First Visit 5000 Ans Korean

[blondee_47]

We went there tonite because of Saturday’s write-up in the Gazette. I am not a restaurant critic so I will give my limited point of view on our dinner. Of course it was the Kalbii bbq at the table. First I found the meat to be tough and certainly lacking in quantity. Definitely not enough BBQ for two hungry adults. Before we began we had miso soup which was good. Then a salad: kind of did not expect a salad when eating Korean BBQ however the dressing was delicious.

Then came the BBQ burner and the waitress laid a miniscule amount of veggies on the sides of the grill (I still can't figure out why they were actually necessary since they were one mushroom cut in twelve pieces, a few slivers of cabbage and one thin slice of zucchini cut in half - I kid you not) along with a few pieces of Korean cut flanken or short ribs. she laid out half the meat and all the veggies and disappeared.

I had to ask for rice which actually was not rice but a full plate of Bimibab. The Bimibap was lingering hot, spicy hot...so much that even on the drive home my tongue and roof of my mouth was on fire and my lips bright red. The heat overpowered any taste the bimibap might have had. I enjoy good spice in a good way; this was just not a good way.

I certainly would have preferred the accustomed kimchi style pickles that usually, in my experience, come with Korean BBQ. The bimibap made for a filling meal considering there was little in the way of beef. And what little there was equalled a bite before you hit bone and the meat was tough. Not enjoyable. I have eaten in cheap Chinese restaurants where there was more meat on a sparerib than on these pieces; plus those are usually soft and these were chewy. Real Chewy. Really miniscule and Really not impressive whatsoever.

Now, I don’t know about the decor: hot is an understatement and we sat by the A/C which stands on the floor and vents through the door. Along with multiple fans. Seating is at wooden picnik tables. Yes, the kind that if you are a tad overweight is impossible to get into and if you are anything past the age of ten you hate to crawl into. I will eat on picnik benches only if I have to and that is usually at a beach or park: not a Korean Restaurant. (However I relish the Japanese tables where I have to crawl down on the floor- so I guess I am no judge – except that somehow I equate sitting that way with eating Japanese which I guess goes back to school and the days when we watched Japanese documentaries on different cultures back in the ‘60’s)

I would be hard pressed to go back.

[kpzoo]

I had lunch at 5000 Ans on Monkland today and was rather disappointed. I had the same dish I had the last time I was there, dolsot bimimbap. The waiter said "the chicken is deep fried, is that OK"? and my dining companion and I said it was fine. But when it arrived, the chicken consisted of round chicken nuggets! It was not whole pieces of chicken battered and fried, but literally some reconstituted chicken nuggets that looked like they came out of the freezer. Very disappointing. The first time I had this dish at the same 5000 Ans location, it consisted of a whole chicken breast, battered, fried, and sliced. Chicken nuggets are not an acceptable substitute, in my opinion.

We were also given our bill at 1:50 pm - we'd arrived at 1:00 - and told that lunch is over at 2:00 pm and so we'd need to pay and get out, basically! So we didn't get to linger and chat as we'd planned.

I don't think I'll be going back here anytime soon. Sad, as there are so few places on Monkland that I would ever eat at. Gryphon d'or for tea and that's about all I can think of.

[celfie]

next time read chowhound first! common complaints

[kpzoo]

I do read Chowhound but I don't remember reading anything about chicken nuggets before. ;-) I'd had a good experience there last time.

[blondee_47]

Celfie, I, for one, like to read of experiences that people have over time at any given restaurant of which is the topic. It is good that people continuously write of their experiences otherwise how would we know if a restaurant has improved, remained the same or got worse.

The fact that people take the time to write in, is something Montreal Chowhounds should praise each other for...so in that vein, thank you kpzoo

[kpzoo]

Thanks, blondee_47 - I'm in your camp too, and sharing is my pleasure. :-)

[Keramel]

Which one did you go to? There are a number of different branches. I loved the one on St. Denis near Sherbrooke when I lived in the neighborhood.

[blondee_47]

Monkland. I was told the chef owned all three but sold off the others and now only has Monkland...

[TheSnowpea]

Yeah, I went there for lunch and was underwhelmed by my 'royal' bibimbap, which was super bland and perhaps a touch too expensive for what it was.

The uncomfortable picnic tables and the fact that they don't give you any kimchi pickles, not even a tiny amount, while you wait for your food just added to my decision to never return.