I went for the bibimbap in a stone bowl, but I stayed for the variety of Korean adult beverages at Masijta Grill. My date and I started with soju, a Korean liquor ($13). There was an option to have plain or flavored soju, and we chose strawberry flavored. The liquor was served neat with shot glasses to sip the beverage.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
The drink was sweet with a slight liquor aftertaste, but it wasn’t harsh. The main flavor, of course, was unmistakably strawberry. Sort of like a Fanta strawberry, this liquor was pretty tasty. At 12% alcohol, this drink was a great apertif while we waited for our dinner.
Next, we ordered makgeolli ($14), another Korean alcoholic beverage. The drink was a plastic bottle, and our server brought us these little sipping bowls for the drink.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
This makgeolli was a sparkling rice wine with 6% alcohol that had the same unfiltered, milky texture similar to some sake. The bottle was big enough for both of us to have several cups. It was carbonated with tiny, gentle bubbles — nowhere near the amount of bubbles you might find in champagne or a soda. The drink had a soft, mild flavor with a faint sweetness with sour, tangy, and fruity flavors as well. I really enjoyed this one, and I would absolutely order this again.
Photo by Alyssa Buckley.
Lastly, we ended with a bottle of Cass ($4.50), a Korean beer. Our server said it was a very popular beer in Korea. The beer was a lager style beer brewed in Seoul, South Korea. It was very crisp and refreshing. The label on the outside read “Korea’s No. 1 Beer,” and it was delicious and basic in the best way.
Our dinner was wonderful, but the drinks were a real treat. There are other drinks on the menu as well like wine, other beers, and bokbunja, a Korean fruit wine. I’m not sure where else in town I can enjoy a variety of Korean adult beverages, and so when I want some, I’ll be back to Masijta Grill.
Masijta Grill
202 N Race St
Urbana
11 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily
Top image by Alyssa Buckley.
