Located in Garosu-gil, one of South Korea’s to-go locations, traditional Vietnamese restaurant Buncharaboom attracts a large number of customers. Not only are the dishes exotic and appealing, but the interior design of the restaurant is also eye-catching. The restaurant sign is bright yellow with red lights, grabbing the attention of people walking by. As soon as you walk in, you are overwhelmed with the aroma of spices.

“My friends have been telling me all about this restaurant!” said Jaeho Hwang (10), a Vietnamese food lover. “I have been to several Vietnamese restaurants and I always self-evaluate the restaurant and give it my own star rating. After the things that I have heard about this restaurant, I am excited to go try it out soon.”

When my friends and I visited this restaurant, we devoured our meals within minutes. Surprisingly, none of the dishes were bland or salty; all of them were seasoned just right. Also, the prices are affordable, ranging from 9,000 won to 12,000 won. After a couple of bites, we noticed that the dishes tasted a bit different than the other well-known Vietnamese restaurant, Emoi. According to the waitress, the meat served at Buncharaboom is barbequed, giving it a unique taste We loved all the dishes and would definitely go back again.

“When I first entered the restaurant, the smell took me by surprise,” said Taehoon Kim (11). “There were also a lot of people eating and laughing, giving me an assurance that this restaurant will be delicious. I ordered a Bun Cha and it was absolutely amazing. The soup that came with the noodles and vegetables were a great mix that I’ve never tasted before.”

Despite the amazing dishes, one thing the restaurant lacked was details on what exactly the dish contained. Looking at the menu, only the names of the dishes were listed with simple pictures, nothing else. There were three different types of pho with different prices, but the menu didn’t have anything to tell us why they were different. Other than the details, the restaurant is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants that I have eaten at.

“My experience was a bit different from the people who loved the food,” said Youngwoo Kim (11). “My noodles were a bit dry and very sticky, making it hard for me to eat the noodles. Also, I felt as if the tables were very close by, giving tables no privacy to talk and eat. Other than that, I enjoyed the overall taste of the meals.”