Amitabul Healthy Chicago Vegan Korean Restaurant
Every once in awhile I search “healthy Chicago restaurants” and see what I stumble upon. I don’t know why I never noticed Amitabul before as it’s been around a long time, but I am so happy I discovered this unique gem.
The Amitabul story shared on the website:
“The Amitabul story begins in Seoul, Korea, where a 13-year-old Bill Choi watches and learns traditional Korean fermentation techniques from his mother and grandmother.
Bill and his brother Dave come to America, where they run Jim’s Grill on Chicago’s north side. While the menu features burgers and eggs, the monks from the brothers’ Buddhist temple bring vegetables for them to make vegan Bi Bim Bop. The dish is an unexpected hit and Bill is encouraged to start his own restaurant, specializing in his unique approach, a vegan merging of traditional Korean preparation and Western taste.”
Location
6207 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60646
It’s a far hike from downtown Chicago if you hit traffic. Luckily we didn’t go until 8:00pm on a Saturday though, so it was a fairly easy 25 minute drive.
Reservation
We did not make one as it doesn’t seem like a restaurant you need one at, however we were surprised at how busy it was at 8:00pm considering they close at 9pm (the last seating is at 8:30pm). If you are nervous about just showing up, you can make a reservation on their website.
Cuisine – Vegan Korean
- Vegan or not, I would recommend this place to many who like authentic, healthier, ethnic cuisine.
- They cook with minimal to no oil and it’s stated next to the menu description if an item is cooked with it.
- All of the veggies are steam cooked for the most nutrients.
- Most dishes can be made gluten-free with rice noodles or rice
- There is tofu in many of the dishes, but if you don’t eat it you can easily omit it. (I did).
Ambiance
There is nothing fancy about the ambiance here. When you pull up to the outside of the restaurant you may even question where you went. With this said, right when we opened the door, we saw a wall full of pictures of people who have eaten there. This made it feel more welcoming and gave it a more mom & pop type of place…except it’s Chef Bill’s place. When we opened the second door, there was an eye-catching table full of Buddha’s and plants that gave us that authentic warm feeling.
Even though it’s an older, more plain restaurant, the pictures that line the walls along with the lanterns and the peaceful light music all give it personality.
I will say that the back part of the restaurant seems slightly bright and a little colder feeling. We just sat in a booth towards the front and it was perfect.
Also, for being older, the restaurant was very clean! I so appreciated this.
One of my favorite touches was the gratitude blessing on the table. You’ll forget about anything you may be missing with the ambiance after you read it.
Food
It’s authentic, comforting, and you can just feel that everything is prepared with such care and love. There were so many choices to choose from, but this first time we ordered the Energy Maki Roll, Dr. K’s Cure All Noodle Soup, and Chef Bill’s Curry rice noodle dish.
Energy Maki Roll Appetizer
Although simple, the heavily brown rice forward roll with a small amount of herbs, roots, rice, and seaweed hit the spot. The side ginger seemed saturated in a sweet vinegar and I don’t eat soy sauce, but even with just a little wasabi on each roll it was still good. We would probably not order it again, but solely because you get so much food with the entrees!
Dr. K’s Cure All Noodle Soup
This was the most interesting soup I’ve ever eaten- in a good way! I skipped the tofu and ordered it with rice noodles. I don’t know what’s all in it, but the flavor was so good! It was PACKED with steamed vegetables, rice noodles, mushrooms, seaweed, and I have no idea what else. There is definitely a spicy kick, but it felt like just the right amount. All I know is that it felt like it would be good for any cold, flu, etc. – so the name fits.
I was worried about it being hearty enough, but there were plenty of noodles in it (I wanted more than just veggies). Even with my husband eating some too, I had so much leftover.
Tibetan High Noon with Rice Noodles
My husband really enjoyed this noodle dish tossed with a spicy curry sauce. He just wants to try a new one out each time to confirm he’s found the best one on the menu. Ha. I enjoyed my soup more than this one, but they are completely different dishes.
Drinks
The tea forward drink menu pairs perfectly with the food and ambiance. My husband and I both ordered the ginger and citron tea and it was amazing. It was ginger and grated lemon peel sweetened with something. (I did not ask what it was sweetened with. I’m not as picky with ingredients when I’m outside of my home). We’ll be ordering the same tea next time for sure!
Just incase the “Healing Buddhist Spiritual Vegan Cuisine” does not give it away, know that there is no alcohol served here.
Service
In the entrance it mentions that they are short staffed like many restaurants after COVID so to please be patient. Although the service was slower, it was still good service. Plus, I welcome the slower pace; it’s all part of the experience. We were still acknowledged and given menus right after sitting down (we chose a table ourselves; it seemed to be what you did). Eventually the owner, Chef Bill, came out and asked for a drink order. He was the nicest guy and his calm demeaner and voice just added to the experience. He and another woman waited on us and we had all of the service we needed.
If Amitabul were closer to downtown we would return often, however even with the drive, we will still make the trip once in awhile. I highly recommend it!
If you are new here, hello! Thanks so much for stumbling upon my blog!
I hope you stick around, Xx Riane
Find me on the daily @herhealthystyle on Instagram
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