Food blog Chrysanthemum has a brief review of their recent visit to Namu, a Korean “new California cuisine” restaurant at 439 Balboa Street near 6th Avenue.
The reviewer says they’ll be coming back for Namu’s $12 Niman Ranch burger. “The burger was cook perfectly medium rare, soft with minimal handling from the kitchen staff and so juicy the picture speaks for itself. The “pain de mie†bun meaning “sweet bread crumb†was (pun intended) too crumbly. The bun was soaked thoroughly with the juice and fell apart as I was fighting my way through. No doubt I’ll be coming back for their burger time and time again.” Read the full Chrysanthemum review here.
A few weeks ago, 7×7 Magazine also reviewed Namu’s burger as part of their 2009 Burger Bonanza (two women review 20 of the city’s best burgers). Reviewer Sara Desaran says “What I did enjoy about Namu is that it wasn’t more of the same. The burger came with a huge Niman Ranch patty (cooked a tad too rare), topped with slices of pickled daikon and daikon sprouts.” She then broke the mold and ordered kimchee slaw on her burger which she says “added a nice kick”. I bet! Read the full 7×7 review here.
Namu is owned and operated by the Lee brothers (you’ll see them in the video below), for whom Desaran says “it’s impossible not to have a soft-spot for the three 20-something Lee brothers (the owners of Namu) who wear brown bandanas, with no irony, as a show of solidarity, like a little Namu gang.”
According to their website, “The menu changes daily and is driven by the hand picked local and organic ingredients. Many of the treatments are inspired by, but not limited to, authentic Korean and Japanese techniques.” They also offer over thirty sakes and wines by the glass.
They’re open for dinner every night from 5:30pm until 10pm, and on Wednesday through Saturday nights, offer late night live music and dj sounds from 11am to 1pm. They also serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm.
The short intro video to Namu is below (from their website).
Have you had the soon to be infamous Namu burger? Tell us in the comments.
Sarah B.
We went there tonight thanks to your post. I can attest that the burger is really good! Cool place, nice people, good food, and a nice atmosphere. We will definitely return. Thanks for the tip.
Awesome! I love a good burger so I’m looking forward to my first meal there as well.
Sarah B.