Elite Event at SUjo

Other Unilocalers’ review of the food and cocktail are spot on, so I’ll make mine brief.
First of all, many thanks to Sujo for being such an AWESOME host! Not only were you inviting, but you stuffed the hell out of us with many courses and contemporaneously quenching our thirst with Perilla cocktails. Every dish had its own spin on Korean food, which were flavorful with unique ingredient combinations and well executed. I especially enjoyed the pickled mushrooms — that is $$ right there!
Secondly, also many thanks to Peter and the Unilocal crew for organizing such a fun and memorable event. Very grateful and lucky to be one of the chosen ones to experience a sit down event. This was my first and I’m a fan!
Lastly, as always, it was nice chatting with old and new fellow Unilocalers. Hope to hang with you all again soon!

Really enjoyed coming out to my first Elite event.
I remember when the last restaurant in Sujo’s space opened in 2008, an upscale coffee shop that served not particularly tasty food. The best part about the
Sujo is the first Korean diner in the neighborhood, but it joins an increasing number of Korean options in what once only had Dokebi. There’s Brooklyn Seoul for takeout and Dotory for a café environment, along with Snacky for Korean favorites in a pan-​Asian selection.
The most interesting bites we sampled were Korean spins on other countries fast food, from the burning hot arancini to the gojuchang and cheese topped disco fries. There were a dangerously addicting cocktail made from soju called the perilla. Soju isn’t’ particularly strong on its own, so I imagine that it didn’t do too much damage when mixed together. Thankfully these flowed pretty much the entire time of the private party.
The pork buns, chicken bimbimbap and ssams were more traditional (I think there was a noodle dish which I missed) but still solid. I got to talk to a couple people but I hope next time I’ll arrive early and meet more of my fellow Unilocalers. Great first event!

To most Unilocalers’ suprise, at least the ones on my table, we were thrill it ended a sit-​down multi courses tasting event! my favs included the first course w fries, sour cream and delicious short ribs, arancini balls w siracha and mayo sauce, the lettuce wrap w rice, shortrib i think, daikon and chips! oh and the yummy refreshing drinks w leave! I have to say that the staffs were wonderful, they’re so nice and friendly in everything and it made the whole experience so pleasant! Lastly, thanks for the gracious owner of SUjo and the Unilocal team for having such a wonderful event!

Woo hoo! Another great 2015 Unilocal event. This year has been off the hook!
It was nice to sit down and get to catch up with Unilocal friends old and new. Events where you sit and are served are basically the Unilocal white buffalo. It was nice to rest my weary bones while having tons of food rain from the sky onto my table. My favorites included the SUjo fries, Kimchee Arancini, the Pork Bun and the bulgogi. I was so full by the end!
I have a tough time drinking soju straight up and like seeing other ways that it can be consumed. The cocktail was A-​MAZE-​ING. I usually don’t like grapefruit juice either — but the combination was lovely.
The staff was really accommodating and friendly. They even prepared special options for one of our vegetarian Unilocal pals without even being asked so she didn’t miss out. It was a really nice extra touch and a good indication of the treatment you would get there on a normal night.
Thanks again SUjo and Unilocal

Decisions Decisions… what decisions you ask? On the night of this YEE was the 2-​hr season finale of Empire. yes, I know, ratchet… luckily I have Hulu Plus so my decision making wasn’t that hard…
Luckily I arrived on time. This was not your typical stand and socialize event. This was a sit-​down event with actual courses. I thought I heard 7 courses but we were treated with 6… still great. We were set up in the back room of SUjo. I think there were 5 tables. The table I was at sat 6. The others tables may have sat 8 or 10 folks. Not sure. For drinks, they served the Perilla (Jinro soju, elderflower liquor, grapefruit juice). I enjoyed the flavors of the cocktail since I am a big fan of grapefruit juice.
All of our courses were served in small sample sized plates.
1) SUjo fries. I really enjoyed these fries, not just your ordinary fries. These were topped with braised short ribs melted cheese, fresh made salsa, topped off with a dollop of sour cream.
2) Kimchee Arancini — rice balls with Kimchee, bulgogi and mozzarella cheese that is breaded with panko and fried… interesting but very good.
3) Pulled pork buns. The bun was nice and soft. The pulled pork filling had the right amount of seasoning and the daikon gave it a nice crunch.
4) Chicken Ramyun. The broth was very flavorful. The shiitake mushrooms has a sweetness to it. Overall, very good, especially on a cold day.
5). Bimbimbap…(spelling?, the menu has it as bibimbap). So, I’ve never had bimbimbap, until the day before this event, but it was at a bar. So, I am not an expert. It wasn’t bad but according to the people sitting at my table, it’s supposed to be served in a sizzling hot clay bowl, so that the rice can continue to cook, the moisture from the rice is reduce (but not to the point where it’s completely dried out) and the rice can form a nice crust at the bottom.
6). Pork Ssam. This was our last dish. It was interesting because I never had Ssam before. Why it was interesting? It’s because this dish reminded me of Chinese (Lunar) New Year, my family would have a head of lettuce at the table so we can make our own lettuce wraps. We fill it with whatever and however much food we can fit into it.
This night was definitely interesting… I’m hoping to return back to this place to try some of the other items on the menu.

A sitdown SIX-(count it! 1, 2, 3, 4, 5…)-course tasting menu? at SUJo, a Korean gastropub? in the heart of Williamsburg? ummm, i’m so there. you so jealous? or maybe SUJealous would be more accurate (meh it was funnier in my head!)…
any/​s/​way
jumped on the L for a quick trip from the EV to Billyburg for the night’s feAstivities (seewhatididthere). oooooookay that’s a COMPLETE lie. i cruised to SUJo via über because i’m superlazy (my superpower)…quick to get to by cab or train. this joint is quick/​easy-​to-​get-​to from lower Manhattan.
rolled in & checked in with Jando aka the Czar of Queens, chatted with Peter D., and did my usual hello/​howareyou/​etc. with fellow Unilocalers. zzzzz. met a few new folks whihc is always a plus. socialize people err, not socialism you commie – just kidding!
SUJo is a deceptively small space. you walk into what looks like a small narrow storefront. it seems narrow — but is pretty wide. there are a few 4-​top tables in the front. past them, the bar sits flush to left wall. there’s a lot of seating at the bar without having to bump elbows with your fellow drinks n eaters. seats 12 – 16. past the bar opens into a larger dining area with bunch of modular tables for 2s, 4s, 6s, etc. behind the dining room is a patio area which is for warmer weather obvi. the bar space is mod, muted colored walls with earthy tints, and modernesque art. clean design. darks offset by earthier tones and muted metals. the small corridor and dining area have more flair with matte-​ish red walls adorned with abstract art. the lighting throughout is overhead – dimmed a bit (YAY): soft for the eyes and great for devouring food with one’s hungry eyes. candlelight-​ing on tables provides all the brightness necessary for menu reading and food paparazzi.
eating time! :bell clang:
SUJo FRENCH FRIES: crispy medium fried taters, meat, cheese, a dollop of sour cream – topped with pickled veggies, herbs, spices, etc. DELICIOUS. this dish reminds me of over-​the-​top smothered fries from Jerzeee, yet these are super exotic.
ARACINI BALLS: bulgogi, kimchi, cheesey rice, & spicy sauce. Can’t go wrong. It has all your gluttony food groups: meat, cheese, carbs! these were a great inspired eat from its Italian forefathers. yum
PULLED-​PORK BUNS: YASSSS. BAO ME NOW. soft delicate pig. crunchy veggies. bbq sauce. all cradled in a steamed fluffy cradle of bun goodness. lapdance in your mouth!
CHICKEN RAMYUN: chicken, soup, mushrooms, noodles. nice change of pace from the spicy hitters in the lineup. nice slurp and savor. right amount of salty savor to the broth, chew to the noodle, etc. SOUP IS GOOD FOOD so the jingle goes…
CHICKEN BIBIMBAP: chicken, rice, daikon, carrots, sprouts, kimchi, & more. people were all like it’s not being served in stoneware, the rice isn’t crisp, etc. who cares?!! it was still delicious. seriously how would they serve 30+ people with stoneware dishes all at once. okay RANT off. rice soaked in the meat and veggie juices. not at all spicy for you fearful folks. very comfort food feel to me. thumbs up err chopsticks up bc i destroyed my tiny serving. RICE err, RIGHT ON!
PORK SSAM: lettuce wrap sample of crispy pork, bed o’ rice, daikon, sauce, etc. one bite of crunchy, crispy, sticky yumminess. can’t go wrong with ordering the full-​sized version of this dish, which they brought out for photo purposes. and man it looked awesome – look at my photos YO!
Perila cocktail was the adult beverage being served. a soft mix of soju, grapefruit juice, some elderflower liqueur, and a Perila leaf as a garnish. a nice Spring/​Summer mixed drink. nicely composed, but sweet for me, but you spring/​summer/​girly drank drinkers probably would enjoy it. lol. to me, a crisp beer works well from beginning to end with these dishes.
the staff at SUJo soooooooo nice & able to field questions about the food while doing 8 million things. and they worked their butts off – serving, bussing, etc. the dining room and bar. keeping everyone fed, tipsy, etc. thanks goes to them and the rest of the SUJo team for welcoming us in and introducing gastropub fare Korean style. well-​played.
and it goes without saying that Peter D. kicked it out of the stadium. he, Jando, team Unilocal outdid themselves with this smooth fun tasty event. from start to finish they circulated through the rooms and made sure we were enjoying the night in Williamsburg. special shoutout to Unilocal photographer Liz for making that photo magic at the event and for patiently retaking food photos because people were iphone flash photographing at the same time. it ain’t easy snapping bad pix of MOI. lol
drops the mic, so i can gastro and pub with some SEOUL at SUJo! seewhatididthereX2. now throw me a BAO n a beer!
i out! zzzzzzz

First event in awhile and man it was nice to be back !
To make it more special it was a sit down affair. While it’s harder to mingle it’s a great way to fully appreciate the food and setting.
The food and service were impeccable. One person at our table was a pescetarian and the host made great efforts to customize various dishes. The food was excellent with the standout being ramen with chicken and mushroom. The flavor and quality of mushroom was fantastic. Other standouts were pulled pork buns and Arancini balls.
The staff at SUjo did a great job of selling their establishment, I can’t wait to return.
Thanks SUjo and Unilocal staff, a great event.

Really excellent food! All the meat was perfectly seasoned and sauced and I really liked the perilla leaf cocktail. My only complaint was that the seated format didn’t allow for much mingling, but that drawback was outweighed by the deliciousness. Nice work!

Another great event hosted by the Brooklyn Unilocal team!
I enjoyed the drink and I normally don’t like grapefruit. The fries were amazing!
I even made a new Unilocal friend who provided me with some awesome restaurant suggestions!

Sujo is apparently a beverage from Korea containing ethanol and water. While it may not represent the same think here in Brooklyn, after last night’s six course menu I can get drunk of Sujo anytime.
I love Elite sit down Unilocal events. This usually means the chef plans to put on a show. And he sure did.
When scouting tables we wanted one that was in the main dining area, and not nestled into a corner. Sorry Mike. We got a key spot, and began our domination as «The Table». Weird kids only. No cool kids allowed. We wear pink on Wednesdays. (Somehow my iPhone knew I was about to type pink)
The drink of the evening was The Perilla. Delicious and refreshing cocktail, served up. They made them in large batches and as a result they weren’t packing much of a punch, but after a several drinks it did the trick.
The food this evening was unbelievable. Our first dish was the Soju Fries. These are fries covered with braised short rib, and some sour cream! Second we had Kimchi Aracini Balls. Good stuff, but the smokey flavor on top of them masked too much flavor. Third was the pulled pork bao bun. So good. Unfortunately I only had one. (Hey it helps to have a pescetarian at the table. Shout out to Carolina!) Fourth up on the roll call we had chicken ramen soup. Great hearty flavor behind each spoon full. Perfect ratio of broth, noodle, and meat. Fifth was the best dish of the night in my opinion. Some Chicken Bibimbap. Never having bibimbap before, I was intrigued. Next time I come to Sujo I know this is the dish to get. Up last was a Kalbi short rib. The presentation of the dish is very nice and it wasn’t bad either. I think after the bibimbap, nothing was topping it. Also while it did not mention kimchi, the Kalbi did have a kimchi aroma to it.
The food alone was worth five stars, though it could have been not as good and I’d still say it would have earned it. The staff this evening was working hard to ensure everyone was satisfied and content.
Huge thanks to the hard working staff at Sujo. The owner was most hospitable to us this evening, and was very friendly saying a few nice words towards the end of the night. Thanks to the Unilocal CMs who came out. NYC CMs represented strong. Ruggy and Jando helping out! Big up to Pete for organizing a great sit down dinner.

I have to admit that I was, and still am, surprised that I was lucky enough to attend last night’s YEE at SUjo. It was, off the bat, a smaller Elite Only event and as I don’t hail from Brooklyn (although I have been in the borough a fair amount for a JCer), I knew the chances were even lower in my favor. Imagine my delight when my confirmation came through via e-​mail, promising a night of soju-​based cocktails and modern Korean bites.
SUjo is a relatively new business along Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, a hop and skip from the L-​train station (perfect for a late night visit). The venue is much bigger than it initially appears, consisting of a main bar area and then a separate dining room in the back, which opens up to a patio in warmer weather. After we’d been greeted and checked in by Jando and Peter, we were instructed to find our seats in the dining area. First — a sit down event is very rare, as most of us expected the typical stand-​up format with passed drinks and apps. Of course, none of us were complaining, especially those of us who hadn’t been able to make a stop for dinner before arriving.
A nod to the Perilla Cocktail that each of us were able to try: it starts off with a Jinro Soju base, with additions of elderflower liquor, grapefruit juice, and is garnished with a whole leaf of Perilla, a minty, aromatic addition that seemed to steep into the drink as time went on. For those who aren’t fans of soju, it’s a presentation that’s hard to dislike, especially given how well-​masked the alcohol is. It’s a perfect partner to any of the numerous food options at SUjo, which we were able to sample that evening. First, the SUjo Fries, which are hand-​cut fries topped with melted mozzarella, sour cream, braised short ribs, and a dash of gochujang for sweetness and tang. It’s what I would deem the quintessential drunk food, a hearty blend of protein, carbohydrate, spice, and cream. Even tastier was the Kimchi Arancini that came afterwards, a panko-​breaded ball filled with mozzarella, kimchi, and short rib.
The Pulled Pork Bun was another crowd-​pleaser, a sweet-​savory protein plated on a fluffy white bun and highlighted with a spicy mayo. We were won over by the simple Chicken Ramyun, a simple paitan broth dotted with nori, bean sprouts, scallions, and marinated shiitake mushrooms; some of us thought an additional dollop of chili oil would round out the flavors, but it’s nonetheless a perfect bowl for a cold day. Our Ssam leaf was pre-​assembled for us, but it was a tasty two bites that featured a marinated slice of bulgogi on top of rice, various sauces, and kimchi, all encased in a lettuce leaf. The dish that threw most of us off was the Dolsot Bimbimbap, however; the execution had to be altered since the staff had to serve smaller, individual-​sized portions to each of us, so there was no hot stone bowl present to crisp the exterior kernels of rice. The lack of texture and char was missed, although the ingredients present in the bimbimbap we recieved were all true to taste. (I’m sure that the original dish, which is served with the dolsot, would negate any of these points, though.)
Many many thanks to Ethan and the staff at SUjo for warmly welcoming us into their home, to Peter and Jando for overseeing such a fantastic event, and to the amalgation of Unilocalers that were as friendly and tolerant («Hey, I think we’re friends on Unilocal and you work in my building, but…») as any group of people could be. It may have been my first Brooklyn event of the year, but it certainly made the journey worth it.

I had no idea what to expect from my first Unilocal elite event. After walking in solo off the cold streets (serious march, get your shit together) into SUjo and I knew I was in for a good time. Peter gave me a warm greeting and I grabbed my name tag, I haven’t had to wear one of those in years! And I forgot that my beard occludes my upper chest so hey, I was name tag on the stomach guy.
Now, I am pretty good and mixers but you guys made this too easy. Everyone was friendly and a blast to talk to. And thanks to SUjo for making this even easier with as steady flow of delicious cocktails.
The food was fantastic. Six courses of Korean bites, I think my favorite were the kimchi arancini, but a special shout-​out to the BBQ pork fries. I was a little petrified at having to use metal chopsticks, but I soldiered on and everyone was amazing. It was all served by an extremely friendly staff.
Big thanks to everyone that came, everyone I talked to, and the staff to SOju for putting on an awesome dinner.

March Madness
This was my first Brooklyn event of the year, and upon entering I was greeted by all 3 NY CMs– an indication of what was ahead. After being ushered into the back room, I was still curious– were we being Punk’d? To find out that this was a sit-​down dinner was a sweet surprise!
That meant that there was:
No fighting, no fighting. No Hunger Games. No campers by the kitchen. Classy.
Our table, «The Table,» consisted of Carolina, Doreen, Michelle, Jenny, Matteo, Mitch, James & yours truly. «You can’t sit with us!» Not because we don’t want you to, but because we’d probably scare you. I’m kind of kidding.
The headliner drink of the night was the Perilla Cocktail: (Jinco SOJU, elderflower liqueur, grapefruit, perilla leaf). As indicated by my Unilocal profile, soju is one of the things that I absolutely love. Fruity soju sneaks up on you because it errs on the sweet side. The addition of the perilla leaf added a minty earthiness.
Food was a 6-​course feast to highlight various Korean bites.
1. SUjo fries (fries topped with mozzarella, braised short rib and sour cream) reminded me of Montréal poutine.
2. Kimchee Arancini (panko breaded kimchee fried rice balls with bulgogi and mozzarella cheese)
3. Pulled Pork Bun (on soft white buns). This was one of my favorites of the night.
4. Chicken Ramyun (slow-​cooked chicken, sweetly-​marinated shiitake mushrooms, mungbeans, scallions, and nori). I was a big fan of the sweetness of the chicken. Unfortunately, my noodles were not al dente, but rather soggy.
5. Dol Sot Bibimbap (chicken, beansprouts, spinach, mushrooms, carrots mixed with rice and spicy sauce). The weakest of the 6. It was confusing in execution– since it was served in a plastic bowl, I was missing the golden crispiness of the rice, usually attained after cooking against a hot stone bowl. Of course, this also meant the absence of the coveted egg.
6. Ssam (bulgogi atop a bed of rice mixed with 4 sauces and wrapped in a lettuce leaf). My favorite of the night– it was simply assembled and packed a ton of flavor in the small package.
Overall, SUjo was an awesome host; the staff was attentive and replenished our drinks consistently. Thanks for making my Wednesday such a memorable night. And thanks to Peter, for booking this new business, & the special appearances by Ruggy & Jando. Sounds like an awards show, doesn’t it? ;)

Sit-​down Elite events are rare, but when they happen, you’re in for a treat. I lost count of how many courses the fantastic staff at SUjo served us, but it was a ridiculous number like 6 or 7.
This «Korean gastropub» serves delicious Korean food with a very personal spin. examples were the SUjo French fries with braised short ribs with melted mozzarella and sour cream. The panko breaded kimchee arancini with bulgogi and mozzarella cheese were particularly delicious, as much as the pulled pork served in a bao bun. Or the kalbi ssam with kimchi, daikon radish: as refreshing as it was tasty.
A big shoutout to the people at SUjo for really making an extra effort: our server, Laura, brought to our table vegetarian/​pescatarian versions of most dishes to accommodate the needs of a pescatarian friend. How awesome is that?!
My only regret is that I didn’t have the opportunity to catch up with some of my friends who were seated in the bar area; I look forward to doing that at the next event.
Flickr photos here:

Rarer than finding a pearl while throwing back oysters at the raw bar, more elusive than a rent controlled apartment, its the sit down Unilocal Elite event! SUjo was the perfect spot to get to know a bunch of new fellow Unilocalers over tasty Korean bites. And six courses? Well bless my little Unilocal Elite soul, you shouldn’t have!
We were greeted at the door by our fearless leader Peter D., and maybe more importantly by some seriously kicking Jinco sujo cocktails. You know you’re in trouble when you’re handed a cocktail that’s just the perfect amount sweet and strong, gives you no burnback going down, and has a fun leaf in it! Fortunately, this was a very grown up responsible Unilocal adult party and everyone had such a great time getting to know one another (and stuffing our faces with sweet Korean treats) and absolutely no troubles, boozy or otherwise, were to be found.
I fancy myself an adventurous eater, and but this event made me feel like I’ve been ignoring an entire country of delicious eating! SUjo was the perfect opportunity to get to know more Korean dishes, both classic and with a modern twist. It was also a great opportunity for me to get to more Unilocalers, since I’m not big on the whole make small talk at a large party kind of thing (or as Peter D. so eloquently said, «because you hate everybody»). Turns out I don’t actually hate everybody though, because I had a great time getting to know some new Unilocal peeps!
Staff was super informative, sweet, and on their game. The night flowed perfectly. It was also great to hear from the chef, though I think Peter D. should have warned him you should never tell Unilocal Elites the next round’s on you… watch out SUjo!

Peter always tells us to not come hungry and prepare yourself mentally for only getting one bite of every sample. I did not follow his wishes in his email. Thank God. Six course tasting menu?! Not what I expected at all and what a pleasant surprise for a little intimate Brooklyn Unilocal Event. At first we were all warmly greeted with a glass of their Perilla cocktail: Jinro Soju, Elderflower liqueur, grapefruit, and a long leaf of Perilla. I can honestly say that I have never had soju before and I am now a fan. I like it more than sake, that’s for sure and the perilla added a nice light and subtle note of mint to the sweet rice drink. Sat down with some lovely peeps and managed to FINALLY get the Unilocal ice cube tray! (After I gave the only one I’ve been able to acquire to Stephy P. because I’m all thoughtful and stuff like that.)
First Course: Sujo French fries smothered with a decent portion of braised short rib, melted cheese, kimchee onion, cilantro, diced tomato, ketchup and a generous scoop of sour cream. They kind of remind me of nacho fries. I loved the short rib and the sour cream was actually not a bad idea. Think maybe hot sauce or sriracha thrown into the mix would have also been a good idea to cut into the sour cream but I liked this quite a bit.
Second Course: Beef Kimchee Aranchini rice balls stuffed with mozzarella. Could have definitely used more beef crumbles but these were delicious. Cheesy and packed some heat.
Third Course: Pulled pork bao buns! Deserves an exclamation because I love little buns. Definitely could use more pulled pork but I looked on the restaurant’s website and seems they actually normally do stuff these suckers up upon order. The accompanied fresh daikon and carrots was both refreshing and visually appetizing and the buns I at least thought were of a good texture. Nice and soft and squishy.
Fourth Course: Chicken Ramyun Noodle Soup. I have no idea what the difference between traditional ramen and ramyun is but this was one of the winners of the night. The broth was light but satiating and filled with a good amount of sweet shitakes and fresh mung beans. All that was missing was that soft yellow glowing egg. But I totally get not being able to poach 30 eggs stat for ravenous Unilocalers.
Fifth Course: Chicken Bibimbap served with daikon, carrots, wilted spinach, bean sprouts, mushrooms, and cucumber kimchee. Probably the failure of the night because even the servers stated that their stone pots weren’t quite hot enough to get the crispy exterior that is often key to the dish. It still tasted delicious regardless though and I love when my foods are colorful and have fresh vegetables in them.
Sixth Course: Pork Ssam wrapped inside of a lettuce leaf with sticky rice, kimchee, and daikon with dipping sauces. I liked it in theory. I’ve never had ssam before but the pork was on the chewy side. Super chewy. Like eating beef jerky chewy.
Overall, great dining experience with fantastic company. Staff was great. I did not have to go up to the bar for a singular drink because they would keep coming back asking us if we would like another. Couldn’t have been a better night. Thanks so much to Peter D. for yet another fantastic Unilocal BK event and for Jando and Ruggy showing up. Lol.

Sujo– A Korean gastropub dishing out Korean-​American fusion bar bites with refreshing Soju (see that clever bit with the name?). The drink of the night was Sujo’s Perilla cocktail, which was grapefruit infused soju with a dash of elderflower liquor, garnished with minty-​licorice Perilla leaf.
Peter recommended we eat before or after the event. So I expected a cocktail hour with small bites. What an amazing surprise to learn this event was going to be a 6 course sit-​down meal!
The company was wonderful. What an awesome group of fun, funny, and witty people! The service was wonderful. Laura, our waitress and Ethan Yang, chef and owner, were amazing and went above and beyond to accommodate our pescatarian friend.
My favorite courses were the aranchini, spicy pork ssam, pulled pork bun and the shiitake from the ramyun. I loved how crispy panko-​breaded short rib and kimchi blended together. Cheesy, beefy, crispy textures with a beautiful aromatic kimchi. That wonderful kimchi was also used in the spicy pork ssam. The pulled pork was cooked-​all-​day-​tender and well seasoned. And the sweetly marinated shiitake in the chicken ramyun noodles’ broth was tender and meaty.
Thank you Peter, Jando, Ruggy and Unilocal crew for this fun, fabulous event! Thank you for hosting us Unilocalers Ethan Yang!

Sujo was my introduction to the BK Elite Squad. What a great first impression it was. To start with the Elite council did an excellent job in giving out just the right amount of party passes. Sujo is a small spot and it was packed with the perfect amount of Elites without being over crowded. Everyone got a seat and had room to breathe. Like any other Elite event worth a Metro Card swipe this one got started with complimentary cocktails. They were serving their signature cocktail «Perilla». This cocktail was made with soju, grape fruit and some type of leafy herb. The perilla is an example of masterful mixology. The cocktail was smooth, refreshing and soothing. It was a pleasure to drink. Upon my return to soju I will most likely stick with this cocktail, it’s that good.
The Food: Chicken ramen — Delicious! This ramen was comprised of moist pieces of shredded chicken, a flavorful broth, mushrooms, green onions and of course noodles. This dish has a short list of ingredients but these ingredients worked together perfectly to create an excellent ramen soup. The best part here was the tasty broth that I made sure to drink when all the solid ingredients of the soup were gone.
Pork buns — I’m not really a fan of pork buns, mainly because I’m not big on pork. These were pretty good in comparison to the ones I’ve sampled before. They were constructed well and very visually appealing. No complaints here
Lettuce wrap– I’m calling it a lettuce wrap because I have no idea what they are actually called. It’s basically beef, rice & vegetables wrapped in a lettuce leaf and topped with bacon. This dish was outstanding. The beef was flavorful, the rice provided substance and the bacon added an element of saltiness. It was all brought together by the lettuce which was the perfect vessel for everything. Simply put, this dish was a great combination of flavors and textures.
Fried Rice balls — Cheesy Rice fried and topped with sriracha sauce. I loved these! The exterior had a nice crispy texture and the cheesy rice inside was soft and gooey. Again, great textures and flavor.
Sujo Fries — Really interesting and really good! Hand cut fries with skin on fried perfectly golden brown and topped with short rib, onions, sour cream and ketchup. This is another concoction consisting of what seems to be random ingredients that work really well together. The «icing on the cake» here is the cold sour cream that adds a nice contrast to the warm ingredients in this dish.
Considering the great drinks and immense variety of cuisine I sampled last night it’s obvious to me that Soju was a 5 star experience. What validates that for me is the fact that I have every intention on returning on my own dime. The only question in my mind is will I stick with the menu items that I sampled and loved or will I take the opportunity to delve deeper into the menu.

There are always events in your life that you remember forever. Your first kiss. Your first beer. Your first love. And, of course, your first sitdown Unilocal event.
Yes, I’m now a golden Eliter (somehow) and I’ve never been to one of these fabled events until now!
Why are sitdown events awesome? Well, the food and drinks come to you! Speaking as a perennially lazy human being, it’s everything I want in life.
And the food at Sujo was great. Unilocal lists them as a Korean gastropub, and I can definitely see that. We had a whole 6-​course tasting menu — with pulled pork fries, arancini balls, pork buns, chicken ramen, chicken/​rice bibambop, and a salad-​ish dish with possibly roast pork (?). I would’ve been happy with just two or three, but all five was a full meal. No need to feel ravenous! The arancini balls and pork buns were definitely my favorite.
There were also delicious soju drinks to go along with the meal. I sat at the bar, so I watched them churn them out almost nonstop for the entire night. Great drinks with a splash of St. Germain and topped with an overzied perilla leaf.
All in all, it was a wonderful event. Special thanks to Pete, as well as special guest CMs Jando and Ruggy (both of whom I haven’t seen in months). And of course to the wonderful staff and owners of Sujo for hosting us.

Armed with a dangerously delicious Perilla cocktail (Jinco sujo– the eponymous distilled rice, barley, or wheat beverage– elderflower liqueur, grapefruit, perilla leaf), we sat in the back of the restaurant. Besides food, elite Unilocalers really love to sit.
«I could eat this forever,» Reana K. said after tasting the Sujo french fries, our first course, topped with braised short rib, sour cream, mozzarella cheese, and ketchup. We were off to a good start. Personally, I would have preferred gochujang to the saccharine taste of ketchup here, but it was still delicious. Casey D. compared it to poutine.
Then we had arancini, which crisped up perfectly with Panko breadcrumbs. This was followed by a tasty pulled pork bun. Billing themselves a Korean gastropub, the food is creative but retains hints of the bold, hot flavors of kimchi and red chili paste. Meat dominates the menu, which is somewhat surprising considering how important vegetables are in Korean cuisine.
Then we had chicken ramyun, with a rich, umami taste of shitake mushrooms, crisp mung beans and scallions, and al dente noodles, a very soothing dish. This was followed by chicken bibimbap, which had great sticky rice. And lastly, a ssam– a lettuce wrapped dish of pork or other meat– with kimchi, daikon, and dipping sauces. I love ssam in general, it’s a cooling, but flavorful, homestyle dish, and this was a great conclusion to our six course feast.
Our server, Laura, was stellar, very friendly, and she took the time to explain each dish. Thank you to Peter D., Ethan and other staff, and other Unilocalers for a great time!