Korean BBQ Ribs Opens: Ferak Food Column

JOLIET, IL - Thursday was a gorgeous autumn day, and if you were walking along North Chicago Street in downtown Joliet, you were blasted with a new smell. And, boy, was it a good smell. It was the smell of fresh Korean-style boneless beef short ribs being dished up at 221 N. Chicago St.

This is good stuff.

Thursday marked the grand opening for K Ribs BBQ. It's right next to the Joliet Junior College Culinary Arts campus.

"Korean-American Fusion Barbeque," the restaurant's website proclaims.

This new Joliet restaurant was the brainchild of Dillon Kim, who operates an insurance agency at the building next door.

Kim wanted to bring a unique restaurant to Joliet. He's excited about the downtown's continued resurgence and believes his new authentic-style Korean restaurant can become a landmark restaurant for the downtown, a destination restaurant for Joliet.

K Ribs BBQ is now open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

My lunch dish consisted of a plate full of char-grilled bulgogi beef plus two sides. I wanted to go with something I've never had before, so I broke out of my comfort zone and ordered pickled garlic and kimchi, which is a spicy cabbage mixture.

This was a very good dish. The Korean beef has a nice flavor to it.

Later on, Kim told me he is buying his meats from a supplier in Chicago.

"We have really high-quality ingredients," Kim said. "Our meat supplier, it's a top quality of meats."

I don't disagree. Eventually, I tried the Galbi Boneless Beef Shortrib.

"Beef short ribs marinated in a Korean sweet and savory soy sauce."

These short ribs are something else. They are terrific. Boy, are they tasty.

They get my endorsement. I overheard a couple of other customers inside the restaurant telling the staff that these ribs were "delicious."

Delicious in my book is an understatement.

Anyway, the next time I eat here I will probably order the smoked baby back ribs.

You can order a half rack, a full slab or go with the tips. The rib tips are also available for 1/4 pound, 1/2 pound, 1 pound and 2 pound sizes.

Another tempting item on the menu is the K Fried Wings. You can order four pieces or eight pieces.

K Ribs BBQ is now available for dine-in customers and for carryout orders. The restaurant can seat about 40 people. The phone number to place a carryout order is 779-242-1152.

To learn more about the menu, visit the website for K Ribs BBQ.

A couple officials from the city of Joliet's economic development office were also eating in the restaurant at one of the tables behind me.

"The food is great. This is really good," remarked city economic development director Steve Jones.

The key to success, Jones said, will be word of mouth and marketing.

Parking in the evenings and on weekends is free in downtown Joliet. Kim said that customers can also use the parking lot across the street for the First Midwest Bank building.

Images via John Ferak/Joliet Patch Editor