NARO

"Food 3/5, service 5/5, atmosphere 5/5 We came here for restaurant week dinner. Initially we had to wait around 15-20 minutes because the table we had reserved was occupied, but they eventually let us sit in the main dining room. Overall, I think the service was great, like you would expect at any fine dining restaurant on the higher end. The food was hit or miss for me, leaning towards the miss side. The two appetizers (squid sundae and some potato pancake thingy) lacked flavor. For the main dish, the chicken twigim was great, the dipping sauce is some kind of Lao Gan Ma and mayo mix, I enjoyed it. The salmon bibimbap again lacked flavours. The creamsicle we had for dessert was also too sweet and we couldn’t finish."

"We had a good time at Naro. Lunch was 2 or 3 dishes and the portions were pretty small. My fish and tanhpyeongchae were little blend. I wish there were a little bit of more taste. I think the dinner tasting menu must be better than lunch. I personally liked the desserts the most. Yuzu sorbet and Makgoli was exceptional. Thank you!"

"First of all a big thanks to the staff for their impecable service and for acknowledging my birthday. Much appreciated! And my non Korean server was delightful in her manners and presentation. She is the one that suggested the tea I mention further down, and am grateful for her suggestion. I believe a large part of hospitality is to make a customer feel at home, and all the staff made me feel like I was, their warmth felt among such polished and sleek interior surfaces. This review is about a prix fixe lunch menu, which was well curated, beautifully presented, in just the right portions, packed with intense and unusual flavors. I started with the Striped Jack Mulhwe, sashimi like but in a broth of fermented soybeans with slices of a root vegetable similar to gingseng, sprinkled with korean red pepper. I think I finally tasted what umami is supposed to taste like. The main course was Halibut Sooljjim - a fish that is tricky to cook because it dries out fast; this was almost the case in spite of the rice wine broth and the topping of grated marinated carrots with root vegetables. It was accompanied with a side white rice with steamed eggplant and squash blossoms. Not exactly a pairing that complimented each other, but nevertheless enjoyable. Perhaps a little bit of acidified pickles would have added some higher notes to the borderline blandness of it all. Dessert was a Makgeolli custard - which as a cold alcoholic drink is my all time favorite - and this hit the spot, along with the horchata ice cream and the fig chutney; the sprinkling of puffed rice added a jarring visual interest plus an odd texture. Perhaps it should have been grounded. There were two big surprises, a wonderful tea made with roasted pumpkin (their own blend) which I offer to purchase as a loose mix but sadly they were not yet ready to do so. I will patiently wait for the time it does come to market. The other more pleasant surprise was an additional birthday dessert, a green apple sorbet (with lit candle) a thoughtful, kind gesture by management, which topped a wonderful lunch celebration. My only concern is for their longevity on this location is whether they be able to lure the throngs of tourists that overpopulate the area. You may lead a horde to the Rink, but can you make it skate and taste Korean? I sure hope so!"

"fantastic experience from beginning to end. the bartender had a great way about her. she was welcoming and hospitable, with advice that was really helpful. (we didn’t have a lot of time, so sat at the bar and ordered ala carte) their take on an old fashion (cocktail) is fantastic, preparation is fun to watch and her explanation neat to hear. the ox tail stood out. so tender and flavorful, on a bed of thin perfectly cooked noodles topped with the finest cut Kkaennip (special korean leaves) I could have ever imagined.. almost like a floss. the salmon bap is also really special."

"Food 9.8/10 Really enjoyed every single dish in the tasting menu, each was super flavorful and plated with precision. I especially enjoyed the first bite, which was puffed rice cakes, seaweed, and scallop. The sashimi dish was superb too. The chicken was tender, and the rhubarb ice cream was so fresh and the perfect amount of sour. I really appreciate the influence of Asian flavors to each dish. Unfortunately the carrot dessert was the one thing lacking, it was way way too sweet, I could not finish it. Atmosphere 10/10 Sleek interior, with round detailing, light blue and white colors. Spacious seating, a little dim but I loved the decor. Service 10/10 Team was super accommodating, when they accidentally took away my friend’s drink before he was finished, they were kind enough to provide us with one on the house. Very informed server, explained the details of each dish very well."