Hansol

Having to take the car in for several recalls meant I was going to be stranded without a ride in Port Moody.  Luckily for me, Ipanemagirl was free and made the trek out to pick me up for lunch.  We ended up going to Hansol Korean just a few minutes away.  Now you might be wondering since we were going for Korean, why did we not head up to North Road...  Well, the ratings for Hansol are pretty good and we just wanted to take a chance at a place we've never been before. 

This mom 'n pop place isn't very large, but since we arrived at around opening, we were able to snag a table before the lunch rush.  Of course, with our meal, we were served some Banchan in the form of stewed potatoes, sprouts, tofu skins and kimchi.  These were good and served in a large portion (even though we could get refills).  Loved the spicy tofu skins with their appealing chewiness.  Potatoes were soft but not melting while not overly sweet.  Kimchi was not too tangy, it had good spice and sweetness.  Sprouts were crunchy and not wet with the aromatics of sesame oil.

We got some Yangyeom Wings because who doesn't like KFC (Korean Fried Chicken)???  Well these were really good with juicy wings with a thin layer of coating which was fried until crispy.  The skin was not flabby and the wings themselves were plump.  Unlike some places, there was just enough sauce coating these giving off a good balance of tangy, sweet and spicy.

Going for something a bit different in terms of soup, we had the Soondaeguk.  Yes, the blood sausage was lurking within the rich and mildly-spicy broth.  It was quite light and fluffy with the usual glass noodles inside.  With the addition of raw garlic and perilla seeds on top, we got sharpness as well as some slight liquorice notes.  Really enjoyed this hearty soup on a cold day.

Instead of the standard Bibimbap, we went for the Beef Tartare Bibimbap.  This was a very hot stone bowl as the rice underneath was already well on its way in forming a socarrat.  When mixed with some gochujang and the rest of the toppings (including the egg yolk), the bowl was able to maintain its heat and partially cook the beef and still form a beautiful crust.  Hence, things were a bit smoky and nutty while the beef was super tender and buttery.  Really good dish.

Last dish was the Japchae which was loaded with ingredients.  Lots of tender thin slices of beef and crunchy veggies.  The noodles had a nice chew to them while not being greasy nor overseasoned.  It was balanced and not too sweet.  Really aromatic from the sesame oil.  Good portion size too.  I got to say we really enjoyed this meal and it got me itching to try more of their dishes.  Glad we tried something different rather than defaulting to North Road.  If you are in the area, go give them a try.

The Good:

- Nice people

- Good portion sizes

- Solid eats

The Bad:

- Small place, seating will be tight

- Mom 'n pop operation, service will be sparse when they are busy