Why is Woori in Arlington, MA the certifiable best Korean restaurant in the greater Boston area, hands-down? Translated to “our” house, the food at Woori is made with love, and it shows. When formulating the name, owner Hyun Jung Ra wanted the brand to reflect homestyle cooking, and the restaurant has variously employed Ra’s mother, husband, brother, and daughter (Ahran Kim). We love Woori so much that it was our must-have every week during the pandemic, to make sure our favorite spot also survived it through those rough days of businesses closing up shop. Hyun Jung and Ahran make sure that their customers are taken care of, no matter what their dietary needs, including specially-marked gluten-free preparations. They’ll tune up or tone down the spice level, to match their customer’s taste buds and tolerances.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Hyun Jung and Ahran to talk about the origins of this establishment, which has been a family operation for 11 years. When she first came to America, Hyun Jung hit a turning point in her life and decided to go into culinary, as she says, “we eat three meals a day!” So Hyun Jung first worked at Koreana, a Korean BBQ establishment in Cambridge MA, to learn the ropes, before moving on to JP Seafood Cafe (a Korean/Japanese restaurant) in Jamaica Plain, MA. Hyun Jung gained experience in serving Korean cuisine, and interacting with her mostly American (English-speaking) customer base, a skill which shows in her own restaurant. Hyun Jung and Ahran are the ever-helpful stewards of Woori, helping their customers with menu choices and explaining Korean cuisine, a touch of friendliness that goes a long way. Originally a different Korean/Japanese restaurant (Manna House), Woori needed to set itself apart from its past, and let the Arlington neighborhood know that a new page was turned and this was not the same food rebranded. As Ahran said, “food is just life for us,” and this family “does not mess around,” putting their best foot forward to deliver fresh, sensational meals. If you don’t believe them, she says, “just try it!”
The years have come and gone, but a few things remain the same at Woori: there are still customers dipping their toes into Korean food for the first time! For example, a lot of Americans avoid soybean paste, until it’s explained that it’s just a variation of Japanese miso paste. Some diners claim that “authentic” Korean food is a seafood pancake…but one dish does not define an entire culture’s food! Still there are regulars, like myself and a number of both locals and “the dish worth driving to” customers, who come for the food and atmosphere. Korean culture and food are spreading, and Hyun Jung and Ahran hope to see Korean food gain the status of say Chinese or Japanese food in America. That’s where winning over the waygooks comes into play.
Where to start the meal at Woori? The small plates section could go either way, tapas or appetizers. As a starting point, the crispy rice cakes (the featured photo) are genius and addictive. Deep-frying four tteok on a stick, then drizzling over a gochujang/boki sauce topped with sesame seeds elevates this street food to decadence. The mung bean pancakes are hard to find at restaurants, and stand no less tall than their relative on the menu, kimchi pancakes. The Sweet x3 Potato are crispy sweet potato bites of heaven. And Woori grills asparagus to perfection, with a slight balsamic glaze to impart a nice flavor. Their (non-GF) cheesy and SSF dumplings are clearly a labor of love, and a worthy staple.
Spending a few bucks on the banchan set is well worth the money: Korean traditional flavors are melded with American takes, and won’t disappoint. The original recipes for this ever-rotating selection comes from Ra’s mother, who labored for many years in the kitchen to bring these Korean flavors to America. As the owner pointed out, a lot of Americans just ignored the banchan and wasted it, so there’s a nominal charge. The green cabbage kimchi is a perennial favorite, the macaroni salad and potato salad take me back to my (American) great grandmother’s house, and the way fresh, seasonal vegetables are incorporated is inspiring.
If you’re looking for the freshest, tastiest bibimbap in the Northeast, it’s at Woori. Hyun Jung’s father was a phenomenally talented chef in Korea, and was known for his bibimbap. One of his dying wishes was that his daughter remember him by making his bibimpbap recipe. And as the featured dish of the restaurant, the love and care shows. Each ingredient is cooked to perfection. With white, brown, and black rice options, the rice is appropriately portioned, and makes a nice sear to the pot. Woori’s bibimbaps come in beef, chicken, spicy pork, fried tofu, steamed tofu, spicy squid, salmon, and shrimp proteins, to accommodate any diet. Topped with an (optional) fresh fried egg, the squeeze bottle of gochujang sauce, soy sauce, or GF gochujang sauce allows diners to dial-in their condiment level. And remember, waygooks, bibimbap is best eaten with a spoon, and mixing the flavors together, as Hyun Jung and Ahran point out! So put the chopsticks away!
The rest of the menu is no less fantastic. The kimchi jigae (stew) here is probably my favorite, such a rich, flavorful broth, and they’ll make it super spicy, which apparently is their maximum for even Koreans. Honestly, this is my go-to comfort food. I also like selecting white, brown, or black rice, depending on my mood. The soondobu jigae (tofu stew) and yuk gae jang (spicy beef stew) are other solid picks. They have a clean, sweet-and-savory japchae with the perfect touch of sesame oil, and a dumpling soup.
Most Americans think of Korean BBQ when they imagine Korean cuisine, but at the table leaves a lot of room for error and requires special ventilation. At Woori, they grill the meat and veggies in the back to absolute perfection, and save the grill smell from your clothes. Hyun Jung wanted to make sure that the portions are reasonable, and at a good price point. However, the same truisms hold for this version of BBQ, as Hyun Jung and Ahran mentioned and explains to her customers: Korean BBQ is still best eaten as a “taco,” with Romaine lettuce, rice, meat dipped in ssamjang (soybean paste/miso) sauce, and kimchi/banchan topping. A BBQ dish will go a long way, if you follow this formula!
They also make a mouth-watering K-Kass (thin, fried chicken or pork, aka donggasu) topped with their special sauce, and optional egg and cheese. That’s the more deluxe version. Crispy spicy chicken and shrimp are also specials on the menu. I’ve variously seen cold noodle soup (naengmyeon) in the summer as a special.
If you’re looking for a sikgdang (diner) that serves each dish with care and love, you won’t regret a trip to Woori. The price point is modest for the exceptional quality, and the staff truly makes you feel at home. Take the car trip, Uber/Lyft, bus or Minuteman Bikeway to Arlington MA, and have a nice, affordable lunch or dinner! Once you try it, you too may become a convert!
