Out and About

Cuisine and culture: Take a trip inside this Korean restaurant

Mixed Rice is a small, family-owned Korean restaurant in Burlington. There are dine-in and take-out options but so far, we always choose to eat inside.

Posted 2023-08-31T15:01:32+00:00 - Updated 2023-09-11T13:34:22+00:00

Tandra Wilkerson

, WRAL contributor

Diving into my daughters' interests is one of the easiest ways for me to bond with them. Not only does it lead to extra quality time, the activity often becomes a family affair. For instance, a few years back, my girls developed an unexpected love for anime. Through that, my oldest also found Korean Drama (K-Drama) on television.

I wanted to be a part of the fun, so I made time to watch both with them. I now actually know a little about anime, and I always have a Korean drama somewhere in my rotation. Watching so many shows led to deeper curiosity about Asian culture and, more specifically, Asian cuisine.

Anything we see that makes our mouths water is now added to an ongoing list of foods to try. We initially weren't aware of Korean restaurants in our area, but a little research goes a long way. In this case, however, it was only a 15-minute drive.

Mixed Rice is a small, family-owned Korean restaurant in Burlington. There are dine-in and take-out options but so far, we always choose to eat inside. It's such a quiet and calming energy. We also really enjoy immersing our senses in authentic Korean cuisine. It's what we call a win-win!

What we ordered

Beef and Chicken Bibimbap. This is a rice dish topped with sautéed vegetables, chili paste and your chosen meat. Some people also include a raw or fried egg.
Spicy Beef Bulgogi. This dish was also served on rice with vegetables. However, the beef was sliced thinly and more tender. And although noticeable, the spiciness was mild.

In addition to the meals above, we've tried their fried dumplings and for dessert - steamed red bean buns. Our love for these earthy, yet mildly sweet morsels of goodness is almost an obsession! Get a better look at red bean buns in this Instagram reel. You'll also find out which of my daughters isn't a huge fan of them.