Fall is slowly approaching! I can't wait to put away my summer clothes & bring out my fall wardrobe. Goodbye neons, hello autumn colors. Anyways, I hope you all have been enjoying my reviews lately!
I've been talking about crazes lately! Well, before the Korean BBQ and bakery influxes, tofu soup houses started it all-way before the other two did. For as long as I can remember, tofu houses used to be the most popular sorts of Korean restaurants. It all started with 88 Tofu House on Buford Highway (closed), followed by So Kong Dong and other places, then slowly started making its way to the Gwinnett area. Growing up, I've probably dined at most or all of these places for as long as I can remember-every Sunday during my parents' day off, we'd have lunch/dinner at a new tofu soup restaurant. Having had way too much tofu soup, I went through a period where I just did not want to step foot into another tofu soup restaurant for the longest time, until now that is. Call me crazy, but I woke up one morning this past week and had the biggest and most sudden hankering for tofu soup, which led my mom & I to have our usual lunch date here, at Well-Bean.
Let's get started:
★Well-bean's exterior/storefront
★Menu-there are descriptions in English too!
★Well-bean's interior
★LA Kalbi & Seafood Soondubu (aka spicy tofu soup) Combo ($13.99)
-Soups normally around around $8
★LA Kalbi & Curry Soondubu Combo ($13.99)
★Yes, ALL of those banchans came with the meal, regardless of whether or not you order the combo set
★After the red bean rice has all been scooped out, warm barley tea is added to the sizzling rice left inside the hot stone bowl and is eaten like a soup. Very aromatic & refreshing!
★FOOD (5/5): After 10+ years of eating at various tofu soup houses in Atlanta, I've found my new favorite restaurant selling this Korean staple right here in Duluth. Sure, it took quite some time to find it, but boy am I glad I did. Where to begin-we'll start with the banchans, which is the Korean word for side dishes. Any Korean restaurant you dine at, you're always given plates of banchans before your meal arrives. Some restaurants may give you only a few, while others give you an abundance of them. At Well-Bean, they sure didn't skimp. My mom and I were given TEN, yes 10 banchans, that's more than double or triple what you would normally get at any other Korean tofu soup restaurants. Not only was it a good bit, but they were pretty darn tasty as well. Among the staples, there was also a spicy soft potatoes, lightly sauteed mushrooms, and a broth with potatoes and fish chunks amongst many more. Onto the main entrees-since my mom and I were pretty hungry, we both ordered the Kalbi & Tofu soup combo ($13.99)-she ordered the spicy seafood tofu soup, while I ordered the curry tofu soup. I know what you're thinking....curry and tofu soup... what a strange combo! WRONG, probably the most delicious soup I've ever had at any Korean restaurant. The curry was thick and similar to some of the best Japanese curry-very flavorful, with bits of potatoes, carrots and beef. The soft tofu actually blends in perfectly with the steamy broth-just mix your rice in with it, you've got a serious winner. Seriously heavenly-I'm coming back here more often just for this alone. I admit, I was a bit skeptical ordering the curry soup since it was a pretty unique combination, but having been "tired" of the same spicy tofu soup and wanting to try something different, it ended up being the best decision ever. Even my mom's tofu soup had a good bit of seafood (shrimps, clams, squid) and was just perfectly spicy too. Even the LA Ribs were amazing here! So flavorful, moist & aromatic! Perfectly cooked on the sizzling hot plate, chewy and tender-LOVE it! And lastly, if you're wondering what the last picture above is-i'll explain. After your rice has been removed out of the dolsot (hot stone bowl), barley tea is placed inside and allowed to simmer and pull off the remaining rice stuck to the sides of the bowl. After your done with you meal, you simply drink the watery/rice concoction to help cleanse your palate & VOILA! :) Everything was amazing-the side dishes to the soups to the kalbi-it was a real winner!
★SERVICE (1/5): My mom and I came in during the lunch rush on Sunday and had to wait ten minutes before we were seated (not a big deal). Throughout the entirety of our meal there, our waitress kept changing, but that wasn't an issue either. The main reason why three stars were docked was because even though there's a call button there, the waitress should still come and check on their customers regardless of whether or not they wanna "intrude", it's simply respectful to do so. Also, even when we did push the call button (the rush had significantly died down by then) and asked for refills of water and banchan, they forget to bring it by twice! When we asked again, one of the ladies had brought our check over, when I was only in the middle of eating. That's simply RUDE. I would've given Well-Bean a zero, but the other servers weren't as bad as the one who handed us our check, so that's the reason why it's not a 0/5. My parents who frequent this restaurant often say that service has never been this shoddy and that it's a little odd, but whatever the reason, the employees didn't make that great of an impression on me. Here's to hoping next time will be much better than this visit. Also, fair warning-if you don't speak Korean here, you aren't accommodated as well-it's a trend that I've noticed ever since I was young girl. You don't get as much banchan, attention, or service if you're a non-Korean speaker-if you don't believe me, you'll have to experience it yourself. While some may see it as discriminatory, which in reality it is, that's how most Korean restaurants I've ever been too are. Luckily, members in my family do speak Korean so I've only experienced this type of service when I dine out with a group of friends who don't understand/speak the language, but it does happen very often, especially if you're dealing with older female employees.
★DECOR (5/5): Compared to the decor of other tofu houses in the greater Atlanta area, I really like how modern and elegant Well-Bean's decor is. The restaurant is bright and lit, and has a very welcoming feel to it due to all the open space. As soon as you walk in, you can't help but notice the large 6-7 ft tall glass art panels that divides the smaller tables from the larger tables, in addition to the four semi-enclosed rooms suitable for 1-4 customers. Also, if you have a larger party, they also have longer tables that connect with one another to fit your party. Lastly, you all know how I feel about black furniture....I LOVE it! So, it's not unexpected when I say that I love the decor here because of the table and chair finish, which really sets them apart from many of the tofu soup restaurants I've been too. It makes the whole restaurant look nice, sleek and clean-just the way I like it.
Overall, I really enjoyed Well-Bean, no wonder why it's one of my parents' favorite Korean restaurant in Duluth offering spicy tofu soups. While the service was a bit off on this particular visit, I'm sure it may have just been an off day, seeing that my parents do not tolerate bad service whatsoever. The restaurant itself makes a great place to bring friends and family, and there are TVs for those who dine alone or like to watch TV while they eat (will be in Korean though, fair warning). Thanks for making me fall back in love with spicy tofu soup Well-Bean, I'll be back for more of your steamy goodness very soon!
Thanks for stopping by,
-Sandy
FTC: I was not paid or compensated for this review, all reviews and opinions expressed are my own.
If you'd like to invite Bella Vivere to cover & share your restaurant's media events, tastings or parties, feel free to shoot me an email at bellavivere@gmail.com-Thanks!
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