Onggi Korean Cuisine takes over a casual food court spot on North Road inside a small shopping complex. When I was in high school, this spot used to be a dumpling store and coming back here today was such a nostalgic experience. Onggi Korean Cuisine has definitely done some renovations to make it more of a closed off restaurant like space. It is small and cozy with friendly service. I came by on a Saturday late afternoon and it was still very busy. They are known for their elaborate lunch set boxes (similar to Zoomak), however they are in limited quantities daily and unfortunately we didn’t make it in time to try one. However, we had a few dishes of the regular menu and we were really impressed! Check out my review below of Onggi Korean Cuisine to see what you must order!
Onggi Korean Cuisine – Main Menu
From the menu we chose:
- Steamed Dumplings ($14.75)
- Stir-fried Spicy Squid and Pork Belly ($21.75)
- Kimchi Stew ($15.75)
We had the Steamed Dumplings to start and they were nice and plump with a thin skin. They pork and vegetable filling was on the milder side. But not a bad way to start the meal.
The star of the lunch was definitely the Stir-fried Spicy Squid and Pork Belly. This dish comes stir-fried spicy squid & pork belly with rice balls and a side soybean stew. The pork was so flavourful and the squid was in large pieces. The rice balls were a nice accompaniment as well. However, I think because of the shape the rice was on the mushier side. The side soybean stew had a nice deep flavour and it helped break up the richness of the stir fry. A must order dish here!
Finally, we also had to get the Kimchi Stew. This is my go-to Korean dish and if I see it on a menu I need to order it. This is one of my favourite versions to date. The kimchi was well fermented with a deep flavour and there are generous chunks of pork belly in the soup.
Worth a Try?
Yes! I was very impressed with this small hidden restaurant. All the hype on social media is well deserved in my opinion. Although I didn’t have a chance to try their signature Onggi Jung-Chan Box this time, it just means I’ll have to go back to try it next time! The restaurant is small and they do not take reservations so I definitely recommend you try getting there early. The service was friendly, and our tea was constantly being topped up. Overall, I thought the food here was solid and I will definitely be back to try other dishes!
Onggi Korean Cuisine
Address: #103 – 4501 North Road, Burnaby, BC V3N 4R7
Telephone: 604-420-0277
Website: https://theonggi.ca/