Hidden in the heart of Closter, New Jersey, lies a Korean Barbeque restaurant, or a mat-jib (a delicious restaurant), that attracts customers from miles away. Known for its convenient location and tender meat, So Good has been a popular spot for Korean cuisine for over a decade.
From employee satisfaction to food quality and more, this article will cover a variety of topics that might just convince you to take a look at this delectable restaurant!
When we first walked into the restaurant, we were seated immediately near the window, and there was no wait time, which was surprisingly against our expectations. When we entered, we were also welcomed with polite employees and were quickly treated with water and side dishes. However, So Good normally has a wait line from anywhere between 2-5 parties, especially during holidays or dinners, so it is recommended to reserve a table beforehand.
Looking at the menu, we both agree that the price range is reasonable considering the portion sizes of the restaurant. That being said, it may be on the expensive side for teenagers, but the meat is relatively high quality, and there are a variety of complementary Korean side dishes that come with every meal, so the price is not without reason. Also, the experience of watching the chef cook the meat right in front of your eyes makes the high price worth it.
Depending on how many people it is meant to serve, So Good’s portions are appropriate. Their menus do not disclose their entrées’ intended serving sizes, but according to our experience, most are for 1-2 people and cost around $20-$50. If you come with a larger party, a combo meal/set is recommended, which can cost anywhere from $100-$150.
Now, let’s get onto the food! We ordered 3 entrées: the galbi meat, the iced buckwheat noodles, and the fermented bean stew. It was a bit overpriced for the two of us, but the quality of the food was definitely worth the money.
Hailey: In my opinion, the meat was soft and juicy. Anyone who dislikes chewy or fatty meat will not struggle with the galbi, as it was soft without being rubbery or too fatty. The portion size was meant for 1 adult, so the buckwheat noodles and fermented bean stew were excellent additions to balance out the meal. The fermented bean stew was hot, tangy, and slightly spicy with plenty of onions, mushrooms, and tofu boiling inside. It was the perfect soup to sip in between bites of meat, or even with a spoon of rice. Lastly, the
buckwheat noodles were iced, smooth, and sweet. It was a slight disappointment that there was no crushed ice, but it was still a refreshing dish in between the other two hot entrées.
Ellie: I personally enjoyed creating different combinations with the food and ban-chans provided by the restaurant. The great thing about Korean Barbeque restaurants is that you’re able to get creative: there are limitless possibilities of how you can devise a perfect combination of heaven! Personally, the meat was amazing and had a nice smoky taste that left a pleasant aftertaste in your mouth. With meat wrapped with the thinly sliced white radish paired with the white rice and dipped in the gochujang, eating it all in one mouthful is the most pleasurable part of the experience! The meat was definitely not enough for both people, but the extra noodles and soup compensated for it. The noodles were cold and had a perfectly balanced taste of salty and sweet, making it the perfect dish to eat with the warm meat.
When we asked the owner of the restaurant what his favorite dish on the menu was, he replied, “[It] depends on my mood. But I am a big meat lover, so I’m gonna have to go with, I’d say, kkotsal.” Kkotsal is a boneless short rib regularly enjoyed by customers in Korean barbecues. In English, it translates to “flower meat.” It is known for being extremely juicy, buttery, and tender, and is regarded as premium meat.
Korean restaurants also commonly provide banchan, or a large variety of complementary sides, and So Good is no exception. The banchan is a big part of the restaurant experience and helps make it entertaining even while eating. We were given blanched spinach, cauliflower, eggplant, kimchi, white radish slices, beans, and tofu, as well as free refills. However, they often rotate the types of banchan you get to try every now and then, allowing you to try a different variety of these side dishes every time you go. The following ratings are ones we came up with collectively for the ones we were provided with on that day.
The blanched spinach was the least appetizing of the banchan. It smelled a little odd, as though it were not fresh. We tried it cautiously and decided to be benevolent by rating it a 3/10. The eggplant was steamed and seasoned with salt and pepper. It appeared appetizing and tasted average with no particular taste, so we rate it a 5/10. The kimchi was very late into its fermentation. This meant the kimchi was on the sour end, which people may like differently based on their preferences. For us, the kimchi was too fermented for our liking, so we would rate it a 6.5/10. The cauliflower was very sweet, and we assumed it was due to the creamy sauce, which had a very unexpected but pleasant taste. The side dish was also paired with sliced apples, giving it a fresher and sweeter taste, perfect for a palate cleanser! We would rate it a 6.5/10. The white radish slices had a very sweet taste to them and also served as a palate cleanser. It’s perfect to wrap your meat and inhale it in one bite! The slices tasted fresh and had a crunchy sensation, much like the kimchi, so we would have to give this one an 8/10! The tofu was cold and seasoned with sesame seeds and some soy sauce. The tofu itself was average and also had no particular taste, so we’d rate it a 5/10. The beans were covered in a soy-based sauce and served cold. They were efficient palate cleansers, so we’d rate it a 7/10.
The service was also very efficient and friendly. They welcomed us in before seating us and delivered our food within 15 minutes of ordering it. They were very accommodating, evencutting Ellie’s noodles for her!
Based on our experience at So Good, we would say the customer reviews online are very accurate in terms of food. In terms of customer service, some reviews mentioned rushedness. This may be the case, but it is also important to note that Korea has a very prominent pali pali culture, which literally translates to quickly quickly. Koreans prefer getting service done as fast as possible, which may come off as rude to Western culture.
We had the chance to briefly interview Manager Lee, the owner of the restaurant, and we asked him a couple of questions about his restaurant experience of being the only Korean barbeque restaurant in the area.,
Upon inquiring about his experience managing a Korean barbeque restaurant in Closter, he replied, “We’ve been open for eight years now, and the experience has been good. It’s cool to work in a small town because you get to see a lot of regular customers and you get to have a relationship with them, and I like that. We’re pretty much like the only Korean barbeque spot in the area, so I don’t have too much competition in that way.”
Manager Lee also states, “I always knew this spot had potential. It used to be another Korean barbeque spot before we were here, but they didn’t do very well, and I figured in the back of my mind that if you did it right, I think people would come, especially because there was a demand for galbi and stuff like that. So, we took the gamble and it worked.”
Overall, we both enjoyed our experience eating at So Good and would love for you to try it out as well! Korean barbeque is such a unique and delicious meal that can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of culture. And the best part — it’s right next door in Closter!
