Baroo - Arts District

[PorkyBelly]

Really impressed with the menu here, no misses at all. even though we could have had a few more courses, at $110pp I think the qpr is really high. will definitely go back. make your reservations now before prices go up.

favorites were cod, short ribs, rice and saba.

pro tip order both entrees and get the jimmy sugishita sushi supplement.

review forthcoming @hppzz @pomodoro @boourns @rlw?

haiku review forthcoming @chrishei?

corn, apple, celery & cucumber, fermented corn

red yeast makgeolli, nduja, gouda, pichuberry

hokkaido scallop, minari, gim, rice puff

fried gaejang local soft-shell crab, seabuckthorn, ssam

I wonder where they’re sourcing local soft-shell crab

soy-braised wild black cod, dongchimi, lemongrass, buttermilk, green papaya

broth was excellent, with a deep seafood flavor almost like a bouillabaisse.

peads & barnett pork collar, goulash jjigae, baek kimchi, ssam

you get a choice between the pork collar and the short rib, I would do both. short rib was the favorite and went great with the rice. I do wish they provided more wraps.

brandt beef short rib, burdock jus, baek kimchi, ssam

wild mountain greens rice, maesil gaennip jangajji, xo sauce, gamtae bugak

loved the rice with the xo sauce, could have eaten three more bowls.

chamoe panna cotta, misugaru ice cream, french sorrel bingsu

delicious and refreshing. nice textural contrast between the panna cotta and bits of burnt sugar (?) on top.

saba

special delivery from jimmy sugi

fin
love the credits on the back of the menu

a bang bang at yangban was perfect

glad to see them packed on a saturday night.

hot smoked trout schmear, griddled potato bread, dill, chive, fresh horseradish

blue crab tostada, gochujang, perilla, red leaf lettuce, crème fraiche, masienda tortilla

golden hokkaido scallop, toast brown butter, yangban makgeolli, golden sauce, cherry tomato, cured egg yolk

squashini jeon, whipped crème fraiche, trout roe

fried lobster claw, chojang mayo, tarragon, meyer lemon

wagyu stuffed peppers vermicelli, ssamjang aioli, cotija

bindaeteok falafel, mung bean, white kimchi, soy bean hummus, minari, chrysanthemum

banchan

• brokaw avocado & shinko pear, hot mustard, california almonds, toasted ggim, yeast
• honey glazed carrots, whipped yogurt, fresh date, walnut oil, herbs
• broccoli, yuzu, chicken skin furikake
• kimchi, kae sung market, habanero, roasted sesame oil

myulchi caesar little gems, gochujang, butter toasted crumbs, kkakduki, parmesan

tteok, king trumpet and shimeji mushrooms, doenjang cream, preserved black truffle

yangban wing plate, cucumber and korean radish pickles, kimchi hot sauce, garlic butter black rice

grilled king’s cut short rib, potato puree, grilled king trumpet and shitakes, galbi jus, toasted bread crumb, horseradish, chive

sujeongwa sundae, double 8 buffalo milk soft serve, cinnamon, crystalized ginger, toasted pine nut caramel

matang goguma custard pie, roasted white sweet potato, condensed milk, vanilla, burnt sugar

[attran99]

That is an epic dinner that kept going!

Plating at Baroo looks precious.

[boourns]

No misses for me at Baroo! Liked the red yeast makgeolli most in the amuses and the cod was probably my favorite overall. My pro-tip is to drop some of your rice into the main dish bowl to pick up the last of the sauce.

[hppzz]

I tapped out after the first 5 dishes at YB and was actually content at Baroo. The rest is just gluttony.

YB is super dark, I don’t know how you managed that artificial lighting

[pomodoro]

@PorkyBelly

short rib was the favorite and went great with the rice. I do wish they provided more wraps

Short rib with the mountain greens rice was my favorite dish, too. Cod was a close second. I was expecting perhaps some more pungent / experimental fermentation and accordingly possibly some misses, but the dishes never felt out of balance and the menu was solid. Excellent QPR for this kind of menu.

@PorkyBelly

bits of burnt sugar (?) on top.

There were probably some toasted pine nuts in this topping, because mine didn’t have this. Sorrel and cream are a nice combo, especially refreshing with how the sorrel’s brightness is “short” as the bingsu disappears on the tongue. I can see the pine nut/burnt sugar topping adding some nice depth.

@PorkyBelly

bang bang at yangban

Yangbang is a solid play for after dinner snacks. I want to see if Yangban will sell a whole custard pie for Thanksgiving takeout.

[CiaoBob]

yangban 2.0 is really good - better than previous iterations, IMHO.
Love the little snacks.

Was there Friday - loved it.

I will add my caeser and banchan pictures because it might be the only time in FTC history that I have a shot that is even in the same ballpark (quality-wise) as @PorkyBelly

[J_L]

Masters of Mukbangbang

[avantbored]

Went last night and my partner and I missed out on the crab – fried skate instead. Still really great.

[avantbored]

I also thought the rice was the standout. I was between the scallop and the cod; the sauce on the scallop was incredible. And the goulash jjigae on the pork collar slammed really hard.

[beam]

we went a few night ago as well, also fried skate instead of crab.
loved Baroo!
Everything was fantastic.

[beam]

@avantbored

the sauce on the scallop was incredible

I thought so too!

[beam]

@PorkyBelly

pro tip order both entrees and get the jimmy sugishita sushi supplement.

how does that work?
its not mentioned anywhere!

[avantbored]

@PorkyBelly means that at the fourth course, diners are provided an option of the pork collar OR the beef rib (the typesetting does not make this option visually obvious, just a big “OR” between the two dishes).

That is what my partner and I did – she chose one, I chose the other. I suppose you might ask the server to have both if you’re going solo.

The sushi supplement sounds like an if-you-know-them hook up. I didn’t ask about any extra sushi, so I wouldn’t know!

[ShadrackToussaint]

Went recently, same menu as pictured by @PorkyBelly. Favorites were soft shell, cod, and short rib.

It’s definitely not a bad value but there’s something about the format and Baroo that doesn’t quite click for me, maybe a wildness or whimsy missing. It’s easy to romanticize past iterations though. Guess I miss the old Kanye as they say. Maybe I’m agnostic about tasting menus in general.

And not quite a fair comparison, but at the price I prefer Holbox. Or for a bit more the bar menu at Kato.

[mzonelli]

I can’t place it myself but have the same vibe. I enjoyed the dinner, just no desire to go back until a complete menu overhaul and then we’ll see if I’m still into it? I prefer Kinn, Holbox, orsa and winston at this price point

[a213b]

Hey! We were in the house last night, too.

I would eat the skate “taco” (lettuce wrap, w/e) and crush bowls of that rice all day long. We thought everything was really well done, except the pork collar. I had that, my better half had the beef. I thought the pork (just the pork) was the one “eh” dish of the evening. But everything else was really great. Had 4 of the cocktails, and a tea, and, truly, top-to-bottom (pork aside) we thought it was all bangers.

OTD it was exactly $400 for us, and had we not added that tea at the end, both of us would’ve probably been a bit peckish (I was already planning a run by Wurst, for frites, or Antico Nuovo, for ice cream, depending on the mood). And we are FAR from the usual “I didn’t feel full” types. We are absolutely not big eaters, by any stretch. Maybe it was just the day.

My partner said, both last night (after leaving) and today, “I just felt a touch unsatisfied. I almost wish there was another, richer dessert after the panna cotta. That would’ve made it perfect”

like @ShadrackToussaint and @mzonelli … I don’t think I would go back until there’s an (almost entirely) new menu.

It sounds like I’m damning with faint praise, but that’s not the intent at all. It was fantastic, and I am so glad we went.

fwiw: this is the only iteration of baroo we have been to

[robert]

@PorkyBelly

I wonder where they’re sourcing local soft-shell crab

So do I. Never heard of such a thing. Neither has Seafood Watch.

[PorkyBelly]

looks like blue

https://www.instagram.com/p/CyRgu-PPwWn/

[avantbored]

I don’t think I would go back until there’s an (almost entirely) new menu.

That seems like the most sensible way of returning to the restaurant, unless friends/family wanted to go with you or something. I plan on returning when there’s a new menu for sure.

[set0312]

Today was pretty damn good! I love this general price point. Makes me a much more forgiving diner. Wish they had a full bar.

I’ll be back when they substantially tweak the menu!