Taste Of JOA
Michelin-Quality Barbecue Comes To Koreatown.
Kathy Tran
If you have an affinity for Asian cuisine, Dallas’ Koreatown near Royal Lane and Harry Hines is the place to be. From Korean fried chicken at No. 1 Plus Chicken to Asian supermarkets like Komart, Koreatown has all of the authentic flavors you could ever want. Now JOA is raising the bar on what kind of culinary experience diners can expect from the area.
Formerly known as Nuri Grill, the rebranded restaurant JOA, which is Korean for “I like it,” has been transformed into a whole new Korean barbecue experience specially catered to the customer. The owner, Wan Kim, is also the CEO of Smoothie King and successfully grew it into a $600-million business over a 10-year period. He eventually expanded into opening his first Korean restaurant with Nuri Grill in 2021, led by Michelin-starred chef duo Minji Kim and Ben Lee.
“JOA will offer locals authentic traditional Korean food made by the same team that brought Nuri Grill to DFW,” Wan says. “We’ve repurposed Nuri Grill into a new concept that will serve as a test kitchen for potential growth concepts, including Nuri Steakhouse that will be opening in Uptown next year.”
An intimate yet comfortable 4,000 square-foot setting with modern decor and ambient red lighting, JOA amps up the ambiance with personalized booths equipped with their own fire pits and grills. Before even thinking about dinner, guests are given the opportunity to peruse the drink menu with over 60 options from which to choose. From flavored soju and sakes to Japanese whiskey, JOA has a plethora of Asian favorites to sip. But if you’re craving that classic bartender experience, its nine Japanese whiskeys can be the foundation for any premium cocktail. Its Yuzuri liqueur can also be complemented with lime and mint for a Yuzu Mojito, and you can never go wrong with a JOA Blue Long Island that’s mixed with Blue Curacao, gin, rum and vodka.
When it’s time to eat, JOA boasts a collection of appetizers that serve as the perfect introduction to the experience ahead. The fried galbi pan-fries marinated beef ribs and serves them alongside shredded perilla leaves, while the beef tukbokki sautees a rice cake in spicy red chili, beef and pepper sauce. The Yuk Hoe beef tartare is marinated in sesame oil and seasoned with garlic, soy and egg yolk for a strong umami flavor, while the octopus is deep-fried and served with a chili and chimichurri sauce. Stews like beef doenjang and pork gochujang jjigae provide a spicy kick, and the radish kimchi fried rice will be hard to resist.
When diners are done marinating over the light bites, it’s time to move on to the barbecue, and there are two ways to enjoy it. They can either order all of their meats a la carte-style and grill it themselves, or they can order a spread for trained servers to prepare for a fun tableside experience. The Taste of JOA comes with prime short rib, Black Angus hanger steak, ribeye and shrimp, while the Taste of Texan comes with all that plus a Duroc pork belly. The list of quality cuts goes on to include rack of lamb and porterhouse steak as well.
As the server rolls out the different meats, they’ll slice them into bite-sized pieces before searing on the grill and serving them to you with your choice of sauces. With a variety of seasonings and sauces that range from salty to sweet to spicy, you’ll have several ways to savor the many different delicious barbecue sensations. And because no meal is complete without dessert, the restaurant offers complimentary ice cream to finish your meal on a high note.
At JOA, customers will find just how pampered and luxurious Korean fine dining can be. Most will find that the name “JOA” doesn’t do the restaurant justice, because they won’t just like it — they’ll love it.