Gogi Bros. House in Eden Prairie

Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table

Over the past few years, there has been a relentless wave of food trucks and farmers market vendors — from World Street Kitchen, to Cafe Racer, to Mon Petit Chéri — trading their way up into bricks-and-mortar spaces. And with very few exceptions, the trend has been “practice makes perfect.” Time spent on the street pays off when it comes time to open the doors to a “real” restaurant.

The move for Korean food truck Gogi Bros. has been, we’re happy to report, right on trend. The newly opened bricks-and-mortar incarnation of Gogi Bros. is located in a reasonably pleasant Eden Prairie strip mall overlooking a wooded pond. The restaurant’s glass-framed atrium must now comprise some of the loveliest seating in the Twin Cities.

Of course, the food’s the thing, and Gogi Bros. doesn’t disappoint — the restaurant’s small (and evolving) menu reflects a passion for doing each dish with passion and precision.

Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table

Our Bulgogi Burger ($10.50 plus $1.25 for a fried egg) more closely resembled a roast beef sandwich, with thin, tender, juicy pieces of beef, fried kimchi, and pepper jack cheese on a pretzel bun. The overall impact was an umami bomb — earthy, spicy, creamy, and comforting.

The Korean BBQ Tacos ($12) also possess a depth of flavor, with a light amount of spicy ground beef along with fried kimchi, Colby jack cheese, and “tiger slaw.” Each individual component is fine, but together, they’re a glorious mixture of tastes and textures.

Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table

And our Daeji (pork) Bulgogi ($10 as part of a lunchtime bento box) was lovely — tender, moderately but pleasingly spiced, and a fitting counterpoint to the other elements of the set: crisp cucumbers, broken rice, gently spicy and earthy house-made kimchi, and delicate, perfectly cooked japchae (sweet potato noodles). The only slight letdown were the mandu (deep fried potstickers), which were passable but bland.

Overall, we thought the flavors at Gogi Bros. were shorn of some heat and funk when compared some of our other favorite Korean spots (Dong Yang and Sole Cafe come to mind), but that seems like a deliberate choice tailored to fit the suburban surroundings. We’re looking forward to returning to see how the place evolves. With the energy that’s crackling through Gogi Bros. House at the moment, you can bet that it’ll develop in some delicious new directions.

Amy Rea contributed to this review.

Becca Dilley / Heavy Table
Becca Dilley / Heavy Table

Gogi Bros. House
Korean in Eden Prairie

6407 City West Parkway
Eden Prairie, MN 55344
952.941.4644
HOURS:
Mon-Thu 11 a.m-2 p.m. & 4:30-9 p.m.
Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Sun CLOSED
BAR: No
RESERVATIONS / RECOMMENDED?: No
VEGETARIAN / VEGAN: Yes / No
ENTREE RANGE: $9-$18
PARKING: Lot