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| - First off, if you're looking for a traditional Korean tofu house or BBQ place, this isn't it--go somewhere else. But that's not what I was after.
I've had lots of the best Korean food and eaten in my share of grungy holes in the wall that are delicious and cheap. But that's the equivalent of having pancakes with maple syrup every time you eat "Canadian". I have wanted for a long time to find a restaurant where a Korean chef uses their imagination and goes beyond tradition. This is what you get at Swish by Han.
It's an upscale place so it's not cheap. But it's not outrageous for what you get. They make their own kimchee and it's delicious. There's the traditional napa cabbage and daikon radish kimchees, and when I was there, also a baby bok choy and pineapple kimchee that was amazing! Usually I am left dissatisfied by restaurant kimchee; it never rivals what you can make at home with long fermentation. But this stuff was amazing.
Another plus was that everything is fresh. No canned sauces and dips, everything from scratch, and the flavour shows. I really appreciate chefs who watch out for the details, because that's what makes a great meal, and down to the broth for the kimchee stew (chiggae) it was totally fresh.
Other reviews I've read have complained about portion size and lack of spice, but they seem to have improved on those fronts. I couldn't finish my portion and my kimchee chiggae was plenty spicy, and I like it hot!
So, moral of the story: If you want a delicious meal that starts in Korea but goes beyond the same old same old, this is the place for you. If you want a budget meal and some comforting favourites, go to Koreatown instead.
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