Komo Komo

Loved this place sad to see it go. Wish I could find out if the couple that ran it ever plan to open another one.

Went here the other night for dinner with a friend. I’ve been wanting to try this place out for quite a while since I love both korean & french cuisine. The atmosphere is relaxing, clean, and décor is fresh. Despite being a smaller restaurant it was very pleasant and quiet. We started off with the lettuce wrap appetizer which was good, but not good enough to spend $ 8 on again. I got the korean rice stone bowl and my friend got the chicken skewers. The rice bowl was delicious, fresh and flavorful. The skewers were yummy but the noodles they came with lacked flavor. For dessert we got the ginger lemongrass crème brûlée…wow! To die for! Will probably be back just for that alone.
The service was wonderful and attentive, our waitress was very sweet.
Overall, I really enjoyed my experience here and will be back to try more of the menu.
Unfortunately, I think it is very overpriced for what it is.

I love this restaurant, there are very friendly and professional, it’s a local business using local and fresh food and I support that. The decoration of the restaurant is simple and cute, and it’s quiet inside which is something I am always looking for, I like quiet places where you can actually hear eachother and talk without yelling. The food to me is delicious, especially their Korean hot stone rice and their crème brûlée. I definitely enjoy this place.

In a strip mall, I was not expecting much in the way of décor, but as the sign says, casual elegance … right on the mark. Well, maybe I was a little too casual this evening, I looked like I just crawled out of the woods, but the server treated me very nicely, the atmosphere was very relaxed, I felt welcomed, and the décor was simple but beautiful.
Started with a little crusty roll and nice soft butter (it’s the little things), and I got some hot tea. Everything on the menu looked great, and I had a tough time making a choice.
I went simple with a rice bowl (beef) and was very pleased. Everything was fresh and prepared perfectly. My friend had the dumpling noodle soup with seafood and was similarly impressed.
Wish I had tried some appetizers, but, I will be back soon.
A very nice place to bring a date or a significant other. I’ll look a little more presentable next time!

I have been to Komo Komo twice, both for dinner. The space is quiet and calm — great spot to linger with friends. Being able to hear everyone at the table without yelling over music/​noise is a welcome change.
As mentioned in previous reviews, the cuisine is French Korean, and Chef Jae has a wealth of experience. My first visit, I enjoyed the Beef BiBimBop in the Korean Stone Rice bowl, with an egg on top. The stone bowl makes the rice crunchy, and the egg yolk mixed in with the meat, rice and veggies is delicious. Last night, I ordered the dumpling (chicken) noodle soup with seafood (shrimp and scallops). I wasn’t as wowed by this dish. Despite adding hot sauce it was missing something. It didn’t taste bad, I just wasn’t excited about it (I love my food extra spicy — folks with a lower tolerance may really enjoy this soup). The fresh baked bread and butter, and the ginger lemongrass crème brûlée were delicious! Wow — that dessert is reason enough to return. I will be back to try the French inspired items (Beef Bourguinon sounds tempting). Service was lovely and they have a short but sweet wine list. Komo Komo is worth a visit!

The food is well prepared, unique, and a wonderful representation of a concept that I have yet to see anywhere else. The ambience is comfortable and inviting. «Casual fine dining» is a very accurate representation of what to expect. Background music is appropriate for the mood. The service is friendly, attentive, and prompt without being overbearing. Our wines paired well with app and entrée. The crème brûlée is delicious. I would recommend to any friend and plan on coming back again in the near future. They also have wine dinners etc. Keep up the good work!

A hidden gem in Cary that should not be missed!
Not knowing what a Korean French kitchen could be since you don’t usually see the two cuisines mixed together, we didn’t know what to expect. Surprisingly we were wowed with each course of the prix fixe menu. The portions were more than generous; we left full and with leftovers.
Our favorites were:
Sweet Potato Soup — A thick consistency with a delicious sweet flavor that popped in your mouth when you tasted the apple chunks. We could have eaten 2 more bowls.
Organic Salad — Salad greens tossed with a light, vinaigrette dressing.
Stone Rice Bowl — The bowl keeps the food warm for the entire course and the flavors mix well together.
Pork Chop w/​Collard Greens and Sweet Potato — The pork chop was a little overcooked for my liking, but the flavors were wonderful. I’m not a collard greens fan, but these were good enough for me.
Ginger Lemongrass Crème Brûlée — OMG. If you like crème brûlée, do not miss this. A perfectly crisp top with the perfect consistency beneath. The hint of ginger goes so well with the lemon you have to wonder why no one had done this before.
The prices are higher than most places in Cary, but well worth if for a nice dinner out.

Very fresh ingredients, sweet potato leek soup was especially tasty. Would come back again.

Very pleasantly surprised with this place. Ordered the Korean hot pot from the lunch menu which contained dumplings, noodles, carrots, and even a few chunks of pineapple, and normally I hate pineapple and wouldn’t have conceived it ever working in a soup, but it did. The hot organic ginger-​pear tea was good, and the kimchi (prepared in house according to the server) was excellent. The server was gracious enough to bring me a second serving of it after I finished my first.
The décor was very pleasant — café-​like, with nice jazzy bossa-​nova music. Service was friendly. I’d expect a restaurant like this be situated in a more prominent section of town rather than a shopping center. I found the portion size sufficient but would advise that at a place like this, you’re paying for culinary acumen rather than a huge platter of food, so keep that in mind. Hope to be back soon to try more menu items.

Korean fusion is generally not my thing, but usually because it mixes Korean with Japanese, Chinese, or Vietnamese. I enjoy all of those cuisines alone, just not with my Korean food. Now, Komo Komo plays a different game, and honestly, it works.
Korean food has long been deemed as functional. The divide between hanjeongsik (lavish traditional food) and a low-​level stew like budae jjigae often made it difficult for Korean food to pass into the gourmet realm. Even in fine hotels in Seoul (including Shilla), Korean food was not served on gourmet levels. This, to me, has always been a barrier for Korean food to enter the fine-​dining scenes in NYC, LA, etc… That being said, inroads have been made and Komo Komo does this by blending it with French cuisine. Again, fusion is not my thing, but this actually works.
The other reviewers have mentioned enough about the food, but what is missing is that Komo Komo is somewhat of a trailblazer when it comes to stepping up the presentation and sophistication of Korean cuisine. So much, in fact, that employing my typical standard (banchan, no fusion, Korean booze) doesn’t really apply here.
If you’re in Cary or you want to eat some wonderful, smart food prepared by a highly-​skilled chef trained in France, then give this a try. Oh, and it is more expensive but for what they’re serving, it’s very reasonable.
I didn’t give them 5 stars as they don’t serve soju or makgeolli.

Reply to owner’s comment:
I’m sorry you seem to have taken offense to my review rather than finding it helpful. I was trying to be constructively critical, not inaccurate. Perhaps the menu has more French items on it than last time I was there and there is less waitstaff on the weekend now; this is a perfect place to explain that, and I would have been happy to amend my review to reflect that if you wanted to update me on it. But all I can talk about is my experience, which is the truth for me. And one other reviewer even said, «There is nothing French about this menu.»
I said the food was good and that a chef clearly made it– I knew that. You didn’t have to point that out. I love the food actually. It’s just these other areas that didn’t quite do it for me, and I am really disappointed that you got defensive rather than taking it on board as feedback. I would think most restaurant owners would want to know what their customers experienced and then use that information to improve. Again, I would have been happy to update my review and improve the rating I gave if/​when those things were improved or disproved.
If a customer said they left my restaurant hungry, I would be extremely concerned. Instead, you insulted my tastes with a comment about Golden Corral. Ouch. I’m sorry, but the soup you are serving as an entrée size really is too small to be presented on the menu as a full meal. Even my companion kept asking, «Are you sure that’s enough to eat?» That was awkward. I promise I’m not just a pig with a too-​large and undiscerning appetite, as you’ve insinuated with your comment. Just look at how many other reviewers have commented on the problem with value. It isn’t just me.
I think you missed an opportunity here. I do wish you and the fantastic chef all the best, though.
Original review:
Komo Komo started out so good. We went not long after it opened a few years ago and instantly fell in love. At that time, they had a brunch menu with lots of French-​style items. The one particularly memorable dish was the crème brûlée french toast– divine. And the soups are really good, too. This is food that you can tell a real chef created.
Since that time, I’ve been back several times and I’ve identified two major problems. First, they did away with the brunch menu and their overall menu seems to focus largely on the Korean dishes now. They seem to have a large Asian clientele, which is great, but personally I always found the bimibap too salty. I wanted more of the French stuff, not less. The second problem here is the value. At lunch they advertise a soup that is served as a main meal and costs somewhere around $ 7-​$ 8. I’m not exaggerating when I say there are probably only 300 calories in that meal. The soup comes out not in a bowl, but in a small cup– like an appetizer potion. It’s served with a small roll that I devoured when I realized that was all the soup I was getting. For almost $ 10 (if you include tip) I should not have to go buy myself a second lunch somewhere else.
We went there for dinner once– not sure if they are even still doing that now– and it was a flop. While the portions were larger, the prices went up proportionally. And it was some of the weirdest service I’ve ever received. We had way too many waiters who all seemed really uncomfortable. It was like they were trying so hard to make it a «proper» dinner place that it felt stiff. I almost felt bad for them, which meant I focused more on that than my food, which is not a good thing.
I’ve never tried their afternoon tea, which looks lovely, so I might go back for that. But otherwise, I won’t be back until they fix the menu and increase their portion sizes.

Decided to try this place with my mom for something a little different. We had perused the menu on the restaurant’s website the day before, so we knew it was not going to be cheap.
We decided to start small, and the waitress (owner?) kept trying to get us to order the sweet potato soup as a starter. She tried 3 different times, which was a bit annoying.
My mom had the appetizer-​sized Scallops w/​Chive Potato Purée & Truffle Mushroom @ $ 14, a little steep, but figured it was enough for her, as she can’t eat very much these days. Presentation was nice, but there were only two scallops, each less than 2″ diameter, on a bowl of mashed potatoes. She said it was pretty good, though obviously not enough scallops. The entrée version has 4 scallops @ $ 27.
I had the Dokbokki — essentially rice gnocchi in 3″ tubular segments — which had, at most, 2 oz of beef bulgogi and about a dozen carrot slivers, a few whole chive sprinkled on top, in a sweet and spicy sauce ($ 14). It was pretty tasty and very filling.
Given that the restaurant is in a strip mall with Krogers as the anchor, the décor is very peaceful and tasteful. I just think it’s a bit expensive for the portion size.
Glad I tried it, but I don’t think I’ll return.

French style Korean food. If you don’t love the food, you’re not human. Pricey but since its impossible to find quality Asian in Cary, totally worth it. The menu changes all the time like every great restaurant.
The scallops were AMAZING!

Super expensive place for the food.
Didn’t understand how «Korean» and «French» were combined.
Giving 2 starts for the location and environment.

Definitely awesome if you’re like me and is absolutely addictedly into the whole oriental traditional Korean style food. The atmosphere was amazing and the service was awesome!

3 of 4 stars (Good, casual dining).
(see explanation of ratings below)
A nice twist on Korean.
Although this place is listed #1 for restaurants in Cary, they don’t seem to be getting much traffic: place was very quiet the Friday night that we went.
Used to be you could bring your own bottle of wine. Now that they sell wine and beer, they won’t even let you bring your own bottle and pay a corkage fee (not nice, especially since their wine list is not good and very limited).
The have a prix fixe menu for two persons costing just $ 59 that is a nice way to go.
All dishes were very good. Salmon was too salty.
Carrot cake is spectacular.
Allow 60 – 80 minutes for the prix fixe.
About my ratings:
Only fine dining establishments can garner five stars. Until Unilocal realizes that a fast food joint cannot possibly be ranked equally with a $ 100 per person place, I need to draw the line somewhere. If we were only talking about the quality and presentation of the food, it would be a different story. But, as we know, Unilocal’s rankings take into account the entire dining experience.
Therefore, I divide restaurants into three categories (and I wish Unilocal would do the same):
1) fast food and «fast-​casual» (no table service)
2) casual and «polished casual» dining (table service)
3) fine dining (linen napkins, no plastic cups, no TV’s in dining room, typically more expensive than casual dining)
Fine dining can earn a max of five stars. Casual dining can earn a max of four stars. Fast food can earn a max of three stars.

I really like Komo Komo for its cute décor and peaceful ambiance. I have only been here for lunch with a friend, and honestly I think that’s the best time to eat here. The food is perfectly portioned and leaves you satisfied without being too full. Everything (that I’ve tried) has been seasoned well, generally being light and never too salty.
The only downside would be that they don’t have many vegetarian options. I wanted to get a lunch combo but instead of a chicken wrap, I wanted a side salad. I got charged $ 6 for a little bit of lettuce in place of an entire chicken wrap! That did not make any sense, but I didn’t say anything because a friend of out of town was waiting for me.
I would have given this 4 or even 5 stars for the first 2 times I’ve dined here, but after my most recent experience, it’s just down to 3.

Three of us had lunch at komo komo and enjoyed Evertything we had:
Dokbokke (gnocchi with vegetables and beef), Chilled Asian Noodle Salad w/​Beef, Korean Pork &Potato Soup, Sweet Potato Soup w/​Caramelized Apple, Coconut Rum Raisin Bread Pudding. I no not understand the comments about portion size. This is Not Golden Corral. Though it is in a typical Cary strip mall, the interior of Komo Komo is very nicely decorated, in a Korean décor, or course. We met the own/​chef and his lovely wife and were very impressed with the effort they have made to create a refreshingly non typical Cary dining experience. It is one of the tastiest meals we have had in quite a while.

Komo Komo is a little pocket of civilization. Its only sin may be its choice of location. This place would be thriving in a more urban setting.
The highlight of the meal was the sweet potato soup with caramelized apple. Delicious and only $ 6.
Next was vegetarian bibimbop for ten dollars. Filling, sticks to your ribs. Earthy, healthy taste.
The table service was quiet, considerate, stylish and classy.
Be advised they don’t have a liquor license (as of March 2012). They compensate pretty well with some delicious and unusual tea. I had the mango black tea, my companion had a brown rice flavored tea.
Other reviewers have called this place expensive for what it is. This may be true relative to other Cary/​Morrisville restaurants, but relative to other independently-​owned joints in Durham and downtown Raleigh, Komo Komo is not only a great experience, it’s an absolute bargain.

After reading some reviews prior to visiting Komo Komo, I was a bit apprehensive. I’ve never really liked the order-​at-​the-​counter type of restaurant. I figure if I’m going to go out for a meal, I should be getting full table service. Plus, the idea of Korean mixed with French sounded really odd to me. I wasn’t sure it would work at all.
When we entered the restaurant, we were seated by a waiter and brought menus. I’m not sure if something changed between the initial reviews and our visit, or perhaps the order-​at-​the-​counter thing is just for lunchtime, but I was pleasantly surprised that we would actually get table service after all.
I ordered a pomegranate white tea and my husband ordered a coke to drink. I think the tea is a bit expensive at $ 3, but at least it’s refillable. It’s Trader Joe’s, so it’s decent quality too.
We each ordered an appetizer at $ 6 a piece so we could try more things. I got the sweet potato soup and my husband got the chicken dumplings. $ 6 is a bit expensive for an appetizer, but they were really, really good. I loved my soup. My husband tried it too, and thought it was fantastic. It was so creamy and flavorful. The chicken dumplings were pretty amazing too. I had one, and it was the perfect texture, the perfect flavor.
The entrees weren’t quite as good as the appetizers. We both ordered the bibimbop. I got the vegetarian and my husband got the pork. The sauce is served on the side, which is a bit odd. It also appeared to be missing an egg. Still, it was a good flavor, with a good amount of variety in it. I tried a bit of my husband’s pork and it was amazingly soft and moist. At $ 10 each for the entrees though, they weren’t as expensive as some of the other things on the menu. My husband really thought this was the weakest part of the meal though.
I decided to get a dessert, since they had such a delicious sounding selection. I ordered the crème brûlée with ginger and lemongrass. It sounded like a really odd combination, but I love crème brûlée. It was served with blackberry and 2 blueberries, which looked rather phallic in its presentation, however the dish tasted awesome. By the end of it, I was sorry I had to share it with my husband. I wish I would have ordered one all for myself. At $ 5, it wasn’t too terribly priced either.
The tea service in the afternoon sounds like a pretty cool experience, I just don’t know when I’d be able to stop by for food between 2:30 and 3:30pm. It’d be nice if they offered it as a lunch option.