Hello Scarth Street Kimchi
A review of a recently opened traditional Korean restaurant
Kimchi is a traditional Korean restaurant that has recently opened here in Regina, Saskatchewan. They are located at 1834 Scarth Street and have been around since their soft opening on September 26. They will be holding their grand opening in a few weeks. Read on for a review of the restaurant’s history, the restaurant’s food, and the restaurant’s menu, all as I experienced. Plus, I got to hold an interview with the chef, Chris Park, who is a co-owner of the restaurant with his wife, Celine Park.
Currently, the menu features options like Kimchi-Jjigae, Bibimbap, Beef Kibmap, and Udon. They also serve sushi rolls like Rocky Mountain Jumbo and Queen City Jumbo Uramaki. Their online menu has a lot more options.
I tried out the Dolsot Bibimbap, which is a main dish served in a hot stone bowl. Most of the main dishes on the menu come with a complimentary side called banchan.
Banchan is a collection of small side dishes served with your meal in Korean cuisine. This dish is unique for someone who has not had much Korean-like food in her life, and it is very good.
Dolsot Bibimbap comes with a base of rice, along with veggies such as cucumber, spinach, onions, and carrots. These are all cooked to perfection, and the dish comes with meat – also cooked to perfection. In my dish, the meat was sweet and tender at the same time, with a very good taste. All of this is then topped with an egg and some seaweed. All very good types of food separately, all very good when mixed, and all very good for you.
I love finding restaurants that give healthy, nutritious options, and Kimchi’s offerings definitely fill that niche. Dolsot Bibimbap also comes with a spicy sauce on the side that you can spread around the dish. To me, the sauce is not that spicy, but you also do not need to put it on your food if spice is not your forte.
On the side I had some cucumbers and apples, and both were covered in their own sauces. The cucumbers were covered in more of a savoury sauce and the apples in more of a sweet sauce. The perfect mix, sweet and sour!
The vibes and the culture of the restaurant are very welcoming. You walk in from the heart of Downtown Regina and are welcomed into quite a large area. You have the option to pick up your food as takeout and go somewhere else to eat or sit down and eat. Either way, you would be welcomed by Korean culture.
Their welcoming atmosphere is clear with their always-playing Korean music, their very nice wallpaper with Korean letters and messages, as well as the menu being written in both English and Korean. All in all, it’s a very welcoming atmosphere that just makes you want to stay! In the summer, they plan to open the patio and play some music out there too, which is sure to be a good time. I, for one, plan to come back for that.
Chris Park, co-owner of Kimchi, has been living in Regina, Saskatchewan for 23 years and he started his restaurant business back in 2004. Before, they used to work and run a restaurant known as Wasabi. Over the pandemic years they had to close the business, but this did not stop Chris and Celine Park from wanting to re-realize their dream.
Now that they have been open for a few months, Chris stated that, “It is a good time to [be] open. The Korean culture is getting rich; […] Korean music, and Korean food, Korean Drama. People are finding an interest in it, so this is a good time to open a restaurant in Regina now.”
As for the preparation of the food, Chris has been making sushi for over 20 years and his wife Celine makes the Korean dishes, which she prepares from her mother’s recipes. Chris said, “She is a Korean chef in Calgary. She originally made Korean food and people love it. So, all the recipes and learning skills are from her.” So, the food you taste down here at the restaurant has a unique history and cultural background. This location also looks to make foods in a humbling style and to look favourable for the population and community of downtown Regina.
Chris mentioned their Lunch Special Box that is quite popular, being ordered very often. The lunch special focuses on Korean barbeque and Korean-like dishes with rice, salad, and traditional noodles all together. The lunch special is $12.99 and is only available until 2:30 p.m.
As for the restaurant’s name, Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish that is commonly served and quite popular. Chris stated, “Kimchi is a very famous Korean dish. You mostly have it along with your meal or side dish. It [fermented vegetables] is marinated with salt, washed, made with spices and sauce, and mixed all together.” That is a unique dish which appears to be quite desired in this restaurant, so be sure to try it out when you go!
Kimchi appears to be a restaurant that is unique and special in downtown Regina. They have a unique story, tasty and varied food options, a great culture, and a very welcoming environment. Now that you know the history of Kimchi, you know some common dishes, side dishes, and a lunch special to get, why not go down and try some of them out? You will be sure to have a great meal and a great time!
