I have always been attracted to Korean culture, especially because I have been a huge fan of Korean cinema for many years. I also have a very good friend who lived in Seoul for several years, and I hope I will one day have the opportunity to make the trip myself to discover this country that I have been fond of for a long time. In the meantime, discovering Korean restaurants in Paris is the perfect opportunity to get to know this culture a little better, which is quite far from our own… I had the chance to take a first step towards it by discovering part of its gastronomy through the Bekseju Village restaurant in Paris, located in the 13th arrondissement, so not too far from my place (temptation, temptation…).
This establishment is actually the French showcase for the Bekseju alcohol brand, the number one drink in South Korea. It is a wine brewed from rice and twelve secret spices, very mild, which is drunk cool or even chilled in small glasses and pairs perfectly with Korean gastronomy. Plus, legend has it that drinking it regularly will make you live to be a hundred… so why deprive yourself?!…
As for the establishment, the decor is simple and refined, but I think the Korean soul is there. If you go to this restaurant, I highly recommend eating Asian-style, which means ordering several dishes to share in the middle of the table. It’s convivial and, moreover, it’s the best way to discover as many specialties as possible and thus get a perfect overview of Korean gastronomy.
To taste:
- Jjukkumi Bokkeum (€18), small sautéed octopus with stir-fried vegetables, on a bed of raw cabbage, quite spicy seasoning, watch out if you are a bit sensitive to hot dishes.
- Gochujang Gui (€20), pork grilled and marinated in red chili sauce (Gochujang), sautéed and served with white kimchi and grilled garlic.
- Doubouchaeso Bokkeum (€13), sautéed tofu and seasonal vegetables.
- Ganjang Dak Tuigim (€18), marinated and fried chicken with soy sauce, served on a bed of salad.
- Hobak Jeon (€13), a large zucchini pancake marinated like a hash brown, absolutely delicious!
- Bulgogi Jeongshik (€13 available in the lunch set), thinly sliced beef marinated and sautéed in soy sauce.
- Bekse Jokbal (€33), Bekse pork knuckle, pork feet and knuckle marinated in Bekseju and cooked in a broth with various spices.
- Kimchi Jjigae (€18), Kimchi stew, a stew made with Kimchi and pork meat. Served with white rice.
- For drinks, we obviously drank Bekseju (made from the fermentation of raw rice and a variety of Korean herbs and spices as explained above) throughout the meal and also some fresh Makgeolli (a mild and creamy fermented rice alcohol, revived with yeast) to finish our lunch.
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My test of the click and collect offer (during the lockdown in 2021):
You can also order online on the restaurant’s website and then pick up your order on-site via click and collect, or have it delivered to your home via UberEats or Deliveroo.
As for us, we ordered for this delivery:
- Goalbaengi mouchim, whelk salad with spices prepared with a chili paste sauce, accompanied by fresh vegetables and wheat noodles
- Haemul Pajeon, seafood pancake coated in a fried batter (€16)
- Doubouchaeso Bokkeum, sautéed tofu and vegetables (€13)
- Koboulbasak, Bulgogi crisp (thinly sliced marinated beef) fried in a batter based on Makgeolli
- Japchae Jeongshik, sweet potato vermicelli stir-fried, various vegetables, and thinly sliced beef, sautéed and served with white rice (€16)
- Pork knuckle sautéed with spices with a spicy seasoning (€16)
Thanks to Beksejuvillage for these delicious invitations (in 2016 and 2023) and also for the delivery during the 2nd lockdown.
Bekseju Village Restaurant Paris
53 Boulevard Saint-Marcel, 75013 Paris
open every day from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. (until 2:30 p.m. on weekends) and from 7 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
(11:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays)The good deal: lunch specials between €13 and €15 at midday with a main dish served with white rice and 3 side dishes that vary according to the seasons and the chef’s mood
Update 01/19/2025: the address has become Comptoir Coréen Gobelins
Find all my restaurant tests in Paris below:
⇒ My restaurant tests in Paris
⇒ My Asian restaurants in Paris
MY TOP KOREAN RESTAURANTS IN PARIS
⇒ Bekseju Village Restaurants
MAP OF MY FAVORITE FOOD SPOTS IN PARIS AND THE ILE-DE-FRANCE REGION
Restaurant 
Bar 
Pastry / Bakery 
Tea Room / Coffee Shop
Brunch 
Ice cream parlor
Photo credits: Nicolas Diolez Photos are not royalty-free, photographer authorization mandatory before any use
