Small Plates • Big Flavor
At Anju Above.
I seriously don't even know where to start with this place. Eating at Anju Above isn't like eating at any typical restaurant. It is all about the experience. And me and Allie's experience with this Tapas Korean style restaurant was phenomenal. The only time we were a little disappointed was when we found out that Anju Above didn't have outdoor seating since it was such a beautiful day. However, Anju Above's sister restaurant Epiphany Farms had adorable outdoor seating complete with Parisian cafe-styled tables, umbrellas, and pretty flowers. Other than that, we were amazed at the wonderful atmosphere.
There was no wait when we arrived last Sunday evening. We were immediately seated after scanning the menu to see if there was something we could find enjoyable (and that met all of Allie's picky eating/ dietary requirements). That was not an issue at all. Everything on the menu sounded delicious and the meals we chose were so good. Allie and I finally decided on separate dishes, but without fail, we totally shared everything.
Anju Above is rare in the sense that all of the dishes are portioned to be shared. They pride themselves on "small plates" with "big flavor". When eating with a group of friends, it would be ideal to each order a dish to share with the table. The food is so fresh, so it is easy to fill up on it quickly as well. Their mission and motto is all about farm fresh delivered right to the table. Knowing the ingredients are fresh sourced from nearby farms made the experience all the more tasty.
Our waitress was wonderful, constantly checking up on us to see how our food was, to refill our drinks and to make sure we were having a pleasant time. She explained to us that the food came out as it was prepared (thereby arriving at different times) to ensure freshness. Therefore, Allie got her food before me, but that just encouraged us to share even more. Even with her gluten and dairy allergies, she was able to find several dishes that suited her diet. The menu was full of pescatarian, vegetarian, dairy free, gluten free and vegan dishes and they were clearly marked on the menu.
Allie ordered the vegetable bowl which was full of tofu, tamago, vegetables, and asian greens on a bed of rice. It even came topped with a colorful flower (which was edible!). We had so much fun trying to eat her dish with chopsticks. Then our edamame arrived steaming, seasoned and delicious. Lastly, I received the Farm to Face sushi roll. I had heard that the sushi was good, but nothing could have prepared me for its mouthwatering deliciousness. It was everything I could have expected and more. The tempura roll had a crunchy outside and was stuffed with carrots, asian greens, bell pepper cream cheese and was served with Ponzu Dipping sauce on the side. Oh my YUM.
With it being a tapas style restaurant, the two of us got three menu items, but we took a little of everything home as leftovers. It was so filling! And, even though we had no room left in our bellies, we ordered the cookie bites off the dessert menu which was a homemade assortment of three different types of cookies that day: snickerdoodle, chocolate chip and an oats/nuts one. They were all delicious.
I would give Anju Above 5/5 stars, although I would give even more if I could. Seriously. The food was served at just the right temperature, had just enough seasoning on it and tasted fresh. I'm excited to return and try different menu items since the restaurant's menu changes with the seasons. All in all, the service was wonderful and the staff were so helpful and attentive. Plus, the ambience is unlike other restaurants you will find in downtown Bloomington.