Those who have been reading this blog probably are aware that I am a huge fan of Korean food. I often get Korean food cravings and recently, I’ve really been enjoying Table Sodam.
Location/Ambience
This is a relatively new restaurant in Old Ottawa South. They started as a catering business called Table 85 on Bronson Avenue. They now have a cozy eat-in space on Bank Street. When we first visited this restaurant around one year ago, there was not too much of a wait. Now they do have a waitlist but still not very long compared to the busy Alirang. They don’t have much of a lobby so you can just give them your number and they will call you when your table is ready. This is a lovely option in the winter as we can just wait in the car instead of outside in the cold. And thanks to the recent Tesla updates, we can watch Netflix while we’re waiting! I’m not sure if they do this anymore, but we were once offered to wait downstairs and it appears they have an event space there. I’ll need to look into this but I will be very interested in hosting a private party here!
Drinks
They serve cold water/hot tea with the meal depending on the season. Our drink of choice is usually some plain soju which always goes well with hot and spicy Korean food.
Food
I like that the meals here are served as a meal set. Usually it is a main dish with rice, soup and side dishes. I really enjoy bentos/set meals so it always sparks a lot of joy to see all the little dishes and bowls in front of me.
My favourite dish here is the vegetarian bibimbap. It is a bowl of red rice with various vegetables, fried tofu and a beautifully fried egg on top. It also comes with various Korean side dishes, which I usually mix right into my bowl. Of course, you cannot forget the gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) to spice things up. I particularly enjoy the soup which is always so comforting. The server was very considerate as he warned me that there is fish sauce in it so it’s not a completely vegetarian meal.
Aaron usual pick is their friend chicken meal – the dakgangjung. If you like, boneless fried chicken loaded with lots of sauce, this is for you. If you are really hungry then try the meal with a side of Alfredo linguini or corn cheese.
Dakgangjung @ Table Sodam 
Dakgangjung with linguini @ Table Sodam
We’ve also tried the gamjatang here in the past but we prefer the one at Alirang more. The seafood jjampong is also interesting but not my preferred choice. The bulgogi is pretty standard. On the other hand, the kimchi fried rice is pretty special as it comes with pork belly and grilled shrimp.
Gamjatang @ Table Sodam 
Bulgogi @ Table Sodam 
Kimchi fried rice @ Table Sodam
Service
The speed of service has much improved since our first visit here. There is usually only one cook and one server but they have become very efficient. The server is also very respectful and helpful. A+ for service!
Overall
We’ve been frequenting this restaurant a lot more. It is usually relatively easy to get a table even on a Friday night. The food quality is consistent. I usually find Korean food can be very heavy. I appreciate the veggie bibimbap here as a lighter option. Along with meal set presentation, I think these features are what makes Table Sodam stand out amongst its competitors.
Happy eating!
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Table Sodam
1200 Bank St, Ottawa, ON K1S 3Y1
(343) 488-8036
http://www.table85.com/
Bowsing Nom Noms | Ottawa-Based Food and Travel Blog 