Appetizers – Kimchi, Seaweed, Sweet Potatoes, Bean Sprouts, Salad

For my sister’s birthday, she chose to have dinner at Haroo, which I’ve had lunch there before. So this was my first time having dinner at Haroo and I was excited to try out some of their platters which could be shared among the diners. First up, we were given appetizers, which included kimchi, a marinated seaweed, sweet potatoes, bean sprouts, and a salad. The appetizers were quite typical, but I loved the salad. The dressing seemed to be a vinaigrette which was a little sour, but so addicting! It was also presented nicely.

Congee

Each of us were also given a small bowl of congee. Apparently, you get a bowl for each dinner platter you order, and coincidentally we ordered five, so we each got our own! The congee was flavourful. It had a bit of sesame oil and was topped with both anchovy-like fish and black and white sesame. It was light and didn’t fill us up.

Bibimbab

We got a Bibimbap, which is part of the individual dinner set meals. It came with a small bowl of rice. We found this to be quite bland unless we add the red sauce which was a little sweet and spicy. This was just alright. I didn’t think it was amazing.

Japchae – stir fried potato noodle with beef & vegetable

We always get Japchae at Korean restaurants, so of course we chose to try the one at Haroo. This is essentially potato noodles which are clear and chewy, and they are stir fried with beef and vegetables. The sauce had a good consistency and the dish was flavourful overall.

Haemul Pajeon – seafood pancake

The Haemul Pajeon, which is a seafood pancake, was one of the best seafood pancakes I’ve had. The outer batter was crispy, with the inside being soft. It was also generously filled with seafood, with lots of squid and mussels. The seafood was also cooked so it was tender and easy to chew on. A must try at Haroo! The pancake also comes in two other variations: bulgogi and kimchi, which I have yet to try.

LA Galbi – marinated “AAA” sliced beef rib

We wanted some meat, so we went for the LA Galbi, which were marinated “AAA” sliced beef rib. This came sizzling hot and was a decent portion. The pieces I ate were quite tender, but my dad said some of it was tough.

Gunjung Tteokbokki – royal court rice cake with marinated beef

My sister and I love rice cakes, so we got the Gunjung Tteokbokki. I often see spicy rice cakes at Korean restaurants, but since I can’t take spice, this is the one I always get. The sauce is sweet and it is mixed with marinated beef and vegetables. Delicious!

Bulgogi Fried Rice

Since my dad loves to make his own fried rice (Chinese style), he got excited when he saw Korean style fried rice. So we ended up ordering the Bulgogi Fried Rice. It was much more moist compared to Chinese fried rice, and it definitely has much more flavours. I’m guessing it’s the garlic and onion. Mixed with some veggies, the dish was flavourful with a slight crunch. Not bad.

Overall, I was quite pleased with Haroo’s dinner menu. Don’t expect much service here as the man has limited English proficiency. You also serve yourself with water, tea, and utensils as they have a little drawer under the wooden table filled with the utensils and napkins.