-Grubbing in Chicago
Modern Korean Food in West Town
It seems like every year in Chicago there’s a new modern Korean restaurant everybody is checking out. Places like Jeong, Perilla, and Parachute (now Parachute HiFi) come to mind. Well a couple of weeks ago I started to notice a lot of momentum for a new spot on Grand Avenue in West Town called Mister Tiger. It’s a project between a sister and a brother, Charlie Park and Min Lee, who wanted to pay homage to their mother and grandmother - their pictures hang on the restaurants walls.
Recently Opened in West Town
Mister Tiger had its soft opening at the end of January and according to the menu on my visit last week they’re still in soft opening mode. That said the current menu is typical in size of a modern restaurant of this type. We were able to walk in and be immediately seated around 730p mid week but that momentum I mentioned is picking up so it’s only getting busier as word continues to spread. It was still pretty busy on our visit but they have a couple of rooms plus the bar so there’s a good amount of space. They’re still waiting on their liquor license so it’s byob for now but they plan to introduce a spirit list with Korean liquors and cocktails made with those liquors front and center.
a peek inside
The menu at Mister Tiger is made up of mostly traditional Korean dishes be it the homestyle type (kimchi stew), the Korean bar type (spicy baby back ribs topped with melted mozzarella), or the Korean BBQ type (marinated LA Galbi). We started with three appetizers and the dumplings came out first. They came out accompanied by a set of banchan (small gratis side dishes) and each of them was as delicious as the last but I think the stir fried fishcakes known as Eomuk Bokkeum might've been my favorite. But I'm also partial to Asian potato salads and they make a tasty and super smooth Korean version. Korean dumplings aka Mandu are typically something I stray away from at Korean restaurants unless they're known for them as lots of spots just use a frozen variety of which there are many. I also prefer my dumplings pan fried to deep fried and mandu is usually the latter if they're not being steamed. All that said I really liked the pork mandu at Mister Tiger. For one they're made in house and produce a pleasant burst of porky flavor upon first bite but what I really liked was the side of sweet and spicy cabbage salad served alongside them - they worked really well together.
Dumplings at Mister Tiger
I must admit I'm not the biggest fan of Korean Fried Chicken or really any type of fried chicken for that matter. Don't get me wrong - I don't dislike it I just don't crave it as much as other stuff. But I had heard that the KFC at Mister Tiger was some of the best in town and the picture I saw that came with that claim looked pretty good so we chose the sweet and spicy over the soy garlic on the waiters rec. It's served in chunks and comes with a crisp and tight batter that really does feel like a step up from other versions I've tried but in the end I preferred the Korean Beef Bites which are juicy marinated patties of ground beef bursting with a wonderful sweetness from a delicious soy glaze - sorry no pic.
Korean Fried Chicken at Mister Tiger
Bibimbap is one of my favorite dishes to both say and eat - especially in the colder months like this. Bibim means "mixing" and bap means rice which is what you do with a bowl of bimbimbap before you start eating it. But not all bibimbap is equal. The best bibimbap is served in a sizzling hot stone bowl that both warms you up from the steam it creates and and also because of the wonderful socarrat which it creates. Socarrat is the Spanish word for the crispy rice that forms at the bottom of the bowl. Bi Bim Bap starts with a heaping serving of white rice which is then topped with assorted vegetables plus a sunny side up fried and a protein of your choice with bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef) being the most popular. It's always served with a semi thicker sauce that starts with Gochujang and typically includes sesame oil, rice vinegar and a few other seasonings that vary by recipe. It's always best to mix the top half up once it's delivered to your table so that the egg yolk gets mixed in but let the bottom half of the bowl rest and get extra crisp should you have the strength to wait it all out.
Dolsat BiBimBap at Mister Tiger
We were told that the Galbi-jjim was the kitchens signature, and most strenuous, dish. Galbi-jjim is a royal dish which pairs slow-cooked short rib with rice cakes and a variety of expertly cut vegetables in a rich and tangy sauce. It takes time to cook the short ribs down and slice all the veggies perfectly. This was the dish I knew I wanted to try before we stepped foot inside the restaurant so I was all in upon hearing it was their specialty and it was easy to see why upon that first bite. Actually I knew it was good even before the first bite as I sliced a perfectly shaped piece of short rib precisely down the middle with zero resistance whatsoever. Come to think of it this was one of the most faultlessly braised pieces of meat I've ever come across. I thought about visiting again before posting this just so I could try all the other stuff that both looked and sounded good but in the end I decided this meal in and of itself was enough to make Mister Tiger an early entry among the years best new restaurants.
Galbijjim at Mister Tiger
Mister Tiger
1132 W Grand Ave
Chicago, IL 60642
(312) 219-5211
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