Legend has it that in Wicker Park, where there are many restaurants, there are two restaurants selling Korean cuisine.sister storeIt is very popular among many foodies, and it still maintains its ranking on Yelp.4.5 Starof super high ratings. The menus of the two restaurants are completely different, and their products have their own characteristics, but together they basically cover theKorean light mealAll delicious items. Today Daxing and Lexi are here to reveal to you the special features of these two families~
The founders of En Hakkore are a couple named Peter and FaithKorean couple. When they first immigrated to the United States, they always liked to do it in church with a group of Koreans.bibimbap. The bibimbap they make is better than those sold outside.fresh, light, Faith particularly liked it, and came up with an idea to make traditional Korean foodmodern fusion. So there isEn HakkoreThere are two stores, the first generation and the second generation.
Sister shop: En Hakkore
Must order dish: Spicy Pork Taco (if you can eat spicy food)
And BBQ Beef Bibimbap
Address｜1840 N DamenAve, Chicago, IL, 60647
Phone ｜ (773) 772-9880
En Hakkore is located on the quiet N Damen Ave. The name of the restaurant comes from a river in the biblical story that can replenish energy and bring joy to people. Restaurant design highlightsSimple and brightThe style, before looking at the menu, I didn’t feel that this was a Korean food restaurant. Looking at the wallExquisite decorationIt feels like it's a very high-end store.
The decorations are all recycled porcelain. A lovely couple with a lot of heart.
Lexi's first reaction after walking into the store and seeing the familiar red "medal" on the wall was: WHAT? ? This kind of small shop, this kind of place that looks like a coffee shop and bakery, is just a small shop anyway. It doesn’t have gorgeous decorations, handsome waiters, or even a decent menu, but it’s still a small shop. Michelin recommendation? ? ? ? ! ! !
Yes, that's right, that's right, you didn't make a mistake.
John's family, who are also of Korean descent, are good friends with Peter and Faith. It is said that John's mother is very good at cooking, and Faith will ask his mother any cooking questions. In January this year, John’s family officiallytake overAfter eating En Hakkore, his mother figured out the taste as soon as it was served and basically didn’t make any changes. "Everything was solid already. The food speak for themselves." John said.
The one with his back to us is our son John. On the right is our son’s mother, who is also the new proprietress of this store. I have to say that I am surprised that the proprietress is very talkative.
The dining style of this "small" restaurant recommended by Michelin is relatively close toa fast food shopAfter entering the store, guests need to go to the counter to order food and get the number plate, and then find a seat to sit down. When the meal is ready, the clerk will send the meal to the corresponding seat for the guest to eat.
Corresponding to the simple service method, En Hakkore'sThe menu is also very simple, The mainKorean taco and bibimbap. In the end, the editor choseSpicy PorkTwo flavors of tacos: Korean BBQ Beef (One order has two tacos, you can choose different flavors), and the most classic oneBibim-Bap.
Small blackboard = menu with only 3 main dishes and XNUMX appetizers
When the three kinds of food were presented, my eyes lit up. The color combination was so perfect.Pleasing to the eyeIt’s red, green, meat and vegetables, looks and tastes greatVery tempting.
Daxing hesitated for a few seconds on where to start, and finally picked up the BBQ Beef taco and took a bite: "A gorgeous firework exploded in my heart."
BBQ Beef is marinated just rightSlightly sweetArrives at the taste buds first, mixed with kimchi and vegetablesFragrance, the most important thing is thisPasta for taco...I haven't read any books, boss, don't lie to me, this is clearly not an ordinary tortilla, it feels like a very familiar and beautiful taste, it seems...Finger cake.
That's right, it's the kind of hand cakes you buy at street food stalls in China.Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with layers of texture, and the aroma of scallion oil that can be smelled half a street away. Lexi asked the store and found out that the taco cake En Hakkore chooses is calledparatha flatbread, is a kind of comingOriginated from IndiaThe method of making it is slightly different from real hand cakes. This paratha flatbread should have added butter and a little sugar, and it tastes rich.Sweet taste.
So the surprised star picked up another Spicy Pork taco and took a bite: "A second gorgeous firework exploded in my heart."
The one on the left makes me drool just looking at it...
Oh my god, it's so delicious. The cake and ingredients are similar to the first one, but compared to beef, this one has a little morespicylevels and the porn itselfMore fattyThe taste has simply reached another level. After eating pork, I went back to eat beef, and the feeling was not that outstanding. Daxing felt that the spiciness of pork was too overwhelming, but Lexi insisted that this wasThe best tacos in the city (It’s not spicy, it’s not fun). I heard it’s also the boss’s son’s favorite.
While tasting two tacos, you can’t forget the other protagonist.Bibim-Bap (Also the legendary Michelin bibimbap). bibimbap produced by En Hakkore pursues athe feeling of home. According to John, traditional bibimbap is made by smearing a layer of oil into the pot so that the rice stuck to the sides of the pot will burn into a kind of burnt rice. But in En Hakkore, they just serve the cooked rice in a big bowl.Basically no oil dripping, and then lay 16 shredded fresh vegetables, are eaten raw or lightly seasoned. John said the idea came from the bibimbap his mother made at home when he was a child. Because there are usually no stone pots at home, they will cook a pot of rice and then cut the vegetables and throw them in to mix.Original, refreshing and healthy.
sashimi Bibimbap
Bibimbap has3 types of meatTo choose from, sashimi, Korean bbq beef and spicy pork.3 kinds of riceAvailable in white rice, brown rice, and black rice. There are an exaggerated number of 16 kinds of vegetables (including kimchi, bean sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, lettuce, etc.).
Indeed, a large "pot" of bibimbap was served on the table, with rice sprinkled withVarious vegetables, eggs and bbq beef, oil-free, very healthy,The portion size is very sincere, serve it on a large plate, stir it evenly while it is hot, and then scoop it out with a large spoon. Warm beef mixed withSlightly cool and refreshingThe vegetables are very tasty and perfect for filling your stomach after eating tacos. Daxing and his friends swept up the bibimbap like a whirlwind, leaving not a single grain left.
bbq beef Bibimbap (Carnivores + heavy flavor lovers say they must order this flavor of bibimbap, okay!)
Since En Hakkore opened, it has maintained a good reputation among Chicago foodies with its stable products, so the couple decided to continue their efforts and opened a second Korean simple restaurant on the famous AVE not far away at the beginning of this year.
Sister shop: En Hakkore 2.0
Must order dish: BBQ Beef Sizzling Pan (Best for winter!)
Address｜1467 NMilwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL, 60622
Phone ｜ (773) 278-5959
Daxing laughed when he saw the name, thinking how lazy you two are to think of a new name, but after thinking about it, it seemed reasonable. After all, En Hakkore has been so successful, so the new store should learn from the reputation of the previous store. A good strategy.
Different from the bright decoration style of its sister store, the walls of En Hakkore 2.0 are made of brick structure, and the tables, chairs and benches are mostly made of dark wood. The overall style is closer to Wicker Park.Very hipster feeling.
The dining method at En Hakkore 2.0 is the same as that at its sister restaurant. You also need to order at the counter and get a number plate. But the menu is completely different from the one at my sister store.Specializing in snacks such as Sushi Burrito, Kimchi Fries, Chicken Wings, etc.. Since you all already know where to go for the best Korean fried chicken in Chicago (please click 👉Korean fried chicken fried chicken rankings | Chicago really is more than a crisp fried chicken can not stop), Daxing did not try this fried chicken. After much hesitation, Big Star and his friends finally chose Kimchi Fries, Kim-Duk-Man, and BBQ Beef Sizzling Pan.
As a fan of fancy fries, Big Star is excited about thisKimchi FriesThe most anticipated at first. Finished productThe appearance is very good, goldenThe potato grid is topped with kimchi, chopped green onion and sesame seeds, and finally topped withsour cream. Great star after trying itslightly disappointed.
First of all, the potato grid is very fried.Crispy, unlike many other restaurants’ Kimchi Fries or Poutine Fries that have a soft texture. But the downfall lies in the potatoes and other ingredients.not blended well together, it tastes like potato grids or potato grids, kimchi is still kimchi, they have no intention of becoming a family ~ and because there is no cheese sprinkled on it,The taste is relatively simple. If this menu was purely about potato fries I would give it high marks, but as Kimchi Fries it doesn't quite succeed.
Second trackKim-Duk-ManThis name is a bit confusing, but actually it isAssorted platter of seaweed rolls, fried dumplings, and spicy rice cakes. Seaweed rolls contain beef and vegetables, which is the best of the three.tastyare the same; fried dumplings should be stuffed with pork,Fried a little oily, the taste is ordinary; the spicy fried rice cake can be kept warm in a small black iron pot, and the red onePlenty of sauce, in addition to rice cakes, there are alsoFish Ball, it tastes very stomach-warming.
After tasting this, Daxing was about to conclude that the 2.0 was not as delicious as the 1.0, but luckily the appearance of the last dish saved the whole meal. Then we need to do it nowHighly recommended : BBQ Beef Sizzling Pan.
This seems to be a new product, no one has ordered it on Yelp, and there are promotional posters on the wall of the store. Daxing walked into this store from the cold wind outside and couldn't walk when he saw the word "Sizzling Pan", imagining the heat and sound radiating from the iron pan. So after struggling for a long time between pork and beef, I chose beef.
Daxing was so happy when the waiter presented this dish, it was exactly what he imagined:There is a layer of rice at the bottom of the hot iron plate. The rice is covered with a thick layer of beef and shredded cabbage. On top is a sun-fried egg and a little chopped green onion.. While stirring, the aroma wrapped in hot air keeps coming up, accompanied byHissing la laThe sound makes it feel like eating KoreanGrilled meatIt feels like cooking rice on an iron plate.
When Daxing fed the first spoonful into his mouth, he couldn't help but pat his thigh with his left hand: OK! good! eat! BBQ beef and rice are wrapped in egg liquid.blend together perfectly. The crisp shredded cabbage is a good complement to the beef and rice, making the overall taste less greasy. Occasionally I eat a piece of rice near the bottom of the iron plate and chew itBurnt like crispy rice, adding a lot of layering. Daxing took spoonful after spoonful of this satisfying delicacy, and finally lived up to his expectations and ate it until it reached his throat. He couldn't stand up for a long time...
Very popularSushi BurritoDaxing didn’t try it this time, so foodies are welcome to explore on their own. However, in such a cold weather, compared to cold sushi rolls, bibimbap is still more healing for Daxing~
Let me show you the 2.0 sushi rolls on Instagram
Special tip: In addition to meals, these two stores only providenon-alcoholic beverages, and because the owner husband and wife team are devout Christians, these two stores are located inClosed all day every Sunday, foodie friends, be careful not to miss out.
If you are rightKorean Food & Mom and Pop ShopInterested
Is it spicy? You can poke it👇
1 old couple + 9 tables = 10 points Authentic Korean restaurant｜Da Rae Jung: It’s like going home
CorrectJapanese foodInterested
Is it spicy? Poke it again👇
Pictures and text｜Daxing, Lexi
Big star
A brand manager who loves to eat
Work out before a meal so that you can have a dessert after the meal
Every food review is a journey I want to take you to explore
I hope we will always have new discoveries in the food continent
Lexi
A university that loves to dig up stories🐶
Loyal to looking for Tsaojiao restaurants that are both eye-catching and stomach-pleasing
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