by MARK SLUTSKY

What national cuisine, really, is better on a bitterly cold winter night than the spicy, earthy cooking of Korea? For a long time, my preferred destination for Korean cuisine was long-time NDG mainstay Hwang Kum. More recently, though, a couple more places worth a look have opened downtown, and for whatever reason they’re both within blocks of each other, on that weird, half-seedy, half-studenty stretch of Ste-Catherine between Atwater and Concordia. The first, Arirang, has been reviewed in these pages before—it’s solid and affordable if not particularly spectacular, with a strong pork chop and a tasty bibimbap (or bi bim bab, depending on the transliteration you favour).

La Maison du Bulgogi sprung up shortly after Arirang opened, in a former Dunkin’ Donuts location. (Actually, to be precise, the place had previously been a Double Donuts, and a Dunkin’ Donuts before that. You can still see the Dunkin’ logo, hidden in miniature, on the door.) To be perfectly honest, with its bright fluorescent lighting and minimal decoration, it hasn’t strayed too far from the donut-shop aesthetic. But that’s okay when the food is as fresh and full of character as it is at Bulgogi.

The meal begins, unsurprisingly, with a scattering of side dishes, kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) being the crown jewel among them, though the soft savoury potatoes and sesame bean sprouts are snapped up just as quickly. Bulgogi’s kimchi is delightfully hot and flavourful, though not overwhelmingly so (and sensitive souls can put out the fire with tea, continously refreshed from a coffee carafe).

Dumplings and imperial rolls are listed on the menu’s appetizer page, but on a recent visit we chose to start with the pa jun ($9.95), described as “Korean-style pizza.” This isn’t entirely accurate—pancakes or omelettes would seem to be a more obvious point of comparison for this great, round fried patty of dough stuffed with green onions and seafood (or, as you prefer, kimchi and pork). Served sliced into rectangular segments, the pa jun went almost as fast as the kimchi. It’s hot and crisp and the soy and vinegar dipping sauce pleases the mouth almost as much as the onions. A real treat.

Bulgogi specializes in soups (and in bulgogi of course), with a couple dozen listed on the menu. The soon dubu jji gae ($7.95) is a spicy, bright-orange broth in which tiny pieces of soft tofu bob contentedly. The choice of pork, beef or seafood is up to you, though I’d recommend the latter—the diced squid, in particular, really liven up the joint. Mix it up with some rice (provided in a little tin) and you’re good to go.

The dol sot bi bim bab ($7.95) is a stone hot pot of rice, mixed veggies and beef. Add a sizeable amount of the homemade hot sauce and stir vigorously to get the most out of this Korean standard, which has always struck me as being somewhere between a salad and a stir-fry. Whatever it is, it’s a hearty and well-rounded meal, and Bulgogi does it well. Also of note is the jab tang dup bab, soft slices of marinated and barbecued eel atop a bed of greens and rice. The eel is delightfully tender and sweet, with a pleasingly fresh taste accentuated by the salad.

Finally, Bulgogi ($11.95), from whence the restaurant takes its name, is a variety of Korean BBQ, specifically marinated beef. I’d expected more of a steak-like offering, but the beef arrives sliced and looking more like a stir-fry; if you order it for several people, they make it right there at the table for you. Once you really tuck into the dish, it becomes nigh short of irresistible, with a zesty tang—and a healthy shot of the hot sauce doesn’t hurt either.

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La Maison Bulgogi
ADDRESS: 2127 Ste-Catherine W. (two blocks east of Atwater)
PHONE: 935-9820
HOURS: 11 a.m.–11 p.m.
BEST FEATURES: The BBQ, the bibimbap or Pa Jun, the
“Korean pizza”
ALCOHOL: Yes
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes
VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY: Yes
CREDIT CARDS: Yes (although they add a three per cent surcharge)
NO-SMOKING SECTION: Yes
PRICE: $10–$15 per person, before tax and
tip (more like $7–$10 at lunch)
RATING: *** out of ****