Jump to content

Seoul Food DC, Anna and JP Goree's Korean-Latino in Downtown Wheaton - Formerly a Food Truck in Arlington


Recommended Posts

I first tried out Seoul Food's offerings at the DC Grey Market a few months back. They're now a full-blown food truck and received a nice writeup in yesterday's Good to Go column. They make their way to Courthouse once every week or two, and Rosslyn, Clarendon, and Ballston are among their regular stops.

So far I've tried a couple of different dishes and find that they are tasty, filling, and a pretty good value. As the article notes, the bibimbap is a little different than the usual restaurant version, with shredded fresh carrots and radishes and salad greens included. The beef and the tofu version are both good, especially with the spicy chili sauce on top mingling with the runny egg yolk. The Superbowl tends more Latin, but is also loaded with good flavors and fresh ingredients.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't have much to add to goldenticket's original review above, except to say that while I've generally soured on food trucks these days (great to have options, but really, most of the food coming out of them is really just not that great) Seoul Food is one truck I keep coming back to. Their spicy bibimbop is great and a very generous portion (also something often lacking) and you can now get kimchee alongside it. They also do some interesting specials (eg today's shitaki, enoki and bunapi mushroom bowl) and drinks like ginger honey tea.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seoul Food is the one truck I head to quite regularly when they are parked in the Courthouse area. I'm partial to the tofu and kimchi bowl, but haven't been disappointed by anything I've ordered from them. Seasonal specials are always interesting; the SSA (Shiitake, Sprout, & Avocado Bowl) and various curries have all been tasty options. All of their food is made with care and is (relatively) healthy and clean. Anna also makes lovely sweets - carrot cake was yesterday's treat (I didn't order it, but have in the past).

They opened their restaurant in Wheaton last week (June 3). Coverage here and here from Kensington and Wheaton Patch websites. Twitter seems to be the best source of information for hours - their schedule has varied over the last week.

I wish them great success in their latest venture, but am happy that they're keeping the truck on the road!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you so much for your kind words. We are so humbled that you have been a fan since the Grey Market. We are learning as we go with the restaurant , it's completely different from the high volume of customers we experience on the road. We have to more people starting to help us out this week. Our team needs to expand. We would like to be open 7 days a week in the B&M and 4 days on the road in Arlington. We try to keep people updated on Twitter , also we are in the process of fixing up our messy web site. Hope to see you Monday at Courthouse(-;

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We tried them the other night and it was very fresh and tasty. I am looking forward to a tofu & kimchee bowl on a future visit. Its one of their many vegetarian selections. {Wondering if I can get that with a side of pork on top... I always think a little pork makes my vegetarian dining even better... reminds me of meat you know! :P }

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to the food truck the other day, got a steak burrito bowl medium.  I really like the flavor of the steak, avocado and kimchi.  Next time I may ask for it without sauce, the spicy sauce was good, but there was a lot of it and it kind of overtook the flavor from the other ingredients which were really good, especially the kimchi.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly, for customers of their food truck, Seoul Food DC has announced on Facebook that they will cease operation of the food truck at the end of February.  This will let them focus on their store in Wheaton. Full announcement reads as follows:

Statement!
To all of our friends and loyal customers; In order to provide the highest quality of service with consistence we will no longer be running our foodtruck after February. We will expand the hours of our restaurant as follows:
Moday 5:00pm -9:00pm
Tuesday. 11:00am-3:00pm. 5:00pm -9:00pm
Wednesday11:00am-3:00pm. 5:00pm-9:00pm
Thursday 11:00am-3:00pm. 5:00pm-9:00pm
Friday. 11:00am-3:00pm. 5:00pm-9:00pm
Saturday. 11:00am-9:00pm
Sunday. Closed
We have had a great time for almost 3 years serving you from our truck in Arlington and hope to see you at the shop. In the future we may open a location closer to Arlington also.
We also look forward to serving our new friends and customers here at our new home in Wheaton!
Thanks to all of you who have helped make this happen, Sincerely, Jon & Anna

Here's hoping the weather cooperates more than it did today so I can get in a few more lunches with them!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sadly, for customers of their food truck, Seoul Food DC has announced on Facebook that they will cease operation of the food truck at the end of February.  This will let them focus on their store in Wheaton.

This topic (food trucks that become brick-and-mortar restaurants, then jettison their food trucks because they're too busy running the restaurants) would make an interesting longer article. Does anyone know of a restaurant in the area that did this before Pupatella? I remember them as being the first, but they might have simply been the first I noticed.

And then there was the bigger financial success story, District Taco. So we have one critically acclaimed restaurant, and one financial blockbuster - I'm sure there are others; I'm just not thinking about them right now.

What's even more interesting is how many existing, older restaurants (often ethnic places) operate food trucks using a completely different name. Restaurants that people don't even give a thought to are using food trucks (serving the exact same food that nobody patronizes), and are probably making a lot more money from their food trucks. This is a fictional example, but places like Gharer Khabar might have a food truck called "Bangladesh Express," and are making more from their food truck than from the restaurant; yet, they need the kitchen to cook the food. Situations such as this also support having low-rent restaurants in the distal suburbs, and having the food truck come into the city in the morning, commandeering prime DC real estate at essentially no cost. If I were young and starting a restaurant, I know what I'd do, and more power to 'em.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I find myself at SeoulFood in Wheaton maybe 3 or 4 times per year, always because my +1 loves it. I do like it but, having spent significant time in Korea and with a real love for the cuisine, I always find myself wishing I was in Annandale or even down the Pike at Tofu House instead. The owner is very nice and they do have quite the following. To me, it's sort of the same for Korean as Cava and Shophouse are to middle eastern/Mediterranean and Asian. Or Chipotle in its best years was to Mexican. Similar formula. A good formula to be sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They're moving from Wheaton to Takoma Park. I received the following information on a Silver Spring listserv:

Seoul Food D.C. restaurant, currently located in Wheaton, MD and formerly a DC area Food Truck, is opening in Takoma Park at 7302 Carroll Ave. Moving from its current location inside an Exxon gas station, the new location will continue to offer the same popular menu consisting of Korean specialties and unique vegan and vegetarian dishes made with seasonal ingredients and augmented by the daily creative additions prepared by owners Anna and J.P. Goree.

Seoul Food D.C. enjoys a committed following and this new location will offer expanded seating plus new beer and wine options. Build-out has started with plans to open first quarter 2018.

Seoul Food D.C.
7302 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park
https://www.seoulfooddc.com/
Contacts: Anna and J.P. Goree
seoulfooddc@gmail.com
571-236-4750 or 571-505-3892

I have to admit I haven't eaten their food in awhile, but I'm sad they'll no longer be down the street from my house. Sounds like a good move for them, though!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/8/2017 at 4:14 PM, dracisk said:

They're moving from Wheaton to Takoma Park. I received the following information on a Silver Spring listserv:

Seoul Food D.C. restaurant, currently located in Wheaton, MD and formerly a DC area Food Truck, is opening in Takoma Park at 7302 Carroll Ave. Moving from its current location inside an Exxon gas station, the new location will continue to offer the same popular menu consisting of Korean specialties and unique vegan and vegetarian dishes made with seasonal ingredients and augmented by the daily creative additions prepared by owners Anna and J.P. Goree.

Seoul Food D.C. enjoys a committed following and this new location will offer expanded seating plus new beer and wine options. Build-out has started with plans to open first quarter 2018.

Seoul Food D.C.
7302 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park
https://www.seoulfooddc.com/
Contacts: Anna and J.P. Goree
seoulfooddc@gmail.com
571-236-4750 or 571-505-3892

I have to admit I haven't eaten their food in awhile, but I'm sad they'll no longer be down the street from my house. Sounds like a good move for them, though!

On 11/9/2017 at 10:21 AM, ElGuapo said:

Does anyone know if they're closed, or closing, in Wheaton in the interim?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 11/12/2017 at 9:01 PM, DonRocks said:

Does anyone know if they're closed, or closing, in Wheaton in the interim?

I heard back from Anna and Jon - they're remaining open in Wheaton through February. After February (or, more accurately, when all the construction is finished), Wheaton will close, and Takoma Park will open - reading between the lines, it sounds like they want to minimize any gap where both locations are closed (a few days, a week, etc.)

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

They're open in Takoma Park. I received the following information on a Silver Spring listserv:

Seoul Food D.C. Has Opened 

New Korean Fusion Restaurant in Takoma Park

Seoul Food D.C. restaurant has opened at 7302 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park. The new, light-filled space includes a big open kitchen and customers are welcomed through a memorable pink front door - Seoul Food's nod to their early days in a bright pink food truck. 
 
Owners Anna and Jon Goree continue to offer the same fresh made Korean specialties prepared with Anna's special twist, including plenty of unique vegan and vegetarian options. Former customers of their previous location in a Wheaton gas station, will be happy to learn that Seoul Food now offers beer and wine options too. Menu: https://www.seoulfooddc.com/menu
 
Seoul Food D.C.
7302 Carroll Ave, Takoma Park
https://www.seoulfooddc.com/
Contacts: Anna and J.P. Goree
seoulfooddc@gmail.com
571-236-4750 or 571-505-3892
 
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...