Passport Restaurant — Restaurant in Beverly

New Korean restaurant that serves casual Korean dishes with a modern twist.

Was surprised to find this new Korean restaurant in Gloucester. With soft piano jazz playing in the background and tan curtains adorning the windows, it almost felt like one of those trendy casual Korean spots in "Gangnam."

Every meal here starts with a generous basket of buttery popcorn, regardless of the party size. On my first visit, I tried the App Combo, which included five different appetizers. They were solid overall, but none particularly stood out. The stir-fried Ramyun was also just decent. Its flavors were too mild for my taste as it mostly relied on soy sauce. However, their taro boba was amazing, so I decided to give them another try.

On my second visit, I got the Shrimp Tempura and the Budae Jjigae, and both were great. Budae Jjigae (Army Stew) isn't traditionally considered an elegant dish, as its base flavors come from a mix of inexpensive ingredients like bacon, sausage, spam, and ham, often resulting in sodium-heavy versions at typical Korean restaurants. However, the one at Gloucester Gangnam was different. While it initially seemed slightly bland, the soup was perfectly rich and creamy without being salty. This allowed each topping to shine through, and the buttery aftertaste of the soup was particularly enjoyable. In my humble opinion, one of the best Budae Jjigae I've had on the East Coast.

Overall, the dishes at Gangnam lean towards subtle seasoning, which works well for some dishes but not as much for others. It certainly offers a healthier alternative to the casual Korean fare typically served at authentic Korean restaurants. Would definitely return to explore more dishes and enjoy the Budae...

1st time going here since it changed from Horizons Chinese food. I was curious to check it out because Korean restaurants with Korean bbq wings don't seem to be that plentiful in these parts. Waiter was pleasant and nice, but young. Kind of lingered uncomfortably long as if to kill time as the place was empty and food seemed to take awhile to start coming out. My fiancé and I ordered 2 sushi rolls that were mediocre, and of course had to get an order of wings. They give like 10 options for heat level and I think she ordered somewhat mild. Food came out and it was good, but not amazing. It wasn't bad, but not the same level as Bonchon in Harvard Sq. I was really hoping to have a gem in my backyard but it just didn't quite hit the mark for me. Also items like rice that were supposed to come with the dishes didn't get served until we mentioned it. They have been open for a long time now and it seems strange that business isn't booming, but maybe that is a sign in itself of what the patrons prefer. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the restaurant, I can be pretty critical and this was my impression of my 1st visit, I cant honestly say that I will...

Tonight, 8/4, we went once more to Passport MA on Rantoul St in Beverly. Once more we had a great meal. Tonight we went for their 50% off burger special. We had Kkanpung Mandoo as an appetizer. Six delicious dumplings that were pleasant to the eye as well as the palette. The sauce which looks heavy did not overpower the light flavor of the filling.

We then ordered the California Burger substituting cheddar instead of the swiss cheese and also the Kimchee Burger. We also asked for a side of Gochujang sauce instead of ketchup for the fries. Everything was delicious. The only thing I will do the next time is ask for less salt on the fries but it was okay because the Gochujang sauce countered the salt nicely.

As always, Henry provided great service. This has become one of our favorite spots because of the atmosphere, service and quality of the food. We are already looking forward to...