G I N.
Yelp
2024-04-27. Rich JC. Ann Arbor, MI.
If you know nothing about Ann Arbor, you'll still probably know that it's home to the University of Michigan Wolverines. One of the top ranking public universities in the USA.
Being a big college town, the immediate area is basically made up of four smaller districts: Kerrytown to the northwest, and home to Zingerman's Deli; Main Street district to the west, filled with inventive restaurants, creative cocktail bars, music venues, and art galleries; State Street district to the immediate west, for those who love historic architecture, theater and music performances, world-class art, shopping, and fine dining; and South University District located to the south and to the east of the campus, the classic "college town" neighborhood, perfect for strolling, picnics, and pictures (it's home to one of the world's best law libraries and was a venue contender for the Harry Potter Films!)
Rich JC is an unsuspecting local favorite. This diner converted Korean restaurant has no table seating. It only has diner counter and stools so it's not ideal for larger parties. It is ideal for hungry students wanting a quick meal.
The menu is limited, but covers all your basic Korean dishes, from appetizers to meat entrees, rice dishes, noodle entrees, and soups. I don't mind a limited menu, so long as what they limit it to is made well.
We went with Bi Bim Bop, Dolsot Bul Go Gi, and a Kimchi Jigae.
Bi Bim Bop. This was pretty standard fare. The veggies were pickled, but not overbearingly sour. The bul go gi was thin and tender and tasted exactly as it should. Not disappointing, but not spectacular either. 3 stars.
Dakot bul go gi. This is essentially bul go gi beef marinated in bul go gi sauce, with mixed fried veggies, all over a bed of rice in a hot stone pot. The stone is heated up to 450F so will create a nice crusty layer of rice at the bottom. Traditionally, this dish is accompanied with a small bowl of soup broth to allow you to soften the crusty rice so that you can lift it from the bowl and consume it tasting the roasted flavor of the rice. Like the Bi Bim Bop, the Dolsot Bul Go Gi didn't disappoint, but didn't wow either. It's exactly as it should be. 4 stars.
Kimchi Jigae. This is a spicy Korean ramen soup. The dish is served in a cast iron pot and served with a bowl of rice, and some picked vegetables on the side. The broth was nice and spicy as expected and came piping piping hot! This is a good winter dish that will warm you to the bone on those chilly winter nights. Flavor-wise, the soup was quite good and the spicy pepper broth did not fall short on the chili pepper. The kimchi was a nice additional kick as well adding complexity to the already spicy dish. 4 stars.
Overall, Rich JC is a no-nonsense Korean Joint serving so homemade dishes. I get the feeling that some recipes have been modified to North American tastes and tolerances, but the modifications may also be due to the difficulty in getting some ingredients. The price is on par with what I'd expect to spend in College town and so is the atmosphere and vibe. I'm a fan.
The next time I'm back here I'll definitely be trying the Rich Gal Bi. Gal Bi would have rounded out all my usual suspects, but alas I don't have the appetite I used to. A fourth dish would have been way too much for us. The good news is that we'll have something to look forward to the next time we return.
If You would like to experience more, come dine-with-me.yelp.com I'd love to have your company... Bon Appétit!