Korean BBQ Mecca Sura Is a Meal Fit for Royalty

In Korean, Sura means “a royal meal, the king’s dinner.” And Sura Korean Bistro (on Royal Lane near I-35) executes this meaning in impressive fashion.

Sura’s exterior is humble and unassuming, but inside, it’s elegant and spacious, with plenty of booths and tables.

It’s hard not to feel like royalty for about an hour at Sura while they roll out a carnival of small Korean side-dish bowls known as banchan. And that’s just the opening salvo we’re talking about – a pre-main course 12-dish assault on the senses; grab your chopsticks and take a tour through them all, and your tastebuds will be left spinning.

A Yelp reviewer named “Greg P” said it aptly: “If you plan on eating at Sura, skip breakfast as the banchan alone is enough for a meal itself.” Wise words, Greg P.

You’ll get the requisite kimchi dish, kewpie mayo coleslaw, marinated tofu and eggplant, and a hot bowl of seaweed soup (to name a few). These side dishes often, but not always, lean toward the pickled end of the flavor spectrum. In addition to the smorgasbord of banchan dishes, you can grab a salad at the self-serve salad station at the front of the dining room. You probably won’t need it, but it’s complimentary, so you may as well.

Zeroing in on a main course can be daunting due to Sura’s extensive menu, so putting in some advanced menu scouting before arriving can prove wise.

We scoped out the Jangon Dolsot ($20.99) beforehand, a hot stone-pot rice bowl with grilled freshwater eel topped with roe. Entrees here come out so hot that you can hear them still sizzling when they hit the table. The eel was grilled beautifully and marinated in a salty-sweet umami sauce – oyster sauce, perhaps? Whatever it was, it was good. The eel pairs exquisitely with rice, as the rice catches all those wonderful excess drippings from the eel. The roe punctuates the flavors adding a nice touch.

Our other entree was the Ohsam Bulgogi ($17.99), marinated squid and pork in a spicy red sauce served with vegetables. Our dining partner (a regular at Sura) ordered it and was nice enough to let us sample some. And, yes, it was excellent. The Ohsam Bulgogi is something we’d consider ordering on our next visit, though we could just as easily say that for much of the menu.

The Volcano Chicken (stir-fried chicken and cheese) comes with a “very spicy” warning, something that always catches our eye (we’re spice fiends). Then there’s the spicy cod or monkfish soups and a mountain of spicy braised beef short ribs that’ll set you back a cool $120. Korean-style grilled pork belly, thinly sliced beef brisket and seasoned Korean beef tartare are also elite choices at Sura.

The service was exemplary, and to cap off our visit, a server stopped by to give us complimentary glasses of Korean cinnamon ginger tea.

There are plenty of standout Korean spots in and around town. And anyone who frequents them will have strong opinions about their favorite. So, who has the best Korean in Dallas? There will probably never be a black-and-white answer to that. But we are confident that Sura has earned the right to at least be a part of the conversation.

Sura Korean Bistro, 2240 Royal Lane, No. 106. Monday – Thursday, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.; Saturday, noon – 11 p.m.; Sunday, noon – 9 p.m