NaMu Steakhouse: Traditional and Fusion Korean Food

After many months of teasing, NaMu Steakhouse Korean Bar & Grill has opened on Spencer Place between Häagen-Dazs and DeCicco's, and it is well worth the wait. The atmosphere is modern and soothing with a contemporary soundtrack, real candles, soft lighting and Zen-like decorations. It is family owned and run, and it shows with attention to detail and wonderful service.

To start, our waitress offered kimchi, a spicy pickled cabbage dish, bean sprouts, spicy summer squash and pickled vegetables. All were excellent and made fresh every day. The pickled vegetables were spicy, with thin slices of Jalapeño peppers and a slightly sweet finish. The kimchi was not super-spicy, but had plenty of flavor. The bean sprouts were great and simple, our favorite if we had to pick just one. They have a full liquor license and a well-stocked bar with Korean selections as well as all the favorites and they are looking into offering local craft beer.

The Mandu beef dumplings were excellent; handmade and pan fried to a perfect brown and crispy exterior. The beef filling mixed with vegetables was flavorful and when dipped in the accompanying light soy sauce, were some of the best dumplings we have encountered.

While the menu is not extensive, it offers both traditional Korean dishes and fusion dishes. Two examples are Korean tacos with a variety of fillings, and an appetizer of pineapple, asparagus or rice cakes on a skewer wrapped in bacon. They have a good selection of seafood dishes featuring scallops, salmon, shrimp, calamari and mussels. Meats include beef, chicken and pork.

We tried the Donkatzu, a Japanese dish of lightly bread pork cutlets served with a homemade soy based sauce that was excellent. The Pork Bulgogi, ordered spicy and served with rice, was amazing. Served on a combination stone and steel hot plate, it stayed piping hot to the very end. The pork was thinly sliced and tender, mixed with rice, was perfectly balanced and a highlight of the meal.

We were also offered Korean iced citron tea, which was a perfect complement to the spicy food and refreshing on a hot summer night. Citron is citrus fruit similar to a lemon, and the drink is like American lemonade, but not nearly as sweet with a more subtle light flavor. It is said to be a good digestive aid and healthful for its high vitamin C content. Worth trying and it could easily become a favorite.

Overall, the food is excellent, freshly prepared and high quality. The service was good and the atmosphere was relaxing and soothing. A good value for the quality and service offered. Highly recommended.

Namu Steakhouse
13 Spencer Place
Scarsdale, NY 10583
914-874-5655

http://www.namusteakhouse.com
https://www.facebook.com/namusteakhouse

Open Sun-Thurs 11am - 10pm, Fri & Sat 11am - 11pm