Haroo - Richmond, BC

Tucked away onto the top floor of the "Street of Eats" - Alexandra Road in Richmond - is this little gem named Haroo, real name no gimmicks. Piggie and I waddle in and are immediately greeted by a nice man who points us to a table that looks like my mom's kitchen counter. It's one of those family owned and run places and we have a feeling we're gonna like it... All of the food looks fantastic on the menu and after much deep thought and consideration, we choose our dishes and wait in anticipation.



"Here is some congee to start" - this place, as well as the majority of Korean restaurants, serves several refillable side dishes to go with the mains you ordered - and congee is served to start. Congee is basically rice cooked with a lot of water until it's almost like a thick soup. This version is served with cooked carrots, sesame oil, sesame seeds, onions, cooked cucumber, seaweed and beef. Right in the first bite, you get that nice aroma of sesame oil and then your teeth hit that bit of beef and it's savory heaven... Pretty good for a side dish!



The rest of the sides arrive - starting from the bottom and going left to right, we have a simple green salad with what tastes like a light raspberry vinaigrette, then it's onto potatoes marinated in light sweet soy, light steamed broccoli with a touch of wasabi, diced fish cake, seaweed, kimchi (Korean staple) and bean sprouts in a spicy sauce. My favorite is the potatoes as it cuts the spice just right and cleanses the palate really well. Mr. Piglet loves the bean sprouts and he doesn't know why. All of the dishes are nice and refreshing and also refillable one time.



Kimchi Fried Rice - $9.95
"OH MAN" - Mr. Piglet. This rice is just simply too good to describe - the right level of spice, sweet rice that's just a bit sticky, pork pieces throughout, green onion notes and then a perfectly cooked egg to top it off. Just come here and eat it.



Dakgalbi - Pan fried chicken with spicy sauce - $17.95
"They're all chicken wings!" - Mr. Piglet. Hm, how astute... The dish comes on a sizzling plate and the aroma is intoxicating! It's chicken wings in a spicy sauce with onions, bean sprouts, green onions, diced fish cake and a giant flat noodle. It's like a noodle but cut on the diagonal and about the size of toonie. The flavor is spicy but not too much so (although for those not used to the spice, the nice man does remind you that it is spicy and if you don't want that, he'll recommend something else) and its balanced well with a sweet factor. When you get those bottom bits that have been sitting on the sizzling plate and there's that bit of char on it, it's OH SO GOOD. The chicken by the way is fall of the bone - no struggle with the hands as the chopsticks will suffice to get the tasty meat off.

This place is so good, we decide to take Mr. Piglet's parents here for lunch the day after next! Here we go again!



Jjajangmyon - udon noodles in black bean sauce - $6.95
It tastes as it sounds and it's only ok. Piggies would recommend skipping this one as there are many other great options on the menu.



Bulgogi - marinated beef slices served on a sizzling plate - $17.95
Found at most Korean restaurants, this is a sure hit with any diners as the beef is soft and marinated perfectly with a soy based sauce balanced with a hint of sweet. And if you get any of those bits that have been sizzling on that plate for a while, youre in for a treat. My only gripe is that there wasn't a lot of beef but there was plenty of mushrooms, enoki and white, which was quite nice.



Pajeon - Korean style pancake with seafood - $16.95
Less greasy and crispier than others we've tried, this one was a hit with the table. Great flavor, lots of seafood and awesome crunch but it was quite small for the price.



Tteokbokki - rice pasta, meat, vegetable in spicy sauce - $9.95
Very saucy, nice heat and the big white pasta holds a special place in Mr. Piglet's heart. Needless to say, he enjoyed it thoroughly. I thought there was something textural missing since everything was just soft but the taste was good.

Just as we were winding down from the immensely large meal the nice waiter/owner Richard, comes out with a complimentary dish of steamed dumplings...



Filled with crystal noodle, mushrooms and beef with a drizzle of sesame oil, these were OH SO GOOD. The piglets would order this on its own the next time, and there will be a next time. We hesitated reviewing Haroo because it would mean more people would come here, therefore making it more difficult for us piggies to get a seat but this place is just too good to keep to ourselves. Come here for an excellent home-style meal and enjoy the warm unpretentious atmosphere! Bon appetite!



Pros:
Excellent family/calm atmosphere
Honest, friendly and humble service
Excellent food
Clean
Free parking upstairs and downstairs
Moderate pricing
MSG free

Cons:
Small establishment - expect waits on weekends
Debit and Cash only
No dessert
Small drink menu