Oh-So-Affordable Korean Fusion Touches Down in Mile End

New year, new restaurants: Mile End has a new Korean fusion spot in the form of Petit Seoul, on the same buzzing stretch of St-Laurent that recently welcomed fresh pasta haunt Il Miglio and ramen ladelers Tsukuyomi.

Petit Seoul takes over the storefront that previously housed Sel Gras until it closed quietly last summer.

On offer is a mix of classic Korean dishes such as bibimbap — rice bowls with vegetables, meat/tofu, fried egg, kimchi — and spicy stew jigae, as well as Korean fried chicken. But there’s also some interesting options leaning towards other cuisines — octopus balls, Korean takes on ramen, a spiced-up tartare, and even a poutine, although it seems to be based more around rice, tofu, kimchi, and pork, rather than potatoes.

And everything is eminently affordable: lunch items come in around eight to ten dollars (including a lunchbox special, a smart move, given the large number of Ubisoft employees on the hunt for midday meals in the hood; those workers even received an opening day discount). Dinner stays mostly under $20, all served in a simple yet charming space. The full menu is available on Facebook.

The restaurant’s alcohol permit is still in the works, and with the restaurant having added a wine cellar in the basement, it appears they’ll be serious about dinner — it could be some friendly competition for nearby Omma, which currently reigns supreme on the Mile End Korean dining scene.

STATUS — Petit Seoul is open at 5245 St-Laurent (near Fairmount) from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday, closed Sunday.

• Resto Petit Seoul [Facebook]
• Mile End’s Sel Gras is Out of Action — And Other Restaurant Closures [EMTL]