Since “date nights” are few and far between, I always love when my husband and I get to re-connect and try something new. Recently we dined at the newly opened Korealistic restaurant in West Chester. Korealistic will take you on a Cincinnati dining adventure to Korea and Japan. Our go to “date night” seems to involve dinner and a movie and tonight was no exception. We were welcomed to Korealistic and the inviting space offered booths just perfect for two. There were also plenty of tables that can accommodate larger groups (there was a group of eight dining near us). Korealistic is also BYOB so this can definitely help your date night budget ($5 corking fee charged).
Korealistic’s menu has so many enticing choices to choose from. I love sushi, but since my husband isn’t a fan, we opted to share the Japaneses deep fried veggie and shrimp tempura ($9.95). The light flaky batter was accompanied by a delicious dipping sauce. I really enjoyed the tempura sweet potatoes and just wish we would have a few more of those on our plate. Both our meals also included Miso soup.
Next, we had to decide on our main course. Since neither of us has ever tried Korean cuisine, I wanted to try a Korean specialty while Chris opted for a Japanese dish. Our server explained that all Korean dishes are accompanied by 5 side dishes and the hostess explained that most Korean dishes are between 290-490 calories due to the heavy emphasis on vegetables in the dishes. She did say that I would still walk away feeling very full. The 5 side dishes (Banchan) were small tastings. I can’t remember them all but I know we had Kimchi, a seaweed side, and a few pickled sides.
My main course was Dolsot Bibimbap ($14.95), which consisted of “steamed rice topped with assorted stir fried vegetables and egg with your choice of beef, chicken, calamari or Tofu served in a sizzling hot stone bowl with sauce on the side”. I opted for chicken and my dish came out piping hot and sizzling. I loved the presentation. A cracked egg was placed on the top and the hostess told me to mix it into the dish so it could cook. My sizzling dish was delicious and quite filling. My husband selected Japanese Teriyaki chicken ($15.95). His meal started with a salad followed by Miso soup and his dish was accompanied by a side of rice and steamed seasoned vegetables. The Teriyaki chicken was moist and flavorful. I couldn’t resist stealing a few bites.
Banchan – 5 Korean side dishes (meant for sharing).
Dolsot Bibimbab (prior to mixing egg to cook in sizzling bowl)
Japanese Teriyaki Chicken
Of course, date night dining isn’t complete without sharing a dessert. We thoroughly enjoyed the fried ice cream. “Vanilla ice cream wrapped in pound cake and lightly fried in tempura batter and drizzled with chocolate and strawberry sauce” ($5.95). I hope you will visit Korealistic soon and enjoy your own dining adventures.
