Del Seoul Wins Chicago’s Soul

By Staff in Food on Nov 5, 2010 6:00PM

Korean food isn't quite as ubiquitous in Chicago as elsewhere, and while Chicago has some notable Korean joints, K-food here hasn’t quite begun its rise into food stardom.
Crisp, a Korean-style (twice fried) chicken wing hut, which opened its doors in 2008, began to change that by offering up a Korean twist on a classic American favorite. Then a new kid rolled into town, with flashy signs and a hip, trendy take on Korean classics. The new kid goes by the name Del Seoul, and it’s quickly winning over Chicagoan’s souls.

After much anticipation, Del Seoul opened its doors to their Lincoln Park neighbors in September of this year. Just a mere blocks south of Crisp, Del Seoul offers a fusion menu putting Korean flavors in tacos, adding Korean twists to traditionally Vietnamese bahn mi sandwiches, and combining the classic Korean tastes of kimchi and pork belly with fries. Del Seoul’s bibimbop takes it up a notch over other Chicago Korean restaurants, serving the delicious mix in a dolsot bowl, a stone bowl kept piping hot to cook your mixed rice while you eat it.

We are big fans of Korean food, and couldn’t wait to get our hands on these suddenly infamous Korean tacos. At $2.50 apiece, we ordered a spicy BBQ Pork taco and a Sesame-Chili Shrimp taco. Both tacos surprised our taste buds with authentic Korean flavors wrapped in freshly toasted corn tortillas. Also noteworthy is the Spicy BBQ Pork banh mi, fusing Korean barbeque flavors with traditional banh mi tastes of daikon, jalapeno and cilantro. Sweet and spicy flavors on the toasted, fluffy bun left us with a dizzyingly full feeling of happiness.

Wait, don’t forget the sides! It’s no secret that Koreans love garlic, as this potent ingredient found its way into every dish. The seasoned gamja fries were freshly fried, seasoned with garlic and a garlic aioli dipping sauce on the side. Finish out the full Korean food experience with a refreshing Korean specialty drink made of exotic fruits. The K-Craze is seeping into the soul of Chicago, and there no better way to join than to indulge in a meal at Del Seoul. An average meal there costs less than $10 at person.

Del Seoul is located at 2568 N. Clark St.

By Minna An