Kunjip Tofu — Restaurant in Mountain View

From the group behind all the popular Korean restaurants in the South Bay Area. Rumor has it they're aiming for a spot in next year’s Michelin guide. And based on our experience, it seems promising. We waited over an hour for a booth, but it was absolutely worth it.

Snow Crab Twigim – Honestly, this should be a standard appetizer at every seafood spot. The batter was noticeably thinner and more delicate than typical snow crab tempura, and the sauces served alongside were incredible. Insanely umami-rich, yet creamy with just the right sweetness. Addictively good.

Chilean Seabass Twigim – Expected something buttery-rich, but the fish was surprisingly lean. Still impeccably fried, and the slight bitterness and subtle umami from the green laver elevated the flavors.

Pumpkin Sikhye – At $10, a bit pricey for sikhye. But genuinely one of the best I've ever had, including those in Korea. Slightly thick, with a pleasant viscosity that kept the rice grains evenly suspended instead of sinking to the bottom.

Side Dishes (Banchan) – Every entrée came with a set of banchan, all excellent. My favorites were the shrimp wanjajeon, seasoned zucchini, and sweet potato mousse. Loved that carts moved throughout the dining room offering refills.

Spicy Oxtail Jjim – Mild on the spice, mostly sweet. The sauce didn’t quite click for me personally, but the oxtail itself was incredibly tender.

Wagyu Galbi – Appreciated that they kept the bones intact, and the wagyu was obviously high-quality and flavorful. Just wished they’d done something more unique than the classic scallions and grilled oyster mushrooms. Good, but felt like it needed a sauce or topping with a bit more personality.

Wagyu Seolleongtang – Initially worried this would be too greasy, but it turned out to be fantastic. Comparable to some of the best Seolleongtangs I’ve had in Korea. Deep, naturally beefy broth without any artificial flavoring or heavy-handed seasoning. My favorite of the four entrées.

Gopchang Tofu Soup – After so many intensely flavorful dishes, this didn’t stand out quite as much. Still, a hearty, comforting tofu stew with plenty of toppings, served slightly thicker than usual (which I...

The new and elevated Kunjip Tofu in Mountain View has little in common with the original location that is a Korean staple in Santa Clara. While different, the sister restaurant delivers a top notch experience.

As someone who has been going to the original Kunjip location in Santa Clara since it first opened more than a decade ago, I was very excited to check out the new place.

While I miss the passive aggressive service of the ajumma at Santa Clara, this new restaurant is a very interesting idea and definitely a major departure from the original concept. It nicely compliments the original without actually replacing it in any way.

The service was absolutely impeccable. From the first step of being welcomed, all the way to the end of our meal, there wasn’t a single thing I could complain about. The staff were friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable, and on top of everything.

The place is sleek, modern, and very well designed. It’s a place you’d take someone you want to impress. They are definitely going for the elevated Korean food experience.

Much like the design concept of modern with hints of tradition, the food options are truly authentically Korean while being modernized for the palette of today.

There are plentiful banchan options (side dishes). From the usual kimchi to more innovative offerings, including abalone. You can get refills for most of them.

Don’t sleep on their tofu soup either! It’s rich in flavor and soothing to the soul. Their rice is made to perfection with a little crisp on the edges.

Whether you go with something more common as the spicy pork bulgogi or venture to try their oxtail, you will not be disappointed!

Overall, Kunjip Tofu builds upon the existing strong brand that to many in the Bay symbolizes authenticity, flavor and experience and then elevates it to the next level with more diverse offerings, modern design, and top notch service. While there are better Korean places out there, the total package here is more than deserving...

I've been to plenty of places across the U.S. that has "Kunjip" in the name but this is my favorite one. First, it's the only place in the area I can be confident in ordering a Wagyu Yookhweh without second guessing how clean the kitchen is. For the first four or so times I've been to this restaurant, yookhweh was all I ordered especially when it tastes better than the others I've had so far.

Incidentally, their japchae is superior to others I've had before and I'm not entirely sure why other than it's different (just try it). I also finally branched out to another dish for the last time I went and the octopus bibimbap was as good as I expected it to be.

If you also like to pair alcohol with your dishes like I do, the Pinot Noir with the yookhweh and the Cabernet Sauvignon with the octopus bibimbap were fairly enjoyable for me.

I bring my kids here for lunch and see other families with kids so they're fairly accomodating which I can appreciate. My kids even ask to go here unprompted. They're picky eaters though and I thought they'd enjoy the japchae but they apparently really look forward to the rice balls and enjoy the tofu soup completely without spice. I've never even seen soondubu that clear before now 😂

As for the service, it's great. On the spectrum of the typical Asian restaurant and something like Benu, it's a little closer to Benu.

We only ever go on the weekends for lunch so I don't know how it is for any other time, but if I had to have a gripe, it would be the long wait times. I almost never bother to wait to get in a restaurant when there are always others to go to or make reservations for but I make an exception for this one.

We'll keep going here as long as it stays around and we hope...