Moo Kyo Dong Nak Ji

2 Reviews on “Moo Kyo Dong Nak Ji”

• Sisyphus

  Korean Hot Pan And Hotpot Menu. E: Moo Kyo Dong Nak Ji specializes in Octopus – more on this below – and hot dishes generally. They serve regular plates, hot plates (simmering on a portable grill) and hotpot. The restaurant stays away from, what Korean food is arguably most known for in these lands, Korean barbecue.Looking at the first ‘hot’ in the title one might believe it, like the second ‘hot,’ refers to the warmness and temperature of the food, but it is actually a reference to ‘spice.’ Moo Kyo Dong Nak Ji is best visited for spicy food. We put aside half the hot sauce that arrived in our food before the pan’s contents were mixed and still found the food to be very spicy. Having had all of the chili sauce and peppers (a.k.a. Gochujang) mixed in with the other ingredients would have made it suicidal (and given us an even bigger injection of vitamin C!).We ordered the Bulgogi pan and added a pork pancake to our order to boot so we could try another item as well. Unfortunately, the pancake was too dry for my taste, but became recourse for my friend who was sweating the last of her body’s toxins out. The dip was too bland to add much flavour to this pork and vegetable pancake. Incidentally, they do not serve Mandu (Korean dumplings).The main meal was Bulgogi served on a frying pan placed on our table. The Bulgogi (beef marinated in sesame oil, soy sauce and sugar) was accompanied by onions, soft bread, zucchini, sprouts, noodles and corn. Gochujang (red chili, rice, soy and salt condiment) was heaped on the side and mixed and rolled into the frying pan to create the ready-to-eat meal. Recall that we had half the Gochujang removed before mixing and still got a spicy meal. I realize that I walked into a Korean restaurant serving hot food for Korean taste buds, but the wait staff could do a better job adjusting the spice quotient for individual tastes since the sauce is not pre-mixed in the pan dishes. Funnily, our meal was not even one of the menu items with an image of a chili pepper next to it.Bowls of Korean Five-grain rice with black beans (Ogokbap) is included and it is expected that the meat and vegetables will be eaten with rice.Water came in a simple covered plastic container with a Korean label I could not read. Were I able to read it perhaps I would figure out how it managed to keep the water so cool for so long.The tea, I was told, tasted bitter and heavy, possibly a function of what the waitress explained was ‘barley and corn!’ Apparently, it is called ‘Oksusu cha’ (corn tea) or boricha (barley tea) and popular in Korea.The meal included a variety of Banchan (complimentary Korean pickled side dishes) including spicy kimchi, vegetables in brine, Ojingeochae bokkeum (dried squid) seasoned with, the by now infamous, Gochujang and more.The meal for two totalled $35 and we were full.-A: The restaurant is small to mid-sized and could use some atmosphere. The walls are largely unadorned except for menu items and pictures of octopi. Outside, the restaurant has several Korean signs and a large menu featuring the prices.They have ten or so tables laid out in parallel to each other, as well as several booths which completely enclose the diners and offer relative privacy. These are laid out back to back and – where we were seated – are also next to the cash.The speakers belt out Korean pop rock including Korean versions of Western songs.-T: The service was prompt. There were two waitresses working on a Friday night and only about 4 tables occupied. We found parking in front of the restaurant, although the plaza can get busy owing to a Lebanese restaurant, Iranian grocery store and a Sushi Fun (the sister establishment to Markham’s Eat With Fun??) establishment all next door.-S: The first lady serving us had very limited knowledge of English and initially threw in the towel – although she would be back from time to time – and called over her younger colleague to better communicate with us. They were both available during the night and checked up on us several times. The waitresses also mixed the dinner and folded in the ingredients and the sauce and were back to turn down the heat because otherwise it would begin to burn.The younger waitress seemed genuine in her enquiry at the cash about whether we enjoyed the food. Speaking of which, to pay via a card one has to walk over to the cashier area where for most of the night a gentleman was stationed. He could have either been the owner or the manager.As we were walking out two Koreans were picking up a large take-out order. Something tells me Moo Kyo Dong Nak Ji is as authentic as it gets. They were not completely equipped to handle non-Korean customers and the tastes were not neutralized, sterilized or Canadianized – which is a good thing as eating neutered Westernized food is not what I want to do.Moo Kyo Dong Nak Ji means ‘Octopus in Moo Kyo Dong.’ ‘Nak Ji’ means ‘Octopus’ in Korean, which apparently is for what the Moo Kyo Dong (a.k.a. Moogyo Dong) area of Seoul, Korea, at one time, was famous. This dong (or ‘area’) is where Seoul’s City Hall and several embassies are located. Since that area is famous for live Octopi, they might (or might not) offer the same at this restaurant. The name and meaning again speak to the authenticity quotient of the restaurant – as opposed to say ‘Korean BBQ Star restaurant’ – and explains why Octopus items lead the menu and are plastered on the walls and posters.The restaurant’s logo also has a chili pepper – the spiciness makes Moo Kyo Dong Nak Ji the Korean answer to the Chinese restaurant Hot Taste in Richmond Hill or vice-versa – standing next to it.

  April 28, 2012, 2:26 pm

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• Mark

  Very authentic ! Kimchi is very spicy. I don’t know what it is, but very different than the other Korean restaurants. Must try their table hotpots and pans. Delish!!

  September 8, 2011, 2:38 am

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