Naru grocer is serving up a great deal for lunch

In Korean, “Naru” means a port for the arrival and departure of ships. The same word in Japanese is a verb meaning “To become.” Clearly, the former is more apt.

Naru at 1896 Prince of Wales Dr. opened approximately a year ago, and from my visit, late on a Saturday afternoon, I was astonished by the number of people streaming in and out. It’s a small space, so it got crowded rather quickly.

They specialize in freshly made banchan (Korean side dishes) as well as warm, cold and frozen meals, which is ideal for the level of convenience you might need on any given day.

It appeared to attract many regulars who’d been wise enough to order their warm dishes in advance. I’d intended to go for something from the kitchen, but it would have involved a wait and that didn’t fit the schedule.

Instead, I settled on thinly sliced and marinated pork and a side of sesame-scented fresh and crunchy sprouts. 

The label read “spicy,” and there was a slight tingle once the pork was cooked, but nothing so hot that it obliterated the layers of delicious flavour. 

The accompanying vegetables were colourful and had been cut to cook al dente once the bulgogi was done. For $12, this was a bargain and sufficient to feed two. 

I added my favourite banchan, the marinated sprouts, to the meal and for under $20 dinner was done in minutes. Naru is a go-to for quick and easy-to-prepare meals that also happen to be fresh and healthy. If you need a beverage pairing, a perfect choice would be Korean makgeolli.