Bunsmith: Korean-inspired Steamed Buns

Brooklyn is one of those places that I don't often visit. Maybe because I grew up in Manhattan, whenever I go to Brooklyn, I feel somewhat lost there. Although I don't visit Brooklyn often, I do know there are some really good food spots over there which I should venture off to more often in the future.  

Bunsmith was one of the spots that I was curious about after seeing a picture on Instagram. It wasn't overly hyped when I saw it in my newsfeed, which is probably why I was interested. (I prefer to go to places that not everyone is trying to go to.)
My friend and I decided to go to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden this weekend before the Cherry Blossom Festival started so we can get some shots of the flowers before it gets overcrowded. By around noon, we started to get hungry so Bunsmith was the perfect spot since it wasn't too far away. We had to wait til 1PM before they were opened and by the time they were, it was not too busy yet. We were seated relatively quickly even though there weren't many workers from what we saw. 

They were offering a brunch menu at the time, but their regular menu were also available. We went for the Spicy Fried Chicken Bun ($4), Bulgogi Bun ($4) and the Pork Jowl & Eggs ($14). 

We were given bowls since we decided to share. The utensils used were adorable because they were reminiscent of the utensils in Korea. From the metal cups and the water jug to the bowls and wooden spoons that were used.

The food came relatively quick and was all served at once. We started with the Spicy Korean Fried Chicken Bun which came with a slice of pickled daikon sandwiched in between. If you are expecting it to taste like the fried chicken at BonChon or KyoChon, you may be a little disappointed. It isn't as crispy as the typical Korean fried chicken, but it was still delicious. The chicken itself was very moist even though it was boneless. The spicy sauce they used also tasted a little different in that it had a thicker sauce, along with a more strong gochujang flavor. The pickled daikon gave the bun a little sweet and tangy kick to it, so when eating it you get this spicy, sweet, tangy flavor all in one. The spice level was also quite low, so unless you are very sensitive to spice, I feel like most people can try this. The spice you get isn't a hot spice, but more of a peppery spice that you get from the gochujang. 

The Bulgogi Bun was next and we knew what to expect when we ordered this because we've had bulgogi many times at Korean restaurants at this point, so it was a "safe" choice. The bun came stuffed to the max with super thin sliced rib eye, sweet onions and scallions. When I took my first bite, it reminded me how long I haven't had bulgogi. With the sweetness from the sugar, subtle onion-y flavor, and candy like onions, what is there to not love?! The super thin rib eye was also cooked perfectly where it was just cooked through and still tender. (I've had places where it was a thicker and overcooked.) I could seriously eat about 10 of these and be satisfied already. 

Our last pick was the Pork Jowl & Eggs, which weren't sure what pork jowl was at first, but I knew it wouldn't be bad. I was thinking it was either pork feet or cheeks, and thankfully it was cheeks or else my friend might not have enjoyed it as much haha. The dish came with the pork, a bed of rice, two eggs cooked whichever way you wanted and a salad topped with fried wonton skins. (The salad was pretty much just romaine lettuce with a vinaigrette.) The pork was cooked with shichimi soy, crispy onions and scallions. The meat itself was also very tender and moist. You get a mix of pieces that are more grilled, along with some pieces that are more fatty which just melts in your mouth. Mixed with the shichimi soy, you get this savory peppery flavor making the pork even more flavorful. You could practically give me the meat by itself and I would be satisfied already!

If I had to choose one thing that wasn't a hit for us, then it has to be the salad. My only complaint would be that I felt that there was a bit of too much vinaigrette The tang from the salad does cut the heaviness from the pork, but I personally wish I could control the dressing. (Maybe the dish was meant to be eaten mixed together with the rice, but my friend prefers more rice while I prefer more veggies. :P) 

Other than that I really enjoyed the food at Bunsmith. I noticed that their menu was on the smaller side, but it may be geared towards more of a bar and snack kind of place, even though they do offer bowls for people who prefer food. If I do come back, I would love to try the Soy Garlic Fried Chicken Bun and their Spam & Cookie Butter Bun (WHAT?!). And although I'm not big on alcohol, their Korribean cocktail sounds pretty interesting! 

789 Franklin Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11238

Mon-Fri: 5PM-11PM
Sat: 1PM-11PM
Sun: 1PM-10PM

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