Wajoe - 20th and Chestnut St (Closed)

Center City has never been the place to go for good Korean food. If you want to experience Korean cuisine you have to head up north and plant yourself in Cheltenham, which is the closest thing to a Koreatown in the area.
Now opens Wajoe, in the ashes of the former Korean place whose name escapes me.  Forgive me if I was a little apprehensive when this new place opened its doors for the first time.  A new awning and some paint was not going to fix what was here before.  

The tables are fitted with new BBQ pits and ventilation systems.  Some money was definitely spent here. I ask the server if this was under new ownership to which he said it was.  Hope rises.

First out, of course, is the 반찬(banchan) or the side dishes.  For lunch, I think this amount works fine.  Included are bean sprouts, potato strips in a light mayo sauce, fish cake and the omnipresent kimchi.  A Korean restaurant is only as good as its kimchi and pleasantly this kimchi is good. 

1) Kalbi Box - $12.99

The kalbi, although pre prepared, tasted exactly as it should despite not sizzling hot off the grill. Was not disappointing.  The dumping was another highlight. Next time the dumpling appetizer will definitely be ordered.  Lots of food, all good, thumbs up.  

2) Soft Tofu Chigae(순두부 찌개) - $8.99

This is the real stuff, not watered down to make it any less spicy or modified to tone down the flavors.  Piled high with tofu this pot of authentic Korean fare gave me renewed hope for the state of Korean food in the area.


Overall LTE score [8/10] I cannot put into words how nice it is to have a Korean place that's a 5 minute walk away from the office that serves Korean food that I actually want to eat.  Maybe all this is a little premature considering they opened their doors just yesterday and I've only eaten here once but what I had today made me want to go back. Thumbs up.


Wajoe Korean Restaurant
2034 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 496-9021