Anyone have the scoop on the Bamboo House? I’ve been in cville on and off for 7 of the last 11 years and still don’t know what the story is with that place. The lights are always on and there is always one car parked in front. Is it a house of ill repute? A money laundering operation? Does it serve food? Is this where TJ is burried? Google thinks it is a korean restaurant, but what restaurant has been in business for so long and nobody has heard of it?
Inquiring minds want to know – get to it folks!
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I definitely consider myself to be an Expert Extraordinaire on this restaurant for the following reasons:
(1.) I patronize it 2-4 times a week.
(2.) The owner has designed a special soup for my boyfriend, as we come so often.
To answer your questions, it’s not shady, not a burial ground, and yes, it does serve food! Though the owner is Korean, the menu is half Korean and half Chinese, and quite good Chinese at that. It tends to be rather slow during the day, which is why you’ve probably only seen one car there at a time, but it’s fairly busy during dinner. (I suppose us Asian kids don’t like to be seen during the day?)
The owner is both the chef and the primary server, so turn-around time can be rather slow, and she also doesn’t speak a great deal of English, which tends to turn English-only speakers away. But! The food she prepares, while traditional, is certainly easily accessible to non-Korean people and utterly delicious. My boyfriend, who had never tried Korean food before he met me, has now developed a strange addiction to her food and has started to brave Bamboo House without my assistance.
As residents of Belmont, the drive is a long one to her restaurant, but believe me, it’s well worth it. Several times a week.
Hope this helps!
i have endured a lot of ridicule from friends for this, but i agree with the above post–bamboo house is very good. great korean bbq, and they’ll set a universal remote on your table for a movie-screen sized tv. it’s a singular experience.
just ignore the dioramas of taxidermied creatures while you enjoy your bul go gi.
I suppose us Asian kids don’t like to be seen during the day?
Asian vampires in Charlottesville? Someone call Buffy!
Thanks for the replies – often wondered the same as the original poster. Have to give this place a try
Is that Korean place over near JPA running? It was owned a mother and son team, and I have been meaning to make it over there for a couple of years now (love me that pigogi – sp?).
Yea, my friends live right over there and we braved it not too long ago. Surprisingly nice on the inside!
The owner is best described as a Korean Good Ol Boy, as he typically sports camo and moonlights as a taxidermist.
It’s an experience.
another good korean spot closer to belmont is the korean house on carlton near cville market. the people are super friendly and the food is great for the adventurous and timid alike. i endorse the seafood pancake. anyone else been there?
Surprisingly nice on the inside!
…if you’re into the uncomfortable sense that gutted stuffed animals are watching you as you eat. Seriously, the place is ‘filled’ with once dead animals. Aha ha heh heh…it’s also a taxidermist show place…get it?…
Anyway, I like the japchae noodles there.
i went to the korean house about a year ago and ordered the “cuddle fish”. that probably sums up the story right there… ecch! authentic to the max!
flaming wok used to have the best korean bbq around that you would actually cook yourself at the table, but that was years ago. i’ve been told you can still order it even if though it’s not on the menu. flaming wok’s lunch box special is still by far the best in town:
soup
egg roll
six pieces of sushi(california or salmon)
entre(general tso’s chicken, beef, tofu, or something i can’t remember)
rice
$5.50 — it’s two meals.
saigon cafe is a close second, though:
soup
chicken wing
entre
rice
$3-4
kicks asian express’ ass taste wise.
Love the Korean House on Carlton, but now I’m psyched to try Bamboo. Dead animals don’t bother me.
“you would actually cook yourself at the table”
Sounds painful.
yeah, my writing kind of eats shit at 6:41 in the morning after drinking all night. i’ll assume that aside from my mistake you understood that it was the meat that you would cook for yourself and not your own person.
not sure if the still do karaoke but that was a blast. We went with a group of about 13 years ago for the same reason, we had all lived in Cville for years and had never been there. I could pass on the food but the decor is a hoot. The husband is a taxidermist and there are full on wildlife scenes in the place. Worth a visit even if you don’t like Korean/Chinese food. It was pretty funny after we had all had a number of drinks and he came strolling in in full camo.
I’ve created a myspace account with pics of the taxidermy inside Bamboo House.
http://www.myspace.com/bamboohouseva
why don’t you email us those pictures and we’ll put them on the site!
Jane Doe,
I’m pretty sure that when I drove by there last week there was a big ‘Restaurant for Sale’ sign out front……no?
Ooops, ignore that last comment, I was thinking of another restaurant.
Ok will do! I emailed them to gossip@cvillain.com. Have fun with them!
I see that no one has commented since 30 Dec 2007 so over three years.
It’s still there and still good food. Whenever I go from H’burg to C’ville I try to plan to have a meal there on the way back. The stuffed animals and tv are still there.
But I don’t care… you can’t get Korean food in the burg… and this is great !