Author: Julie_Harris

Imagine going to a restaurant for the very first time, and without any idea of what to expect, and you are absolutely blown away by the quality of the food, the appealing atmosphere and rock-bottom prices. Would you go back as often as you could?...Of course you would! That’s exactly what happened to me at Gangnam Sushi, located at 290 Selkirk Avenue in Winnipeg. Situated in the very under-appreciated North End of Winnipeg, Gangnam Style is a small, nondescript restaurant that far too many people drive past every day without ever stopping in. While that may not be good for a restaurant's overall success, it’s fabulous for us who go there often because if even more people ever knew about this place, we'd probably never get a seat! (In fact, I’m probably shooting myself in the foot by writing this review.) Gangnam bills itself as a Korean BBQ and Sushi House, but that's only part of their many offerings. Without debate, they have some of the best Tempura in the city, hands down. Never greasy, always light and crisp, the Tempura items alone speak to the owner’s unwavering attention to quality. But it’s all of the other unexpected extras and the outstanding flavors that will absolutely knock your socks off! The first time I visited Gangnam Style was during lunch. Drawing on the advice of a more experienced colleague, and desiring a combo meal as opposed to an assortment of individual sushi items, I ordered one of the numerous Lunch boxes listed on the menu for a modest $7.99. On my inaugural visit I ordered the Kalbi Box which is a thin-sliced, marinated Korean BBQ`d beef with just a small medallion of bone left in the center for maximum flavor. There are seven versions of the lunchbox to choose from, with beef, chicken, pork, salmon, veal, and vegetarian options. There are also Dinner Box options available offering even more food for $9.99, but you probably won't be able to finish them! Soon after I placed my order with the friendly waitress, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a pot of hot green tea without even requesting it. As I was sipping the tea and enjoying a lively conversation with my lunch companion, I was presented yet again with another two items, this time a small bowl of cold Asian salad dressed in a deliciously sweet soy and rice vinaigrette, along with a small bowl of warm Miso soup. At this point I became somewhat suspicious because nowhere on the menu did it mention that I should receive these items with the purchase of a lunchbox. I naturally began to wonder if the not-so-fluent-in-English waitress either mistook my order, or if I was witnessing salesmanship at its best. “No wonder the entree items are so cheap”, I thought to myself, ”they get you on all the extras.” Admittedly, I couldn’t have been MORE wrong. As pleased as I was with the delightful “starters”, I hadn’t received my Lunchbox yet so I really wasn’t holding my breath. After all, what does one actually expect for $7.99 in a tiny North End restaurant? Even before it arrived, I anticipated that my meal would probably be crammed into some sort of Asian-style cardboard takeout ‘box`. Again, I was SO wrong! Only a picture of my entree can do this review any justice. Not only did I not receive my food in a cardboard box, but the whole presentation was so shockingly composed and delicate that all I could do was muster a stifled, “Wow!” while grabbing for my phone to snap a photo. The picture that is attached to this review is my actual lunch entrée, not a professionally staged photo. It’s simply gorgeous, ample, and incredibly delicious! After fawning over all the unexpected delights and devouring my scrumptious lunch, all the while sipping warm green tea, I received yet another final surprise, this time in the form of a small and refreshing cup of rainbow-flavored sherbet ice cream. Did I order this? Nope, because it’s all complimentary. To say I was astonished would be an understatement. Since my first visit to Gangnam, I have returned there at least 20 times, and not once has the service or food ever fallen below the extremely high standard that I met during my initial visit. I’m so confident with the food and atmosphere there that I routinely go with my favorite colleagues, customers, and friends. It’s just that good. The restaurant itself is quite small, about 20 seats, yet it is very comfortable and impeccably clean. (I always look for cleanliness at a restaurant and this place is second to none in that regard) It is tastefully decorated with all kinds of cute and kitschy Knick-knacks which are aptly representative of the diverse cultures in the North End. There is always light music playing, the likes of Neil Diamond and Anne Murray, and the staff are extremely friendly. My only major criticism of this restaurant is that the prices are far too low for what is being offered. However, I’m not going to be the one to tell them that. I’ll just keep tipping them extraordinarily well! So, I'm not going to go on about the food. There’s just too much to report, and half the fun of going to any new restaurant is discovering all the tantalizing items for yourself. And if I said any more it would just be a spoiler, so you’ll just have to trust me - this place is an absolute hidden gem and you will surely not be disappointed!More