By TR Robertson
The newest restaurant to open in Vista opened this week in the downtown area and is like no other restaurant in Vista. 2N1 Korean BBQ Restaurant has taken over the old Panera Bread location at 401 Vista Village Dr. in the Vista Village Plaza and brings an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ format to the city. A completely remodeled interior features gleaming aluminum tables, utensils, dishes, cooking grills and vents as well as other interior designs that gives the restaurant a regal appearance when you enter. Managers Nathan Na and Joon Kim said they are excited about bringing Korean food to this area and feel the public will like the all-you-can-eat format especially when they see the amazing selection of food choices available. Joon said they will offer great service, exceptional meats, side dishes and will provide diners with not only great food but also give diners an introduction into Korean dishes complete with explanations of the food choices on the menu.
Nathan and Joon traveled to South Korea for a 3 week visit where they purchased all of the tables, grills, utensils and other items featured in the restaurant. A total of 35 employees work various shifts, which also includes 9 butchers and a cadre of kitchen staff, all trained to provide customers with a memorable dining experience. What guests at the restaurant will find is an adventure in dining like no other restaurant in Vista. The concept involves the patron ordering from a menu that can include as many as 34 meat choices and 32 side choices, then cooking the meat on gas grills along with some of the vegetable choices if the diner desires. Joon and Nathan said the Korean BBQ market is not saturated as many of the restaurant food choices are and they feel this is a perfect place for them to open a restaurant like 2N1 Korean BBQ. Nathan’s father, Scott, is the restaurant owner and currently has an additional 2N1 Korean BBQ location in Temecula that has been open for 2 years.
2N1 Korean BBQ opens at Noon and offers a Lunch Special for $24.99 that includes a choice of 15 meat items such as Thinly Sliced Pork Belly, Beef Belly, Spicy Pork Belly, 2N1 Pork Bulgogi, Chicken Bulgogi, Spicy Chicken, Fried Chicken, Galbi Fried Chicken, Spicy Sweet & Sour Fried Chicken and Beef Brisket. This reporter tried a sampling of the Galbi Fried Chicken, and it was excellent. The extensive side menu items offered include selections like Corn Cheese, Steamed egg, Dumplings, Kimchi Pancakes, Macaroni Salad, Aged Kimchi, Pickled Radish, Green Onion Salad, Sweet Potatoes, Garlic and Jalapenos, Fish Cake, Sticky Rice Rap, Cheese Fondu, Kimchi Fried Rice and much more. Some of the Korean selections are Bibimbop, Soondubu, Ssamjang and Gochujang. Waiters will explain any of these dishes. I tried Corn Cheese, Cheese Ball, Dumplings, Macaroni Salad, Fish Cake, Thin Raddish Wrap and the Soondubu (Spicy Tofu Soup). All of the dishes were very tasty, the Soondubu is 5 out of 10 on the spicy scale. The Lunch Menu is offered until 3:00 pm.
After 3:00 pm the dinner menu goes into effect. There are three price options for dinner selections, each price offering additional food selections as well as those listed in the lunch menu. The Regular Dinner menu, $33.99, offers the addition of meat selections such as Beef Chop Steak, Hawaiian Beef, Pork Steak and Spicy Baby Octopus. The Premium B $42.99 menu offers the addition of Chuck Eye Steak, Chuck Flap Meat, Top Blade Steak, LA Galbi, Rib Finger Meat, Beef Tongue, Shrimp and Seasoned Boneless Short Rib. The Premium A $52.99 menu offers the addition of Ribeye Steak, Cap Steak, Beef Short Rib, Beef Strip Loin, Inside Skirt Steak and 2N1 Marinated Galbi. The large Side Menu items are also included for the diner to choose from. There are a number of drink selections including Korean beer.
There were a number of lunch customers in the restaurant on Tuesday and speaking with one family they each had very positive reviews and enjoyed the dining experience. Asking one gentleman what he liked best, he said cooking the meat was a fun way to enjoy lunch. Another couple said this was the best Korean food they have ever had. Visiting other diners, everyone said they loved the amazing choices of meats and side dishes and cooking at the table was a great way to enjoy a meal. Children under 5 years of age eat free and children 6-10 are charged $17.50. Customers should know that the All-you-can-eat time is limited to 2 hours and All-you-can-eat does not apply to take-out orders. The restaurant is open until 10:00 pm each night. There is a monetary charge for leftovers and there is no take home of uneaten food so make sure you eat everything you select.
For more information go to www.2n1bbq.com. The atmosphere is great, the food even better. Make sure you come hungry and give 2N1 Korean BBQ a try to add another great Vista eatery to your list.
