Two years after the change in command of the kitchen, Komah remains a Korean reference

When chef Paulo Shin announced his departure from Komah in October 2022, he left doubts about whether he would maintain the high standards that made the restaurant the best Asian restaurant in the city in 2018 and 2019 and that transformed São Paulo’s relationship with Korean food. Two years later, the disputes in the kitchen and management seem not to have reached the dining room, and it may even seem that nothing has changed at the small restaurant in Barra Funda. The menu is practically the same and continues to be very well executed, offering a contemporary, tamed and delicious reinterpretation of Korean cuisine.

On a recent visit, it was clear that everything is going well and that the biggest challenge is giving up what you won’t eat, since everything is very appealing, but your stomach and wallet have limits.

There are some very interesting options when dining there. You can go the simple route, where each person chooses their own dish, which costs between R$65 and R$70 and is very well served; you can choose different portions of starters and main courses and eat together, trying more different flavors for a slightly higher price; or you can order a tasting menu for R$125 per person, to take a delicious tour of the menu options.

For those who choose the simpler route, the dilemma is what to choose. It’s hard to avoid the galbi jim (R$70), beef ribs roasted in a mixture of soy sauce, sake and ginger, whose meat falls apart with chopsticks and is dipped in a complex umami broth with delicious hints of acidity and sweetness.

But the restaurant is also famous for its kimchi bokumbap (R$68), a version of omurice that helped popularize oriental egg rice in the city. The creamy and tasty omelette melts beautifully with the crunchy rice and chard.

And the roasted pancetta with gojuchang sauce on samgiopsai with ssam set (R$70) is not far behind in quality. Tender and with precise seasoning, its light spicy touch brings an interesting complexity to the dish, which is complemented by the pickles in the salad, which contributes to the balance of the whole thing.

Ordering all three can be an option for those visiting in a group, but it is too much food for two people and already puts the price close to that of the tasting menu. The advantage of this more complete option is that it includes the three dishes plus the banchan set (R$37) and the yukhoe (R$58).

The first is a staple of Korean cuisine, a selection of starters with vegetables and pickles such as burdock, kimchi and tofu that combine sensations of spiciness, acidity and umami. Even those who aren’t fans of tofu will enjoy the well-seasoned dish served at the restaurant.

And the second is another classic consecrated by Komah: a steak tartare prepared with frozen meat sliced ​​into strips, sake, egg yolk cured in soy sauce and sake. It may seem a little strange because it is very cold, but it is well seasoned, tasty and gradually changes texture. The fruit also goes very well with it, creating a beautiful contrast.

Perhaps the best way to get through the menu without feeling like you’re missing out is to order a tasting menu to share between two people. The restaurant warns that the portions are controlled and designed for a single customer, but it is possible to complement the meal by ordering more starters or salads such as the ssam set (34), a selection of vegetables, or even dishes that are not included in the tasting, such as the rib rice (R$70) or the dolsot bibimbap (R$65), spicy rice with meat, egg yolk, vegetables and seaweed.

To finish, the sesame mille-feuille dessert surprises with its mild and slightly sweet flavor, with layers of very dry dough. It’s a shame that the filling is hard, which ends up breaking the structure.

In a city with a large Korean community, especially in Bom Retiro, Komah has been criticized for serving food that is more accessible to Western palates unfamiliar with the Asian country’s spices. It’s hard to understand how this could be seen as a problem when you can find food that is so well prepared that it popularizes the country’s cuisine here. And it’s good that the restaurant has managed to maintain its standard.