210 fried crab with slivers of sweet onion in a turmeric-rich curry; and yam hua plee, a sweet and pungent banana blossom salad dressed with freshly squeezed coconut milk and an abundance of toasted coconut. For those raised on Americanized Thai fare, a visit to Lom Wong can be like seeing the world in color for the first time — a bit shocking and unfamiliar at first but bursting with new experiences that can be absorbed only with wide-eyed wonder. 22222 B EST KO R E A N R ESTAU R A N T Ban Chan Korean Cuisine 2909 S. Dobson Road, Mesa 480-414-2525 instagram.com/babojumakaz Ban Chan is hardly new. Irene Woo’s “country homestyle” Korean restaurant in Mesa has been around for a decade, and Woo has owned and operated Korean restaurants since the 1970s. But a refreshed menu emerging from the pandemic coupled with a sudden burst of influencer interest have turned 2024 into a banner year for the East Valley stalwart. Ban Chan was always good, but Woo’s cozy little joint has found a deliciously comfortable groove as its grandma-style Korean fare finds a new generation of fans. Ban Chan’s strengths lie in soups and stews such as kal guk su, thick flour noodles in a clam and seafood broth; or maeun galbi tang, a complex, spicy broth loaded with beef ribs. Large-format hot pots like Woo’s outstanding pork belly and kimchi are great for a crowd, while the influence of her time in Hawaii is felt in dishes such as her excellent, tender meat jun. What’s more, her namesake banchan is top-notch — unfussy, simple and full of flavor. 22222 B E ST KO R E A N BA R B EC U E Sizzle Korean BBQ 21001 N. Tatum Blvd. #36-1210 480-265-9406 3720 N. Scottsdale Road, #200, Scottsdale 480-247-2027 sizzlekoreanbbq.com For those used to cooking their own dinner at Korean barbecue restaurants, Sizzle flips the script a bit. Here, the servers place slices of meat on the grill, flip when necessary, cut and serve, all right in the center of your table. For those a little unsure how long to sear each style of meat, the help is welcome. Pick individual cuts or one of the combos from the menu which include multiple varieties of either beef or pork plus a side of kimchi or soybean stew. All of the meals come with banchan, small plates of pickled veggies and toppings to enjoy with bites of meat. Sizzle offers an experience that is upscale yet fun, interactive yet intimate. The high-quality cuts of meat paired with noodle dishes and creative cocktails make the Old Town and Desert Ridge restaurants a standout for Korean barbecue in the Valley. 22222 B E ST JA PA N E S E R E STAU R A N T ShinBay 3720 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale 480-361-1021 shin-bay.com It’s been less than a year since Shinji Kurita left the restaurant that still bears his name, and while Kurita’s departure stings, what’s remarkable is that ShinBay hasn’t lost a step. We shouldn’t be surprised. Restaurateur Hyunwook Lee has a nose for talent, and Kurita’s replacement, veteran Chef Ken Tanaka, has the skill to carry on ShinBay’s legacy while putting his personal mark on the city’s most impressive omakase counter. Though the format remains the same — a lengthy multicourse tasting menu concluding with an eight- to 10-piece flight of nigiri — Tanaka’s style hews more tradi- tional than Kurita’s, but only just slightly. ShinBay continues to source truly excep- tional seafood, painstakingly crafted into delicate, minimal morsels that focus the senses and extract every bit of natural flavor. And while the nigiri is only half the meal, Tanaka’s is exceptional — excellent shari topped with a panoply of fish prepped by the touch of a master.
