SU-RA

A WBBM RESTAURANT REVIEW BY SHERMAN KAPLAN
(773-276-9450)

 Su-Ra, at 2257 West North Avenue is as stylish and hip a Korean restaurant to be found in Chicago, a far cry from the usual store front Korean eatery.  It has Korean wall hangings and decor that seem to bring a certain serenity. I’d go so far as to say it’s a rather dressy dining room, though at the same time, the  hip and stylishly casual sensibility pokes through.

            As for the authenticity, I have to begin with dessert. Our server urged us to order the chef’s special ginger bread pudding, with light caramel sauce. In a word, it was delicious, but I could not quite wrap bread pudding around traditional Korean fare.

            I mentioned this to the chef, Paul Choi, who was walking the small dining room. Well, he answered, “… it’s the way my Korean-American mother made when I was growing up.” OK, I guess that’s a certain tradition.

            The menu is short. The specialty seems to be Bi Bim Bop, normally a not very complex bowl of steamed white rice topped with a fried egg and mixed vegetables.

            Su-Ra uses healthier  brown rice and offers six different versions , some seeming to take aspects from other Korean restaurant standards. For instance, one brings in Dak Kalbi, or spicy chicken pieces, while another is topped with Bulgogi, a savory Korean version of barbecued beef.

            All are served with a red pepper sauce on the side to be added as heat is desired. A bowl of miso soup and a small plate of kim chi, very traditional Korean fermented cabbage, are included.

            Among appetizers, Korean pancakes with sliced scallions are fun for sharing. It’s probably a good idea to order an entree, perhaps something different than one of the Bi Bim Bop toppings.

            Su-Ra, strikes me as being all about the experience as much as the food. The restaurant is BYOB and there is no corkage fee. Otherwise,  expect to spend about $50 a couple . Su-Ra is anything but retro, though as they used to say in the ‘60s, just go with the flow.  Su-Ra, at 2257 West North Avenue has a K/RATING  of 19/20.

AMBIANCE 4/4    HOSPITALITY 5/5    FOOD  10/11