Kimchi Korean Cuisine
| Address: | 3700 S University Ave, Little Rock, AR 72204, USA |
| Phone: | +1 501-570-7700 |
| Site: | facebook.com |
| Rating: | 4 |
| Working: | 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 11AM–9PM 10AM–9PM Closed |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
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Joseph Mendoza
To be honest, I have only just recently been introduced to Korean food within the last year) and by no means is it just another type of East Asian food. The style of food reminds me of Indian dishes in that you have a main dish and are served smaller dishes that provide your palate a range of flavors. Having said all of that, I highly encourage everyone that enjoys food to try Koren food (and Korean BBQ if you are so fortunate) and Kimchi is a great starting point. Not only do they serve Korean food, but they also have food from other East Asian countries so there is something for everyone. The first meal I ordered here was their Korean ramen, which is spicy. The noodles were perfect but the real star of the dish was the broth. I honestly could not get enough of it! If you are not used to spicy foods or do not like them, I would avoid ordering this. Its about 6/10 on a scale of yogurt to ghost pepper. The best part is the price, which was, as of this post, around $5. After trying my friends bibimbap I can concur that dish is also very tasty. That dish comes with all kinds little side dishes of fermented veggies, which I believe is the kimchi. That may sound unappealing, but the fermentation taste is not very strong so you still can taste the veggies original flavor. The establishment itself is a modest restaurant with one room dedicated to open seating, a room for parties (I assume), and a kitchen draped by a small curtain giving it an almost quirky look. The open area is not really well decorated, with a TV that plays ambient music and a few paintings on the walls, but to be honest, the food is so good who cares how the place looks. It is obvious the owners devoted their time to the food. This next part may not seem fun, but I actually like the long walk to the bathroom. In order to get there you need to walk down a long corridor bordering the kitchen and around a corner to get there. It is a much longer walk than you would expect but maybe that is why I find it so amusing. Whether you are on a first date or wanting to try something new, definitely come to Kimchi for some excellent food!
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Sydney Woodward
My experience with Van Langs was below mediocre. My take out order was wrong. Very, very wrong. Due to some communication issues, my order for two spring rolls, despite an attempt at clarification, resulted in two orders of two spring rolls. On top of getting twice as many spring rolls as Id hoped for, they were also not good. A Vietnamese spring roll should be tightly wrapped and include a protein, rice vermicelli, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, mint, and basil. Van Langs spring rolls have shredded iceberg lettuce, vermicelli, and protein (pork, in my case) and were extremely loosely wrapped. The accompanying peanut sauce was sweet and bland. My pork banh mi was... not a banh mi sandwich. I received steamed rice, 4 romaine lettuce leaves, and thinly sliced beef with large bones present. It was pretty good. But it also wasnt what I ordered. What I had anticipated would be a quick >$15 meal turned into a <$25 assembly line ordeal. I asked for a take out menu and was told they didnt have any. I had hoped to give them another shot by having a menu on hand that allowed me to order A3, or whatever, to avoid communication issues, but thats not an option. Since the translation problems are such an obvious issue I will not be going here again. My quest for decent Vietnamese food continues.
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Taurus Deuce
So I had an issue with this place when I came by from out of town. First off, the food. Even if the owners were different from my last visit, the noodle soup (I think you call it Pho) gave me stomach issues. Even if the place is fixed up, the hallway to the bathroom still makes me feel like its a maze. The service was okay, they were a bunch of smiling people. My problem came when they spoke their foreign language. The thing is, I understand Korean and for the sake of keeping this short, lets just say they didnt like the way I look, which offended me as the race factor comes into play. Most of it came from an elder with white hair who,according to one friend, frequented the place often. Would not want to listen to his potty mouth, especially when he has alcohol on hand. The reason why I didnt give a full-out one-star was because this was the evening. I understand things might have been different in the day, but what I experienced doesnt give me any change of mind to go above the current rating.
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Sandy Chai
Finally, an authentic Korean restaurant in Little Rock! This is a family-owned and run business, and these super-sweet folks can really cook! The menu is surprisingly extensive, given how labor-intensive this cuisine is and the fact that they dont have a fleet of cooks in the kitchen. I would love to see their banchan (traditional Korean appetizers) offerings expand, but maybe Little Rock clientele arent quite ready for that yet. They may not be in the swanky part of town, but they are just a few doors up from Sams Oriental Market, Little Rocks best Asian grocery store (also Korean-owned). BTW, Im Korean, so I know what Im talking about. Well be frequent visitors here!
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Kenna Griffith
My mother and I go here all the time. We love it. Yes their service isnt perfect, but as far as getting good Korean food its great. My mother is full Korean and she thinks its pretty good and I am half and I think its pretty good. It is probably the best youre going to get around here in Arkansas! Dont expect some fancy dining experience; it is a whole in the wall place, but the food sure is yummy to me and my mom.
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A Private User
Their interpretation of Vietnamese food is way off, cant make peanut sauce, the pho tastes like they poured salt in it, and the side of veggies arent fresh. I was disappointed to have driven an hour and a half for something I can cook better. They need to stick to what they know, korean. So dont eat there if you want GOOD Vietnamese food. An American who knows better.
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Ryan D
If you have had Korean food ANYWHERE other than Arkansas you will realise this is mediocre at best. They dont serve Korean style. Every side must be ordered separately. They dont use stainless steel chopsticks or other Korean touches. Food was Korean themed but not the same. I know it is a Vietnamese restaurant bit this is my experience based of what was ordered.
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Mitch Trotter
Ive been eating here for a couple years now. I have always loved the food, but thought the service was lacking. New management has just taken over, and that seems to be a thing of the past, whereas the food is just as good, if not better. My whole family loves this place!
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Vic Antley
A small family owned restaurant with authentic Korean food! The waiter is very nice and always helps me with the menu. I havent had a bad meal there. Jampong (spicy seafood soup.) has been my favorite so far. They also, aptly, have very good kimchi.
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Cyndi Lee
Okay so it isnt a fancy place. Its a small family owned place. They are very nice people. The food is awesome and the price is reasonable. We dont have much to choose from in Little Rock. My Taiwanese husband and I are thankful for Van Lang.
