Namu Kitchen - Korean Style Brunch Cafe — Restaurant in West Covina

Last night, we had a delightful dinner with friends at Yuk Dae Jang restaurant in Rowland Heights. As we eagerly awaited the arrival of our galbi jjim, nengmyun, and bossam dishes, the conversation turned to the Korean foods I’ve missed while I was abroad. One of the guys raved about the incredible souffle french toast served at the nearby Namu Kitchen, a relatively new local place that specializes in Korean-inspired brunch. Although I myself am not typically drawn to overly sweet culinary creations, the very idea of experiencing a unique Korean twist on a classic brunch staple piqued my curiosity and left me intrigued.

The very next day, I checked out their menu and noticed the French toast, but what caught my eye was the jang jorim burrito. We hopped in the car and made our way there. It is located at the Hong Kong Plaza (https://g.co/kgs/TQ7F7H1), which had gotten a facelift since I was last there about a year ago, with a modernized exterior and a few new venues. Definitely worth another trip to check out the plaza and its renovations. Keep in mind it's been about a year since my last visit.

True to my personality and habits, I began to imagine the owner's background and noticed the tree in the center of the restaurant. Being old-school generation of Koreatown (and missing the KTOWN I knew and loved), I immediately thought about Namu Hanna (One Tree). For those who experienced KTOWN at its best, Namu Hanna was an OG cafe with a single tree feature in the middle of the venue. This brought back classic Koreatown memories that I will always be fond of.

Anyway, I digress... Now, back to Namu Kitchen and the menu items of food we ordered.

Souffle French Toast was good, I can see why your friend with a true sweet tooth enjoyed it so much. The Karaage Chicken was prepared with a light, crispy batter that complemented the juicy chicken. And pairing it with the creamy Japanese mayo and the bold, spicy Korean sauce gave it a nice flavor profile - a good balance of savory, tangy, and heat. PRO TIP: The Karaage and the Korean Fried Chicken are prepared exactly the same way. The only difference between the two is the sauces 0 so get both!

The star of the meal for me was the Jang Jorim Breakfast Burrito! It featured a Jang Jorim/Galbi Jjim-inspired brisket that is hands-down the best shredded beef I've ever had in a breakfast burrito. Paired with scrambled eggs, cheese, avocado, grilled onions, and red peppers, all wrapped in a wheat flour tortilla, it was exceptional. The burrito was so flavorful that it didn't need additional sauces, but the chimichurri-like green chili sauce was a must-try. I can't wait to return for another!

Brunch menu aside, I was truly impressed by Lydia, the wonderfully sweet and thoughtful owner who graciously came out to personally greet us. Her warm and inviting demeanor instantly made us feel right at home. Lydia shared the exciting news that a dinner menu will be launching in the coming months, and I simply can't wait for August to arrive so I can return and experience the...

I’m so sorry. I really don’t get what the hype is. Btw, I love my Korean food. I will literally eat anything that’s Korean. But this place seems to be more for the eyes and mouths of instagram. I came in with my mom on a Saturday around 11:30am. There were a few empty tables so we didn’t have to wait. We ordered drinks and food within a few minutes. We were literally about to get up and leave because we had waited 15 min for a coffee and 30 min for some toast and jam and my mom’s breakfast plate. The turnover rate was actually ridiculous. There were only 2 servers and 1 guy who I assume was the owner. Most of the time, they were just standing there while other tables were also waiting literally forever. I felt so bad for the people lining up outside around noon bc NO WAY were they getting fed within the hour.

In terms of the food itself, it was fine. I got the jam & ricotta toast. It was pretty good. Nothing to write home about and I definitely wouldn’t get it again if I had to wait 30+ min. My mom’s breakfast plate was good too. Their Korean sausage was SO yummy. But again, wouldn’t wait for that for 30 min again. The breakfast plate was also kinda expensive for what it was….

There are a lot of parts of the food-making process that could be changed. I know labor is expensive but they need to hire more people in the kitchen or streamline the process somehow. The salad, bread and the jam can be ready and slapped onto a plate the moment someone orders it. The jam and toast are so easy to prep.

Anyway, I would only come again at off-peak times on a weekday. the service seriously needs to change because the wait time was...

On May 10th, I had Korean style brunch for the first time while I was in the area and waiting for my Jeep to get serviced. I arrived and was asked if I had reservations. I said no, so they put me down. The wait was about 35 to 40 minutes. It seemed busy inside. Once I was seated and the server brought my lemonade. It seemed like he kinda forgot about me. I waited about another 25 to 35 minutes for him to take my order. I had to get his attention to realize that he still needed to take my order. I ordered the Kimchi Pancake & Strawberry Lemonade. The pancakes come paired with salad, avocado slices, and egg. The pancake had a unique taste that I liked for a bit, but I couldn't finish it since it was still something new to me. I did enjoy the salad & avocado. I asked the server for a slice of bread with blueberry jam to get rid of a bit of the after taste of the pancake. I sat for another 35 minutes while I waited for my lyft. The manager lady or owner greeted me and was attentive since she noticed I was there by myself. That was nice of her. I think next time I want to try the Jam & Ricotta Toast or just regular toast. I did enjoy the lemonade since they made fresh strawberry puree for it. I would recommend you make reservations ahead of time and just make sure the server doesn't forget about you too long. At least for me, everything from being my first time being there and eating Korean brunch was decent. Also, there is seating outside while you wait for them to alert you that your table is ready. The vibe was calming and...