Buga Korean BBQ Restaurant

Over the last year or so I've heard the name Buga pop up on Chowhound whenever Korean Restaurant recommendations were requested. The strange thing was that other than a short negative post on Chowhound mentioning small portions and high prices, the only posts went like...."my Korean friends say...", "I've been told by Korean co-workers...", and such. I also went that route and asked around and got mixed reviews. God knows that I passed the restaurant nearly everyday. Also, a so-so experience at my favorite Korean BBQ Boo Cho, piqued my interest, and I'd decided to pay a visit to the specter that was Buga in the near future. Mills and Sarah please correct any inaccuracies!

Finally two things set a visit to Buga up, Ed from Yuma was making a quick trip into town, and Annie from Green Beans San Diego, noted that she had the best Kalbi she's ever tasted at Buga.

Arriving at the parking lot, I noticed a somewhat odd thing. Buga is semi-attached to a Motel 6, and share the same parking lot. Talk about strange bedfellows, needless to say, there's an interesting crowd milling around in the parking lot. I met Ed at the front door and entered the restaurant, the first thing you'll notice is that Buga is alot smaller than the facade would indicate. Partially due to the sushi bar located in one end of the restaurant, and the table spacing necessary to support placement of large vents for the barbecue. We arrived at 630 pm and were greeted with smiles and seated immediately. After seating we perused the menu and decided on BBQ - Galbi ($20.95) and Bulgogee ($16.95), seemed like natural choices. Soon after the panchan arrived:

I'll spare the description in minutiae, just to say that this was the best panchan I've had in San Diego. Ed must've been enjoying himself, he did what I call the "Ed's delici-yoso dance" a few times. what happens is he closes his eyes, raised his arms to a perpendicular angle, goes "mmmmm", and sways back and forth. I thought the servers were going to call 911.

Here's my favorite panchan:

Also served was a small bowl of  deep cooked beef soup with thin slices of mu (daikon). Usually you'd get some watery seaweed soup, or other thin "broth", but this was very good. I'm actually thinking about ordering Kori Gomtang (Ox Tail Soup $14.95), during a winter visit. The grill was prepared (rubbed with onion) and the meat arrived and was cut and placed on the grill by the server, also arriving were the greens and wrappers (dduk & mu).  I realized the reason someone had complained about the portion sizes, was that this was a "dduk bossam" style restaurant. The portion sizes at Buga are more than adequate for this style of eating.

The Galbi was excellent, well marinated, and tender. The flavor was very good and balanced, with the sheen of Malt Syrup, and just enough sweetness. When the well marbled Bulgogee arrived, my initial thought was that it was perhaps a bit undermarinated, but my apprehension was unwarranted, the bulgogee was excellent, soft and tender, and just about as perfect as it gets. To indicate the level of service, the Waitress actually made the first two samples of Ed's Galbi "wrap" showing him how to prepare it. As the bulgogee was almost done, the Server came by and cut up the pieces of onion and made sure that all was well. The meal was completed with a palate cleansing cold cinnamon tea with pine nuts (sujeonggwa??).

Well,l I went home and raved about this place. So the Missus and I ended up going back to Buga the following evening. We were actually seated at the same table, and the Waitress remembered me, and was so helpful. Again, on this visit the service was superb, as was the panchan, and the soup, though some of the panchan were different, they were all great.

On the previous night I noticed the Hae Mul Pajun ($14.95),  and it looked fabulous, so we ordered it.

Topped with a bit of sauce and some rice this was very tasty. The pancake contained shrimp, mussels, small oysters, and artificial crab, and had a nice savory flavor. It was deceivingly filling. I ordered the Haemul Dolsot Bibim Bap ($12.95), basically seafood and vegetables over rice. This was served in a stone pot, allowing for a wonderful crust to form at the bottom. Eaten with a bit of Gochujang this was a great texture and taste sensation.

During the whole meal we watched a Gentleman eating a metal bowl of Bibim Naengmyun ($9.95) that never seemed to end, he kept eating and eating, that just seemed like an eternal bowl of noodles; note to self, you need to order this. The meal was again finished with the cinnamon tea, and we were on our way. I give Buga my highest recommendation, great attentive service and good food. This is a new one for our rotation.

Some notes on Buga - The service is very good, and in this type of restaurant, the servers have alot to do. It seems that Buga may be a victim of it's own success. On both days, as we left the place was totally packed and the servers almost running from station to station, still providing good service. In fact, we returned a third night and had to leave because of the crowd. This is typical gas BBQ not charcoal, but it's damned good. Lunch specials are available from $7.95 and up. According to a sign Buga uses Coleman Natural Beef short ribs that are 100% pasture fed.

Buga Korean BBQ Restaurant
5580 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92117

Open daily 11 to 11

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Comments

[milgwimper]

Jo,

The flavour of sujonggwa is similar I guess to Hobbees ice tea but it does not use tea leaves. I would not drink a tall glass of sujonggwa, and most people would think having a half reconstitued persimmon in their ice tea glass a little weird and hard to fish out.

Kirk,

That reminded me, did you get a persimmon in your tea, or was it just the tea and pine nuts? I will have the recipe posted on my blog, I just have a lot of things pop up, and should have it up in about a day or two! Sorry

[Kirk]

Hi Mills - No persimmon in my tea (though the Missus woulda' loved that!), just a little glass bowl with the tea and 3 pine nuts. Sounds like you and Jo may be hitting a Korean Restaurant soon - don't forget the camera!

[Jo]

ARGH! THE CAMERA! THE CAMERA! THE CAMERA!

[Kirk]

The camera, the camera, my kingdom for a camera!!!!

[Jo]

I thought that was a horse Kirk. =o) You're gonna have to wait until I become a multi-billionaire real baklava estate tycoon!

[milgwimper]

heyla I have the post up for the sujonggwa. Sorry it took so long. Here let me practice a little HTML, although it might not work here in comments. (DH would be so proud of me ;P LOL) If it didn't work, oh well at least i practiced it! ;P

Sujonggwa, finally she posted it!

[milgwimper]

Hmmm it didn't work, oh well the website is..

http://blog.milgwimper.com

[Kirk]

Thanks Mills - I'll check it out. Guess what, we went to Buga again tonight - all the waitresses recognize us...a little embarrassing!

[milgwimper]

Kitk,

Awesome, you shouldn't be embarassed sometimes that works for your advantage. Like in one restaurant here DH and I are recognized there, and we get 'service" which is something for free.

[Kirk]

Hi Mills - I guess it's because I was taught to not draw undue attention to myself while growing up. It still rears it's head once in a while. The food was great again, the Bibim Naengmyun with a little vinegar was awesome, and we actually got filled up on that dish alone, ended taking most of the Jap Chae and the Pajun home with us.

[Jo]

What is Jap Chae? Panjun is just another spelling for ban/pan chan right?

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - I think Mills would probably have the correct definitions for you - but the panjun (pah jun) is the pancake, and Jap Chae are the cellophone noodles.

[Jo]

ahHA! I'm begining to retain some of this stuff with Mills help. Thanks! To bad you won't be here tonight. We will be feasting! I have to hurry and get cooking! Pepper will need an extra bath so he will be at his prettiest! ;o)

[Kirk]

Jo - Pepper - "pretty", you'll give him a complex! Another "feast at Jo's", huh? I wish I were there!

[Jo]

::staggers in groaning::
::plops down and looks around bleary eyed::
Oh man Kirk. You so missed it! We had Korean celebration food. I can't believe how much food we made and how much we have left! Don't suppose you and Missus want to fly up and help out?!?!? We have some killer panchan! Mills made the cinnamon punch and we had that with a chocolate cake from Fleur de Cocoa for dessert. I think I need some alka seltzer!

[Kirk]

Hi Jo - You just need a short respite and will be ready to go in the morning, right???? LOL! I sure do wish we could've been there.

[Jo]

I dunno man. We have plenty of leftovers for certain. I'm not cooking tomorrow. But I am making a particular chicken soup with dumplings stuffed with chicken liver pate. We will be feasting all day tomorrow as well. So, feel free to zoom over! To bad it's so easy to say but so difficult to do.

[milgwimper]

Well I have just finished making the hot sauce, and I am still recovering from yesterday. I am tired!

[Didi]

I'm gonna have to try this.
Saw this place opened a few weeks back and was wondering about it.

A Korean friend hated it (and he only mildly like Seoul BBQ on Convoy), but a couple of other people enjoyed it.

Thanks, Kirk. I'll go check this out.

[Kirk]

Hi Didi - I know people who don't care for Buga - mostly because of the prices - most of them rather eat at Boo Cho, because they do charcoal BBQ, but I've found that the food was not as good since the new owners took over. Many of the Ex-Pat Kama'aina's I know enjoy Seoul BBQ because the Kalbi and Bulgogi tend to be a bit on the sweeter side.