PAUL F WESLEY
Omiza
by Frank Quattrone
Ever since its quiet opening during the pandemic two years ago, Omiza has been steadily building a sizeable, loyal clientele. Because of the understandable downturn in the restaurant industry, it hasn’t been easy. But through patience, hard work, and a unique vision, Omiza has become a welcome addition to Doylestown’s lively dining scene.
That unique vision can be seen in Omiza’s stated niche—Modern Asian Cuisine. Since the owners are Korean and the restaurant offers a wide range of Korean, Japanese, Thai (even Hawaiian) dishes, that might take some explaining.
Co-owner John Im says that Omiza is the culmination of his family’s restaurant experience, as well as their passion for great food. His parents, Sang Lee (his father) and Sae Min (his mother), previously opened two popular restaurants in Newtown—Oishi, in 1999, and Ko Modern Korean Cuisine, in 2013. His father, a longtime fisherman, has become an exceptional sushi chef. And his mother has an amazing palate and inspired sensibility with food combinations.
“Unlike the tight menus you often find in the city, we cater to a lot of different people—couples, families, the elderly,” he says. “So, our extensive menu satisfies everyone. And I stand behind all of our offerings.”
Understandably, you’ll find a wide array of authentic Korean dishes, plus sushi and various Japanese teriyaki, rice and noodles, not to mention Poke Salad (Hawaiian) and Pad Thai, Thailand’s national dish. “After trying many of our original offerings, customers started asking for Pad Thai. And we do listen and try to accommodate them as much as we can. But we approach them all with a Korean mindset and palate. We just want this to be the best place to be—with great food at a reasonable price point, so that our guests can return at the end of the month to try something new.”
Truth be told, John Im is not exaggerating. Our dinner early one breezy Monday evening, with a family already waiting to get in, was a treat beyond our heightened expectations. Our server, Eli Gottdank, a congenial student from Central Bucks High, brought over a pot of green tea to accompany our meal. And then came the first course.
We shared delicious small plates of zesty Dynamite Shrimp, lightly fried rock shrimp served with a creamy yuzu citrus sauce, and the excellent Pancake Sampler, an assortment of vegetable, seafood, and kimchi pancakes. Omiza has an attractive menu of Anju, or small plates, including Bao Buns, Korean Fried Chicken Wings (“KFC”), and Tuna Pizza, adapted from the small-plates menu of sister restaurant Oishi.
Next up was one of Omiza’s Signature Rolls, Shrimp Tempura Supreme, an artful assemblage of tasty Shrimp Tempura, avocado, and caviar, topped with a baked layer of grilled salmon, spicy Omiza creamy sauce and crunchy tempura flakes. As we waited for our next course, we watched the youthful, smiling servers cheerfully bringing bowls of Korean Dumpling Soup or King Crab Salad or plates of sushi or sashimi style rolls to their tables, and we chatted with Eli about his career ambitions, which just might include the field of nutrition, clearly inspired by his interactions with John Im and the staff of Omiza.
Nor did our final course disappoint. Eve ordered the Gopdol Bibimbap, an authentic Korean delicacy served in a sizzling hot stone pot laden with spicy pork and marinated vegetables atop steamed rice and topped with a fried egg, with spicy sauce on the side. (Also available with chicken, beef, beef and kimchi, seafood, grilled salmon, or spicy calamari.) I also enjoyed my Japchae, another Korean dish, made with stir-fried cellophane noodles and beef (also available with vegetables or seafood), tossed in a light sesame-soy sauce. John Im assured us: “These are the kinds of comfort foods our grandmom used to make for us, made with the hands, made with love—always great.”
It’s not hard to understand why so many guests return frequently to try Omiza’s diverse offerings. Besides the main dining room and a sushi bar, there’s also a BBQ grill room where Korean barbecue is served. There one can order the Omiza Butcher’s Feast for two—a prix-fixe sampler of fine cuts of meat and banchan (small side dishes), featuring red leaf lettuce with bean paste, savory egg souffle, cha soba salad, kimchi sampler, pickled cucumber, with three cuts of fillet, ribeye, and galbi (marinated short ribs, Korean-style).
Your meal is easily complemented by the restaurant’s extensive wine list, flights of sake, and inventive cocktails, like Forget 2020, a neat blend of vodka, apple, lychee, pear, fig, triple sec, and mint.
And in case you’re wondering what Omiza means, John Im explains that it’s a modernized Korean word for omija, which means five flavors—sweet, salty, sour, pungent, and savory, the latter being the equivalent of umami in Japanese, or something to savor. That’s a perfect description of the dining experience you’ll enjoy at Omiza.
Omiza Restaurant is located at 641 N. Main St., Doylestown, PA; 267-579-4222; https://omizarestaurant.com. Open for lunch Monday-Saturday, 11:30 a.m. –3 p.m., and for dinner Monday–Friday, 4:30–9:30 p.m. and Saturday, 4:30–10 p.m. Closed Sunday. Happy Hour and lunchtime specials, takeout, delivery, private parties available.