Brief Dish Blurb: Namu’s version of the popular Japanese savory grilled pancake (aka Okonomiyaki) blends the Lee brother’s Korean roots and homemade kimchee with egg yolk, shredded cabbage, scallions, ground beef, a topping of kewpie mayo and dancing bonito flakes.
The Dish: For Okonomiyaki virgins, the sight of the sizzling hodgepodge of ingredients may have you scratching your head with curiosity of its flavor. Yet after one bite of this thick, moist, and savory pancake combined with spicy tofu, creamy kewpie , seasoned ground beef, and other various textures and flavors, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t discovered this satisfying concoction sooner. Served in a cast iron skillet, the Okonomiyaki at Namu is a must-have on every visit. The generously-sized portion is ideal to share with your dining companions, but tempting enough to want to indulge in all by yourself.
Key Ingredients: kimchee, ground beef, cabbage, scallion, yolk, kewpie, bonito flakes
The Place: The Richmond District is known to be a bit cooler in temps than other San Francisco districts, but with the addition of Namu, the area has been packing a whole lot more heat. A close-knit, family-run restaurant that excels in seasonally prepared and innovative Korean-inspired dishes, the Lee brothers have created a much-needed unique yet casual neighborhood dining destination offering cutting-edge eats. In addition to dinner and brunch served at their brick and mortar Balboa street location, you can find Namu at the Ferry Building Farmer's Market on Thursdays and Saturdays, and at the Fort Mason gathering of Off the Grid on Fridays.
Other menu musts: You can’t go wrong with anything Kimchee at this “hot” spot. Homemade kimchee complements the Kimchee fried rice topped with a sunny side up egg or Namu’s Korean ssam style kalbi short rib “tacos” with kimchee salsa, and kimchee remoulade wrapped in toasted seaweed are
Little known facts: Namu’s bar top was created from a salvaged Cypress tree from nearby Golden Gate Park. The name Namu comes from the Korean translation for tree or wood.
Want to spice up the office lunch? Namu offers a Farmers’ Market lunch order form for Thursdays only. Just fill out form by Wednesday at noon, and voila, your lunch is ready for pick-up. Vegetarian and gluten free options available upon request. $75 minimum order.
Inner Richmond
439 Balboa St
San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 386-8332
Ferry Building
1 Ferry Bldg
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 386-8332
Off the Grid
Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Originally featured on HeardAbout.com
