New Korean, Da Da Korean Cuisine

I have to hand it to new enterprising restauranters. It is not easy to make it in the restaurant industry: shocking stats that 9 out of 10 restaurants fail within the first year. Thus I have made it a mission to try to find and showcase the new and best of Winnipeg. I have a soft spot for the mom and pop homemade establishments and when I found out that a new Korean spot opened up recently, I knew I had to check it out: Da Da Korean Cuisine.

Located less than five minutes from me on Corydon Street, Da Da is housed within a renovated home. Despite its colorful signage and brightly lit exterior I get the sense that many overlook that there is a restaurant here. Nevertheless for the intrepid explorer, you will like what you find here.

The large and colourful menu houses all the traditional Korean favourites. Ranging from the various soups, stews to staples like Bibimbap and Galbi. I really appreciate the simplicity of the menu and applaud them on sticking to what they know best.

Being in the cold that is Winnipeg I stated off with a tea to warm the spirit and tickle the taste buds for another meal.

Jeyuk Bokum is pan fried spicy pork with vegetables in Korean spices. A hearty dish consisting of tender pork, a litany of vegetables all fried nicely in spicy Korean paste. Da Da does something odd and adds in rice cakes and pairs it with pickled daikon radish. The radish adds a nice tart sourness to the dish. While the rice cakes are a nice textural difference, I can't help but wonder if they are filler rather than a thoughtful addition.

The Gamjatang was excellent. A spicy meaty and hearty broth filled to the brim with three succulent pieces of pork bone and topped with black pepper. The pork was awe-inspiringly tender, the broth a great mix of spicy, salty and savoury. The liberal amount of black pepper actually tones the dish down and adds a textural element to the dish. Best enjoyed with the bowl of accompanying rice, this ranks highly as one of Winnipeg's best.

The banchans were sparse: Bean Sprouts and Kimchi. What they did provide was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Overall I was pleased with Da Da. Featuring authentic Korean cuisine with admirable portions and at average prices, this place does a great job with delivering another option in the crowded Korean restaurant scene of Winnipeg. I do hope they gain enough appeal to succeed as this is an easy recommendation for anyone near the village or Corydon for a quick Korean meal.