The Bab Amsterdam: new Korean hotspot in East

This will be your go-to for fresh Korean street food

The Bab Amsterdam will soon open its doors on the corner of Ruyschstraat and Camperstraat in East Amsterdam. When I cycled past unsuspectingly a few weeks ago, I had to rub my eyes. A Korean restaurant is opening (finally again!) in Amsterdam, and right on my street, no less. I could swear my prayers have been heard by Junghun Pyo (37) and Sunny Kim (39), because I've said so often that I'm bummed there's no Korean restaurant in Amsterdam. Amsterdam Oost They're going to change that with the opening of The Bab Amsterdam, and I spoke with them extensively about their new restaurant for Your Little Black Book.

Fresh Korean dishes for a wide audience

It was always Junghun and Sunny's dream to open their own restaurant and make Korean food accessible to Amsterdam locals so they could try it. This is their first restaurant. Before that, Junghun worked for years as a business analyst at Samsung in Amsterdam. Now he's changing course and spends his days in the kitchen creating the most delicious Korean dishes and brewing authentic Korean coffee.

Korean food is hands-down one of my favorite cuisines. A few years ago, I even went to Seoul just to eat at local spots. The new entrepreneurs felt Amsterdam lacked Korean restaurants where the food wasn't too complicated or high-end. That's why Junghun and Kim are starting The Bab Amsterdam, serving simple, fresh Korean dishes. The Bab aims to be a place Amsterdammers can pop into just as easily as they would order a sandwich for lunch.

AMSTERDAM UPDATES

Sign up for the newsletter and receive the new AMSTERDAM BUCKETLIST BOOK for free.

"*" indicates required fields

Instagram

This field is intended for validation purposes and should not be changed.

First name*

Email address*

The menu of The Bab Amsterdam

Naturally, we've discussed The Bab's menu in detail. They'll be working on an all-day menu featuring simple variations of complex Korean dishes. You can choose between spicy and soy flavors, allowing you to tailor the dishes to everyone's taste. For the Dolsot-Bibimbab dishes, there's the option of a mixed vegetable or a single variety served with rice in a hot stone pot.

For dessert, we can order "Hotteok" later. Korean pancakes with caramelized brown sugar, nuts, and cinnamon, among other things.

For vegans, there aren't necessarily any special dishes on the menu, but the 'Bibimbab' and 'Gimbab' (rice roll) can also be made as vegan versions upon request.

In addition to the regular menu, a number of specials are added to the rotating menu every quarter. What will become the classics? Junghun and Sunny agree on that: the 'Dolsot-Bibimbab'! Bibimbab is one of the most popular dishes throughout Korea, and they expect it to be the same at The Bab. Junghun's personal favorite on the menu right now is the 80s-style pork cutlet. His favorite dish from his childhood (and still is!) and a must-try. He expects Korean customers to come to The Bab specifically for it!

You'll also soon be able to enjoy specialty coffee and traditional Korean tea at The Bab Amsterdam, as well as a variety of soft drinks, Korean beers, and other traditional beverages. One example is Makgeolli, a slightly sparkling rice wine you won't find on every menu. It's slightly sweet and white in color.

Do you like rice? This is The Bab Amsterdam.

Did you know that BAB means rice or meal in Korean? Rice is an important part of Korean cuisine and food traditions. Junghun explains to me that in Korea, people often ask Did you have BAB? instead of "How are you?" A tradition where it's assumed you're doing well if you answer "Yes." After all, if you're not feeling well, you wouldn't feel like eating. At The Bab, rice is also the most important ingredient in the dishes, and so it was quickly decided that this would be the name of the dish. new Korean restaurant would become.

The interior of The Bab Amsterdam

The Bab's location used to be home to the Roost coffee shop. And to be honest, its interior always looked nice. In fact, the wood-and-black-steel interior always reminded me a bit of the coffee shops we visited in Seoul. So it's no surprise that they won't be changing much at The Bab. It's becoming greener with more plants (we like!), but the open kitchen will remain. This way, you can watch Chef Junghun at work and have more direct contact with guests. When the weather's nice, there will also be benches and tables for enjoying your bibimbab outside.

Expected opening date of The Bab

Of course, you'll read all about it here as soon as The Bab officially opens its doors. I cycle past it every day and will keep a close eye on it for you. Until then, you can follow them on Instagram.

 TIP: You can also order Korean dishes as catering at The Bab if you're having a business lunch and want to serve something other than a sandwich!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by THE BAB (@thebab_amsterdam) on 17 Feb 2019 at 12:30 (PST)

Looking for a nice hotel in Amsterdam?

» The Hoxton: favourite lifestyle hotel on the canal.
» Sir Adam: with the coolest view of Amsterdam.
» Pillows Anna van den Vondel: staying near the Vondelpark.
» Hotel Mercier: new hotel hotspot in the Jordaan.
» Hotel V: with two locations, in the at the center en East.
» Pulitzer Amsterdam: on the canal on the border of Nine Streets and Jordaan.
» Hotel Dwars: small-scale and around the corner from the Utrechtsestraat.
» INK Hotel: lifestyle hotel in the heart of the city centre.
» Conscious Hotel Westerpark: in a beautiful building near the Westergasterrein.
» The Volkshotel: affordable and with an awesome rooftop.
» The Student Hotel: budget proof in hip East.
» QO Amsterdam: eco design hotel with cool sky bar.
» Morgan & Mees: boutique hotel in Amsterdam West.
» Generator Hostel: the nicest poshtel in town.

fun things to do in amsterdam:

PSSSST... you can find more (travel) tips in my books!

• Feed Your Wanderlust – Travel Guide for a bohemian lifestyle
• staycation – 22 guides and shortlists for a holiday close to home
• Wanderlust – Urban Travel Style Guide
• The Amsterdam City Guide (Dutch) & The Amsterdam City Guide (English)

Great as a gift for yourself or someone who loves to travel as much as you do!

WITH LOVE,

ANNE