SAN ANTONIO — There's a local restaurant and market that has been around since the 1980s, not far from downtown. And viewer Amanda recommended them for Neighborhood Eats, a KENS 5 original series.
It's called Chas Market & Kitchen, located on 1431 N Pine Street. They started serving Korean food about five years ago. And the community has responded well.
"We started out as a market. We had tacos in the corner from our previous owner, Charles DeLeon. But about five or six years ago, my mom wanted to share her Korean food with our customers," said operator Bryan Kim. "It's all family recipes, authentic Korean food, from our Korean mom."
There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal. And we wanted to see those authentic recipes made, starting with one of their most popular items.
Bulgogi
"Thinly sliced prime beef that's also marinated in our a sesame oil garlic, a little bit of sugar, green onions and it's flamed on the grill," said Kim. "It's a very famous and popular Korean dish."
The Korean short rib
"We marinate it for several days, put it on the grill; [it's] cooked to perfection," said Kim.
Bibimbap (Mixed Rice Bowl)
"White rice with bulgogi as well, bean sprouts, spinach and cucumber. All of these are marinated in their own sauces as well," said Kim.
And almost every table has a grill for all you can eat barbecue.
"It’s a unique experience – a Korean experience," said Kim.
People love making memories here
"It's been amazing to fulfill this American dream with our Korean culture," said Kim. "It represents that here in the heart of San Antonio, near downtown. Everyone's an immigrant...everyone came to this country with a hope and a future. And so this means all of that for us."
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