Bubble Tea and Kimchi?

Teriyaki and Korean House

217 Westminster Street Providence, RI 02903 (401) 331-1651

            As thefirst few weeks of school passed I found myself craving the bubble tea of myfavorite teashop back home. I scoured the Internet in hopes of finding a shopnearby to satisfy my craving. Luckily, there was one just one block away.  The name, “Teriyaki and Korean House”,implied that there was a lot more to this restaurant then their bubble tea. Assoon as I walked in, I was greeted by the wonderful smell of Korean barbequeand kimchi. The décor was inviting, modern and drew you into the restauranteven though the space available was not used very efficiently (I found myselfbumping elbows with people just walking to my table). The hostesses, as well asthe entire wait staff, were very kind. They made the entire evening a great successeven though the food took longer than expected and have earned an A in costumersatisfaction.

            Even if youhad never eaten Korean food before, their menu was laid out in a very userfriendly way. It helped guide you through the complex culinary world of Koreanculture. I surveyed the menu for many minutes and finally came to a decision ona couple of Korean classics, Pork Bulgogi and a side of Kimchi. I also didn’tforget about my original craving, the bubble tea. My royal tea latte withtapioca pearls came out first and I couldn’t have been happier with it. Thestrong taste of the tea, the sweetness of the milk and the chewy pearls oftapioca satisfied my craving and more. As my glass went from full to empty, thefood came out along with its delicious aromas. The pork came out, stillsizzling, on a cast iron skillet. This, in my opinion, was the best way toplate it because not only did the sizzling bring your sense of hearing alongfor the ride; it produced a wonderful smelling vapor throughout the entireduration of the meal. It was cooked to perfection and had the perfect balanceof sweet and spicy in addition to the mouth watering salty notes that it hit atthe beginning of every bite. This dish was by far the best part of my meal andleft me stuffed beyond belief. Kimchi, the nation dish of Korean, is madethrough the process of fermenting vegetables in and combination of vinegar andspices. Though kimchi is known for having a very assertive flavor, I found itto be very bland. Also, the cabbage was cut into such thick pieces that thebrine had not reached the very center of the vegetable, leaving it bland andoverly crunchy. This was a bit of a disappointment because knowing that it wasa Korean restaurant, I naturally expected their national dish to be delicious.Though the kimchi turned out to be a bit underwhelming, the pork and bubble teahit the spot perfectly making this experience a great one.

            Althoughthe food is great, the price could be a little better. The lunch menu seemed tobe decently affordable but I found myself spending about $15 just on theBulgogi alone at dinnertime. Even though the entrees are very generouslyportioned, the food did not meet my expectations sufficiently for me to want tocome back and drop $25 every visit. Even though it was pricey, there is onething that will be bringing me back, the bubble tea. Besides the tea, maybeit’s just one of those places that’s only good for lunch.

            Overall, myexperience at Teriyaki and Korean House was good. There was nice ambiance, goodfood and amazing service. I did enjoy the food and the experience butunfortunately because of the pricing and underwhelming kimchi, Teriyaki andKoren House has not secured a spot on my favorites list. Though I don’t believethe food was fairly priced, this is definitely a restaurant I would recommendto someone who is looking to broaden his or her culinary horizons (But maybejust go during lunch hours). 

Stars: 3/5

Price: $$$ (dinner), $$ (lunch)