I Know A Place: Korean BBQ in Orlando's Mills 50 District

Here’s an odd confession: my first time trying Korean food was at a nice Korean BBQ place with my friend Katherine. In Kochi, India. I know what you’re thinking: “Who? What? Why? How? The answers: My friend Katherine, whom I studied abroad with, and I were overwhelmed by the wealth of food options that were available to us and thought, why wait until we can visit Korea to enjoy Korean cuisine?
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That was back in 2017 and though I initially thought it to be strange, I have now come to think of this as just a really cool fact and testament to the ways in which food and food trends travel and expand around the globe. So, when visiting family in Orlando this weekend, I decided to spend some time with my older sister and check out one of the many restaurants on our never-ending list of local food spots. Together, we decided on Shin Jung Korean Restaurant.

It’s 2:30 PM on a Saturday and we are here to support small businesses!

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For those of you familiar with neighborhoods in Central Florida, Shin Jung is located on the outskirts of the Mills 50 District, an area known for a wealth of small retailers and restaurants, as well as a lot of AAPI-owned businesses. It’s one of my favorite spots in the city to shop local, spend the day with friends, and enjoy some of the absolutely phenomenal murals done by Orlando artists.
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The Mills 50 District tends to be a pretty popular spot, especially on weekends, so I definitely recommend planning accordingly. My sister, Kris, and I decided to go for lunch around 2:30 PM in an attempt to beat the lunch and dinner rush and I think our planning was spot on. There were a decent number of parties in the main dining area, but plenty of outdoor seating for those who weren’t interested in using the grill for the full BBQ experience. Shin Jung boasts a dining room that appears very modern, with lots of white, those boujee flower and plant walls, and minimalistic decoration.They recently went through an extensive re-model and just started offering dine-in options again. Don’t let the fresh atmosphere fool you, this restaurant is one of the original Korean restaurants in the city and has been serving a full menu of traditional food longer than I have been breathing (they first opened their doors in 1993). 

Ok, consider the scene set; I have appeased the lifestyle blogging deities with my little background story and introduction. Let’s get into the menu. Overall, Shin Jung hosts a pretty extensive menu, including soups, rice dishes, a very nice assortment of soju, and (of course) barbecue. While 2:30 PM on a Saturday is a perfectly acceptable time to be under 30 and day drunk, Kris and I decided to skip the soju menu and try some less “adult” beverages. She went for the classic rice nectar while I sipped on the ginger cinnamon punch. While the rice nectar was good, it definitely took a little getting used to. We both gave the ginger cinnamon punch a refreshingly spicy 5-stars.

Ginger Cinnamon Punch (left) and Rice Nectar (right).

A lot of the menu items caught our eyes, especially since there were vegan and vegetarian options available as well. Though neither of us are vegetarians, I’m allergic to shellfish and neither of us really eat red meat. Still, there was so much for us to choose from  (including vegetarian/vegan kimchi options, which I was excited about)! We decided to go pretty simple and ordered the spicy chicken and assorted vegetables for the grill. All of the grill items come with your usual array of side dishes and we were able to sample both cabbage and daikon kimchi, pickled red onions (personally, I can eat spoonfuls of this stuff), potatoes, white rice, a few other pickled veggies, and side salads. 
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Our spread, in all its glory.

There’s something about the way that I present myself in restaurants that just screams out to staff that I need help at all times. I have yet to figure out exactly what part of my demeanor betrays me (my bet is on the perpetual social awkwardness), so I usually just roll with it. In this case, “rolling with it” meant accepting the assistance of our lovely server, who insisted on helping us place everything on the grill and consistently checking to make sure that we didn’t burn our spicy chicken to a crisp. In the end, Kris and I took turns successfully manning the grill and did a pretty good job of it. The result was one of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time. The assortment of vegetables was great, and really complemented the chicken, which was advertised as “spicy chicken” but was more like a really nicely spiced chicken. If you’re looking for heat, definitely make sure to be liberal with sauces.

Preparing this food is a true test of patience (and worth every second).

A few specifics before I get carried away:

• TASTE: I absolutely loved the flavors of the food that we got. I think in this setting, it’s so important that foods complement each other and I can tell that this restaurant does indeed have over twenty years of experience in creating masterpieces, cleverly disguised as menu items. My favorite parts were definitely the grilled chicken, which I will be thinking about for a few months, and the ginger cinnamon tea. The tea really sealed the whole meal for me and I regret not asking for a glass to take home with me.
• SERVICE: Our host was so kind and attentive and the rest of the staff were exceptionally helpful during our meal! The dining room was clean/well attended and, though small, exceptionally well ventilated! 
• VALUE: Drinks, the two selections for the grill, sides, and the tip ran just under $50. I would definitely say that the quality and quantity of food definitely makes this price worth it. Those wanting to get alcoholic drinks can look to spend about another $10-15 per person. When it comes to our meal for two, it was a great meal for a great price! For larger groups of 5+ people, I would definitely recommend looking into the combo options which include multiple barbeque options to share.

Here's the bottom line: Shin Jung Korean BBQ is an incredible local restaurant that has been serving up authentic and reimagined Korean fare for almost three decades. It’s a true Central Florida gem; They know what they’re doing, I wish them the best in doing it, and I’ll be back... 👀

⭐️​⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yes, I took a photo in front of the cute flower wall! Did you expect me to not take a photo in front of the cute flower wall?