Sambuja

65, Rue du Faubourg Montmartre 75009 Paris

Metro Notre Dame de Lorette

Sambuja is a Korean restaurant found on the less-popular side of a well- known street. Relatively small in size, the restaurant seemed to have no name on the outside, to be identified only by "Restaurant Coreen." 

We ordered the Bulgogi, as normal, and were presented with 7 little side dishes full of yummy pickled vegetables, and miso soup (which was rather strange for a Korean restaurant. We then realized aferwards that this Korean restaurant were indeed owned by Japanese.)

The Bulgogi was cooked in front of us on a circular grill with onion and bowls of rice on the side. The Bulgogi was "okay," "correct," although a bit expensive (as usual for Korean food). I did not find it extraordinarily flavorful as past Korean BBQ but measured about the same on the scale of all Parisian Korean places I have tried.

The 7 side dishes were refreshing and as always, I enjoyed picking at them before the beef, during the beef, and after!  My favorites were the pickled green beans, turnips, kimchee, and the vermicelli. There was a type of tofu/carrots/bell pepper mix that I have never seen before which was the only plate not up to par. 

Overall, the restaurant was about the same as any other Korean restuarant I have tried in Paris. It was a bit expensive, as I recall about 17e/person for the Bulgogi. We would not recommend this restaurant to our friends nor introduce it to anyone looking for good Korean food. I still have hope that there is better in Paris.