When my friend told me a new Korean restaurant opened in Richmond, my first thought was “Wow another one?”. It is true that Korean cuisine, pop stars, boy bands, drama, fashion and the entire culture is taking the world by storm.
I was a little hesitant at first but my friend insist that Haroo is an authentic homestyle restaurant with MSG-free cooking. Since I’ve been craving Korean tofu pot, I decided to give it a try.
The location is all too familiar for those of us who resides in Richmond. It is right on Alexandra Rd. (aka Food Street) on the second floor next to Deer Garden.
[Interior]
Home sweet home. Although there are still hints of the layout which reminds me of the previous bubble tea cafe, the new owners have definitely transformed this space into a homestyle restaurant. From the wooden tables and chairs to the cupboards and decorations, every detail is warm and inviting. The white curtains is a nice touch. It is a rather small space with sitting for about 30. There is 1 large table for a party of 8 or more.
[Setting]
The little wooden box was a nice touch for the stainless steel chopsticks and spoons. Each dish was small and one of a kind. Like most Korean restaurants, any meal you order comes with cold side dishes which are called “banchan”. We were never short of side dishes throughout the night. The sweet potato and broccoli with sesame sauce were probably my favourites.
[The Food]
Another unique touch at Haroo is that each meal comes with a small bowl of congee as appetizer. It was literally 5 teaspoonful. It was a nice pallet cleanser and kept my hungry tummy occupied while we wait for the main dish.
I ordered the seafood tofu pot as my main dish. The portion looks small from a first glance but by the end of it I couldn’t even finish the rice.
There were big chucks of tofu and seafood bits like octopus, shrimp, mussels and a raw egg on the top. The soup was absolutely amazing. It might be a little on the unflavorful side for some but I have always been used to light home-style cooking. Unlike Han Ju Tofu Hot Pot in Crystal Mall, there was definitely no MSG in this soup. I think I’ve just found my new favourite Vancouver comfort food on a cold rainy day.
[The Price]
My meal was $9.95+ tax & tips which includes all the side dishes, the appetizer congee, the personal size seafood tofu pot and a generous bowl of rice. Not a bad deal at all for a happy tummy!
Highly recommended. =)
-Mini604
Source:
Haroo Korean Homestyle Cuisine
8580 Alexandra Rd
Richmond, BC
Tel: (604) 284-5596
