I can occasionally show some restraint and share.

Pork Bulgogi

Ah, the delectable awesomeness of pork bulgogi, the true staple of Korean barbeque. Loads of Korean chili powder and gochujang (fermented chili paste) are the key to this dish. Other ingredients vary, but it is  usually a bit sweet and salty. My favourite recipe for home has honey and pureed Asian pear. I don't know how they make it, but I can can hardly get enough. If I could choose my way to die, I think it might be to drown in a sea of bulgogi!

Demolition. Carnage.

Korea is a northern country and that is reflected in the cuisine, it is hearty fare and great on a cold blustery day (though I could have it and do on any day). There are other good places in town, but for truly authentic country Korean cooking at an astonishingly low price, Kimbaek rises to the top.

Picture Menu

P.S.
We forgot to order bibimbap, but it it a rice dish served in a hot stone bowl, so the rice gets fried and crispy, then topped with a whole bunch of fresh vegetables and finally a fried egg. Oh lord. . . so delicious, and a great way to go if you are eating alone. And really, who doesn't enjoy saying "bee bim bap".