Namu Restaurant and Coffee Bar - Durham, North Carolina

My wife and I have long enjoyed Korean tacos. It used to be that we had to track down where the food trucks were parked to find a good Korean taco. For any food truck fanatics out there, you know how hard it can be to pin down the location of a food truck at times. We had several Korean taco trucks in the Durham area. A couple attempted to translate the experience to a sit-down restaurant. Two that I know of failed. The current formal food truck experience is Namu, which is a collaboration between the Bulkogi Truck and Bo's Kitchen. The restaurant is located along 15-501 near I-40 in Durham.

Namu is located in an old furniture store at 5420 Durham-Chapel Hill Blvd, Durham, NC 27707. While that sounds like a less-than-ideal location for a restaurant, the experience is far from furniture store. First of all, the restaurant has an outside garden, spa and dining area. The exterior seating has a zen vibe that often draws a crowd. It is not uncommon to pull into the parking lot and discover there are no spots to park. There is additional parking on the front side of the restaurant facing 15-501, but that often fills up as well, with cars utilizing the shoulder of the service road for overflow parking. That's generally a good sign that a restaurant is on to something.

The restaurant mirrors the food truck feel only in the way you order. While there is a large indoor dining area, guests line up at the counter and order in advance. They are provided a number and the food is delivered once it is prepared. I tried an Americano coffee on one visit, but generally visit for the Korean food. Or, more accurately, the Korean fusion. The food is solid, although not as exceptional as Seoul Garden in Raleigh. It is food truck Korean, as opposed to a full-on Korean dining experience. (although the pricing would get you a full-on Korean experience if you prefer that). The Korean menu includes a variety of bowls in the ten to fifteen dollar range that include rice, mandoo and a protein. The proteins include bulkogi, spicy pork and tofu. My favorite item is the mandoo, which is tasty and appear to be hand-made. They are generous with the meat filling, as well.

Other items include japchae, kimchi fried rice, tacos, Korean pancakes and more. The menu is limited, but has a pretty good set of options. Far more than you would find on an actual food truck. The restaurant also has several local beers on tap and a pretty good selection of canned or bottled drinks.

Namu has a pretty relaxing vibe. The exterior seating includes a deck area and a garden area with statues and a waterfall feature. It is very relaxing. The pricing is a bit high compared to regular Korean considering what you normally get with a Korean meal. If you order Bibimbap at a Korean restaurant, you will pay about twelve dollars. That will come with several vegetable options (panchan) that go with the meal. Namu charges about the same for a rice bowl. Now, you get four meat-packed mandoo with that, so you are getting a bit of value. But not nearly as much food for the money. However, it is not what I would consider "pricey", either.

If you visit Durham and are looking for a restaurant with a casual, relaxing vibe, consider visiting Namu. It may be fusion, but the flavors are good. The portions are decent. The prices are a bit high for what you get, but not outrageous. The atmosphere is young and vibrant. The service is exceptional. Give it a try.

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