We’ve been wanting to check out Joon’s Kitchen for awhile. They coin themselves as offering Korean cuisine and a raw bar (oysters and sushi). You’ll find them close to Max’s Bakery & Delicatessen.
Sign outside.
We’ve been twice; both visits on a Saturday afternoon for lunch. Service was solid the first time, mediocre the second time.
The menu consists of salad, appetizer, hot food, meat, bibimbap and sushi. Only Korean place I’ve seen that offers a beef sashimi bibimbap.
They also offer 5 lunch box options (11:30am to 3:30pm).
Trip #1
2x Sashimi box ($18.50)
5 pieces of sashimi. All their lunch boxes come with a mushroom salad, chicken karaage, pickled vegetables, rice and miso soup.
For our meat, we opted for the bulgogi. Bulgogi wasn’t too sweet but could have used some sauce. Miso soup was standard fare.
The chicken karaage was excellent; moist, tender and lightly deep fried.
The sashimi (three pieces of tuna and two wild salmon) were as expected.
Nigiri box ($18.50)
Chef’s choice of 5 pieces of nigiri. For this box, we went with the spicy pork.
Pork wasn’t particularly spicy but it was well marinated and flavourful.
The nigiri (tai, wild salmon, ebi, hokkigai and salmon belly aburi) were all quite good. Salmon belly aburi was the best piece.
The mixed pickled vegetables (onion, radish and chili peppers) were crunchy and refreshing.
Mushroom salad was basic.
Spicy pork bibimbap ($15.00)
B’s mom went with the mild house-made sauce. All their bibimbaps also come with a side of miso soup. Didn’t get to try but she said it was flavourful.
Trip #2
Bossam box ($18.00)
Boiled herb pork belly. The pork belly was a touch on the dry side but the spicy sauce was tasty.
All the other dishes were the same but the karaage was excellent again.
Beef sashimi bibimbap ($20.00)
Raw beef, rice, vegetables (carrot, zucchini, radish, choy and bean sprouts) and a quail egg. We asked for the spicy sauce but they never brought it out with our bowl.
The raw beef was nicely marinated and tender but wouldn’t order it again. A bit too one dimensional flavour wise.
Decent eats at JK.
Joon’s Kitchen
https://joons-kitchen.business.site/
3093 Oak Street
Vancouver, BC
(604) 428-0846
CHERRY BOB-OMBS 