Thumbs Up Restaurant

Last week, my friend Diona a.k.a TitaFlips and I got together for dinner.  We used to dine out a lot before but it has been cut down to size because we have an extra cute baby girl to factor in.  I knew I had to find a place where we can sit right away. A non-trendy restaurant that has quality food where service is fast was a must-have on my list.  Since Diona has weakness for soups and Asian flavours, I opted to go looking at Koreatown and I stumbled on Thumbs Up Restaurant.  It is amazing to me how high their rating is with Urbanspoon and all that was in the menu seemed to be like home-cooked fare.  So thumbs up in all requirements, we went for Korean.

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Walking in Thumbs Up, it was indeed nothing trendy but what was good about it was that the restaurant was half occupied meaning it is probably popular among the locals.  As I waited for Diona to arrive, I see a lot of people come in for pick-up too.  I started understanding the high rating for Thumbs Up in Urbanspoon.  The only reason that popped in my mind was that the food must be good.  The thought really made me feel so hungry.

Finally Diona, Manang Lina and Tianna came and we occupied one of the tables with banquet seating.   Tianna was making happy gurgling baby talk as we went about what we wanted to try.  After all was said and done, I think we overdid it as we ordered a good amount of food probably good for six people when there were really just me, Diona and Manang Lina.  We went for  Gamja Tang (Pork-bone soup with potatoes, vegetables and rice),  Woogergi Gook (Beef soup with soybean paste, vegetables and rice),  Japchai Bap (Stir fried glass noodles with beef, shrimp, vegetables and rice), Dukbocki (Stir fried rice sticks with fishcake and vegetables) and Seafood Pancake (Assorted seafood, egg, flour and vegetables).   That with banchan of kimchi, pickled radish and fish cake, it was challenging to finish it all. 

Of that very long list, I say try the Gamja Tang if you ever choose to follow suit and drop by.  Just by taste you would know how long it was cooked as the meat fell off the bone with just a gentle prod of a spoon.  It was hearty and one can ask to dial down the spiciness too.  I must admit that I wished I listened to instinct and went by their best dish.  Second and third faves are the seafood pancake and Dukbocki.  There was something  about that Dukboki that was rather addicting.  The rice stick alone would be bland but follow it up with a spoonful of the sauce it was swimming in, it makes so much sense.

That was really one big dinner with Diona and I was  glad to say that Tianna was  comfortable with the space and the noise level.  I guess I have to find more places like this.  I do miss dining with Diona.  Now that I know what to look for, I know there will be more meals together. :)