Seoul Gamasot — Restaurant in Calgary

We came because I was craving Korean food. I got the daeji gukbap and my boyfriend got the beef brisket sullungtang. Overall, it's a pretty solid soup place. The daeji gukbap I got was really good; it had a hint of perilla leaf that made it pretty delicious and there were a lot of different bits of pork. I see people complaining about how oily some soups are but ours were okay. There was some oil floating on the top but nothing crazy. There were 4 sides, which is a pretty small amount for a Korean place but you really don't need much else to cut the richness of the soups. Overall, I'd definitely come back here again.

A weird initial experience we had was that she brought the rice and the alcohol over first..? Not the water or the sides. I was pretty confused but she came back with the water and sides afterward. I had to ask for napkins but it wasn't a big deal.

I think this restaurant definitely has some kinks to work out but it's a tasty place. I hope it sticks around for a while, it would be super nice on a cold winter day.

Update: We came back cause the weather was gloomy and a little chilly. The waitress was still super nice and she recognized me. Bumping my review to a 5 star cause the food was great and they made strides on their service (:

Update #2: We live near here so we come here often and I'm finding the sides are pretty inconsistent. Sometimes the kimchi sides are too fermented or under fermented. The previous time we went, we got nengmyeon and I don't think I've ever waited 30 minutes for nengmyeon before. Perhaps the kitchen staff was busy and perhaps need to hire more help. I still think their soups are the best thing on the menu as per their name sake. Maybe they were just having a bad day but it was kind of disappointing for us.

Edit #3: Docking another star because their waitresses and cooks are still a mess. I went with a group of 6 and they only gave us 1 set of banchan so everybody was reaching over each other on the tables. The food still takes a while to come out even though the restaurant wasn't very busy and they forgot one of our friend's orders!! It feels like there's no order of operations for what they do and they are pretty unorganized. Pretty upsetting considering the food is...

Stepping into Seoul Gamasot, I didn't know I was in for a treat, and nothing prepared me for the incredible culinary experience that unfolded. This isn't just a meal; it's a vibrant, flavorful journey that will leave you planning your next visit before you've even finished your last bite.

We started with the Seafood Pancake, and I can confidently say it was the best I've ever had. Crispy on the outside, tender and packed with fresh seafood on the inside, it set an exceptionally high bar for the rest of the meal.

Next up was the Spicy Beef Soft Tofu Soup, and it was absolutely divine. The broth was rich and deeply flavorful, perfectly spiced, and brimming with incredibly generous portions of tender beef, silky soft tofu, and a delightful array of fresh vegetables. Each spoonful was a comforting burst of authentic Korean taste and coupled with rice - it was exquisite!

The Spicy Stir-Fried Pork was another showstopper. The pork was incredibly flavorful, with just the right amount of kick, and it was served atop a bed of perfectly cooked, tasty cabbage that soaked up all the delicious juices. It was a harmonious blend of textures and tastes.

And not to forget the side dishes (banchan) – oh, the banchan! I've had Korean food many times, but these were hands down the best side dishes I have ever encountered. Even as someone who typically doesn't care for kimchi, their kimchi was surprisingly delicious and perfectly balanced. The spicy radish offered a refreshing crunch and a delightful zing, while the sesame sprouts were tender and subtly nutty. The true revelation, however, was a fried tofu-like dish that was wonderfully peppery and utterly delicious – a unique and memorable addition to the spread.

Every dish was prepared with obvious care and an authentic touch. The quality of ingredients, the generous portions, and the explosion of flavors made this an unparalleled dining experience. If you're looking for truly exceptional Korean cuisine, this place is an absolute must-visit. You won't be...

Downright the worst restaurant experience I've ever had. I came with a group of 9: To start off, the food took around 30 minutes to even come after we ordered. Made zero sense as the restaurant wasn't even half full, and there were at least 4 staff members on duty. When the food FINALLY came, the seasoning for everything was horrendous. The soondae gookbap was far too peppery and salty, while the soondoboo was extremely underseasoned. It genuinely tasted like they threw some tofu and vegetables into slightly spicy water. Honestly, it takes talent to make it taste that bland while maintaining that deep red look to the stew. It completely deceived us. All of the stews were 90% broth and had barely any meat/vegetables, which is outrageous for the price we've paid for it. To make matters even worse, they forgot the korean chicken on our order, so we had to wait another 15-ish minutes for that. The staff didn't even know what order they had missed, and asked about a completely different dish instead which baffled us. When we did receive the chicken it was COMPLETELY RAW INSIDE. It's pictured above, but the picture fails to even capture how bright pink it was. We complained, and had to wait ANOTHER 20 minutes for them to make a new batch. The basic banchan wasn't even good, they put way too much pepper on most of them, and the radish kimchi was under fermented. The only time the waitresses bothered to pay attention to us was when we were complaining about something, and did not come around to check up on our table otherwise. To top it all off we received an automatic 18% service charge because of the size of our group. I falsely believed they would exempt us from it because of the terrible food and service, but they unfortunately did not. It's extremely ironic that it's called a SERVICE charge despite the lack of it that we experienced. It's astounding that they've managed to score a 4 star average rating. Do not come here, they couldn't even pay me to...