This is Bonjuk, a Korean restaurant specialising in traditional rice porridge (juk) prepared fresh daily, with a focus on mild seasoning and ingredient-driven profiles. A global chain, it opened its first store in Haymarket.
Beef & Mushroom Juk ($22.00)
A large bowl of rice porridge served with banchan including cabbage kimchi, shredded seasoned beef, dried daikon kimchi, and pickled radish. The porridge arrived with distinct rice grains suspended in a light, viscous broth.
The initial spoonful carried a restrained savoury profile. Beef mince and shiitake mushrooms provided depth without heaviness, while the base seasoning remained deliberately subtle. Crushed seaweed and sesame seeds introduced a soft umami and light nuttiness without disrupting the base clarity.
As the dish progressed, the porridge thickened through absorption, increasing cohesion and body. The banchan became more integrated at this stage: dried daikon kimchi added gentle heat and texture, shredded beef contributed a light sesame oil sweetness, and cabbage kimchi introduced acidity and lift. Pickled radish in vinegar provided a final balancing tang that reset the palate and prevented the dish from becoming too dense.
Sweet Red Bean Juk ($21.00)
A blended red bean base with additional whole beans and rice grains for texture, topped with twelve glutinous rice balls. The consistency was smooth and thick, with visible grain structure adding variation across spoonfuls.
Flavour opened with an earthy, lightly savoury red bean profile before a restrained sweetness developed through the mid-palate. The sweetness remained controlled rather than pronounced. The rice balls contributed a soft bounce and chew, reinforcing the porridge’s textural range.
The accompanying banchan provided contrast rather than integration, acting as intermittent savoury resets between spoonfuls of the sweeter base. Portion size was substantial and filling.
Overall, Bonjuk offers comfort-focused porridge with mild seasoning, adaptable flavour through banchan integration. A venue worth return revisits.
Bonjuk is located at QG14/8 Quay St, Haymarket NSW 2000.