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| - Could this Madison foodie find culinary love in a non-descript West side strip mall?
Surprisingly, the answer is a resounding yes, as I found my Korean comfort food soulmate at New Seoul Restaurant.
It wasn't love at first sight as things got off to a tentative start. Unclear if the restaurant provided table service, I ordered at the counter, paid for my meal and then colonized a table in the completely empty dining area. The cashier indicated my food would be ready in ten minutes, but I barely had time to remove my coat and get settled in when he arrived with a brown paper bag bulging with the contents of my lunch order. Sheepishly, I mentioned I wanted to dine, and without hesitation, the host immediately brought out a plate, glass of water and silverware (he must have sensed my trepidation of exposing my utter ineptitude using chopsticks). For the rest of the meal, the impeccably polite gentleman who fulfilled all of the front of house duties made sure my first experience at New Seoul was fantastic. As the dining room started to fill with lunch patrons, he continually scanned the dining room, checking for completion of a course, empty dishes to whisk away and beverage glasses in need of refill.
With its bright yellow walls adorned with Asian artwork, the restaurant provides a cheerful venue to consume a meal. The interior is tidy and well maintained, with uniform dark brown tables and chairs. The restaurant gets a fair amount natural light from windows on two of the four walls in the dining area.
Because of the confusion over my order type, I did not receive the complimentary banchan appetizer plate that was supplied to the other patrons who elected to dine at the restaurant. I did receive a lavish portion of the delightfully crisp, homemade kimchi that provided plenty of comforting warmth to accompany its bright clean flavors.
Speaking of warmth, my entrée, the spicy pork bokum, which consisted of marinated pork, sautéed onions and green onion, created a mini heat wave during my late January visit. The dish was the perfect marriage of robust pork flavor and soulful Asian seasoning. While this dish is not for the timid, I enjoyed the heat this dish generated by the Gochujang after the first couple of bites. (Side note: Props to the host for delivering an extra napkin to dab off the beads of sweat forming on my forehead.) Though the dish was a touch greasy, the meat was well-trimmed and expertly prepared, featuring well-developed flavors. For a mere $7.99, the dish was a tremendous value, considering the generous portion size. While there are a number of intriguing options on the lunch menu, I sense that allure of the comforting pork bokum too hard to overcome.
During my visit, the dining room never exceed 30% capacity, which is a shame, given the quality and value of the food. During my stay, I did notice that New Seoul enjoys a brisk carryout trade over the lunch hour. I'm still mourning the 2014 closure of American Latina Mexican Restaurant located in the same strip mall - I'd hate to see New Seoul suffer the same fate.
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