Charlie Bulgogi

“Authentic ethnic food” has become somewhat of an oxymoron for those of us who seek restaurants that offer a true taste of culture and cuisine from far-away places—especially here in South Florida, where we may make a mean fish taco but often fall short on Latin, Asian, and European culinary options. They exist, of course, but it’s a pretty big stretch to hope for foreign cuisines like abuela, babushka, or nonna makes outside of home kitchens.

Until now.

Charlie and Soomi Chi are making it their mission to bring authentic Korean food to Sarasota. Their food truck, Charlie’s Bulgogi, often found at community events and local breweries, garnered an immediate following from folks clamoring for a bowl of bulgogi and any other authentic offerings that might be on board, prompting the Chis to build a brick-and-mortar restaurant to cater to diners’ desire for good Korean food.

Korean cuisine runs the gamut from spices that will make your eyelids sweat and perfectly sour fermented foods all the way to sweet barbecued meats and carb-loaded comfort foods like noodles and dumplings. Charlie’s plans to offer it all, from the more well-known dishes, like bulgogi, galbi, and bibimbap, alongside a few lesser-known traditional dishes like Korean chicken wings and kimchi salad.

Charlie and Soomi’s barbecue isn’t just some grilled beef. They marinate meats (pork, chicken, and beef) for 12–20 hours in Soomi’s homemade concoction of sweet, sour, and spicy ingredients before grilling them to caramelized perfection, creating an uber-tender and extremely flavorful dish that hits all the right notes.

Additionally, banchan is one of the elements that sets Korean food apart from other cuisines, and Charlie’s offers plenty of options. Banchan is the collective name for the small side dishes of toppings and extras meant to be shared amongst the table to accentuate the main dish (almost like a condiment—without being a sauce) or to be snacked upon before, during, or after the meal. Anywhere from six to 16 miniature bowls can appear, offering up traditional sides like seasoned soybean sprouts, pickled radish, kimchi, fried fishcakes, spicy cabbage, fried anchovies in a sweet soy syrup, grilled eggplant, you name it. In Korean dining, banchan is, thankfully, a must as it is always a fun and delicious experiment to see what complements each dish best.

Granted, much of the joy of eating out stems from the fact that someone else is doing the cooking, but Charlie’s Bulgogi literally brings an exciting new dynamic to the table. For those who enjoy an interactive approach to dining, the tables offer built-in custom grills, so if you’d like to take part in the cooking process, you can— however, it’s not obligatory, so don’t feel you need to come prepared with an apron and chef’s hat.

For now, their menu is a glimpse of what’s to come, touching upon all the traditional Korean flavors but not indicative of the extensive offerings they plan to produce in the months ahead. Meanwhile, the food truck will continue to roll through town, from Calusa Brewing to the Gator Club, so keep a look out for Charlie and Soomi at Sarasota events, or stop by their restaurant for lunch or dinner for a taste of tradition.

Charlie Bulgogi: 4567 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota