ZOOMAK || Enjoy Authentic Korean Cuisine for Lunch or Dinner at This New Spot in Gastown
I’ve wandered past Zoomak a few times on my way to grab my morning coffee at The Birds and The Beets next door.
I thought it was closed during the daytime, but it turns out they just open on select days for lunch (Tuesday through Friday), and are open from 5:30 PM for dinner daily. Admittedly over the past year, I had developed a taste for Korean cuisine — from kimchi to fried chicken, beef bone soup to spicy rice cakes — I always kept my eye out for new Korean restaurants popping up around town. So imagine my delight when I walked by one morning earlier this year and saw that Zoomak was coming to Gastown.
Minimalist interiors — although a spot to hang my purse would have been greatly welcomed.
Simple cutlery.
I had marked Zoomak down as a restaurant I would like to try, and given the fluctuating dine-in restrictions throughout the past months, I didn’t have a chance to try it until now. Prior to my visit, another press contact specializing in food reviews shared that Zoomak was one of her favourite restaurants to dine at; this is how you know a restaurant is good — when a food critic says they dine there regularly.
This is why I made the time to visit this past week, and although I didn’t get to try their lunch menu, their dinner menu features many plates perfect for sharing.
I always order Bossam at a Korean restaurant because I love fatty pork, and when paired with a slice of spicy kimchi, it brings out the tender texture and fatty juices of the meat but also cuts through the oil and grease. Usually, Bossam is prepared using boiled pork, but Zoomak’s Bossam uses barbecue pork. The skin is crispy and slightly chewy, while the meat’s fat distribution has 2 to 3 layers of fat separated by layers of meat. Some restaurants have just one layer of fat on the skin, while the rest of the pork is lean and dry, but you don’t have this issue here.
Bossam with crispy pork belly, tofu and kimchi.
The Tartare is also very fresh and flavourful with the gochujang sauce. Crunchy pieces are mixed in with the Tartare so every bite is a medley of creamy beef and crunchy texture with a spicy kick at the end. Although I wish it came with more crostini, simply eating the Tartare with a spoon and/or pairing it with the tofu from the Bossam are other tasty options.
Tartare with Parmigiano, Fresh Horseradish, Yam String, Crostini with Scallion, and Gochujang Sauce. Listed on the menu under the category ‘food for drinks’.
Now we finally make it to the highlight of our evening. When we were first seated, my friend had claimed that he wouldn’t be eating much meat, but by the end of the evening he had consumed the entire platter of fried chicken; this just comes to show how tasty this dish is. The Korean Fried Chicken, aptly shortened to ‘KFC’, features boneless chicken leg meat with a choice between Sweet Soy Sauce or Spicy Gochujang Sauce. We chose the spicy gochujang sauce and the slightly sweet and spicy sauce with the crunchy texture of the peanut bits makes this dish the perfect choice to pair with a bottle of Dassai sake. But wait, there’s more. Not only are the deep-fried chicken leg pieces crispy and juicy, but the platter also has deep-fried rice cakes. The first piece I picked up and bit into I was slightly surprised because I expected it to be a piece of chicken, but this was a (very much) welcomed surprise.
Side note, I found myself finishing the small dish of pickled vegetables as well since it helped to cut through the heavier taste of the fried meat.
Korean Fried Chicken, aptly shortened to ‘KFC’ with spicy gochujang sauce.
As the evening progressed and the lights dimmed and the autumn breeze drifted in from the doorway, we saw that more groups were coming in for group gatherings. This may be why the menu has an entire section dedicated to ‘Food for Drinks’ (ie. food that goes well with drinks). Although this was a bit unexpected, it ended up being a really good vibe for a weekend dinner. We will likely come back to try their lunch menu as well, as I’ve had my eye on the Zoomak Kooksoo — Noodle in Umami Broth, Egg, Wood Ear, Asian Red Chili, and Pork Shoulder. This dish seems like it would make for the ideal cozy lunchtime meal.
What I’ve observed in the past months is there are more places like Zoomak, which has a distinctly different vibe during lunch hour in comparison to their dinner seating. It offers guests a unique experience at different times of day, and this is a welcomed change to see more variety and transformation from day to night in the Gastown neighbourhood. Even next door at The Birds and The Beets, the morning coffee spot converts into an outdoor wine bar at night. Cheers to restauranteurs quickly adapting their business to the evolving landscape. We can’t wait to see what else is in store.
A 330ml of Dassai to pair with our share platters.