KOKO Sips + Bites embodies best of Korean and Japanese cuisines | Grub Scout

When The Grub Spouse and I dined at Gogi Korean Kitchen about six weeks ago, it was the first time I’d had Korean cuisine in several years. Lately, I seem to be making up for lost time; our latest stop was at KOKO Sips + Bites, an eatery that specializes in Korean-Japanese fusion. (Coincidentally, KOKO is just a few doors down from Q Korean Steakhouse, a Korean-barbecue establishment.)

Appetizers at KOKO Sips + Bites include a tempura platter, yakitori (skewered chicken), spicy gyoza salad, tuna tataki, karaage (dry-fried chicken or tofu) and fried calamari. The Spouse and I thought the Mount Ebi ($9) — deep-fried shrimp glazed with eel sauce and served with yuzu aioli — sounded tasty, so we put in an order for that.

The remainder of the menu is divided into entrée dishes, ramen bowls and a selection of kimbap, which is Korean-style sushi. The Spouse focused on that first section, which features several bibimbap items (including beef and pork bulgogi) as well as Korean-style egg drop soup.

There are also options built around proteins like pork, chicken, shrimp, beef, salmon, steak and tofu and prepared in a variety of styles such as katsu and teriyaki as well as with fried rice. The Spouse ordered chicken yakisoba style ($14), which is a noodle-based stir-fry that includes onion, cabbage and carrots.

Meanwhile, I considered kimbap options such as salmon teriyaki, crispy tofu, spicy tuna and katsu, which is built around panko-fried vegetables. There’s even a kimchi-and-SPAM roll for those in search of the unique. I got the KOKO kimbap ($18), made with tuna, salmon, crab, cucumber, avocado, cabbage, masago, seaweed salad, pickled ginger and tangy chili sauce. My selection came with a choice of miso soup or a side salad, and I chose the soup, which was par for the course.

(While we ordered from the dinner menu, it’s worth noting that KOKO’s lunch menu is no carbon copy, offering 10 rice-bowl creations as well as tacos with an Asian twist and steamed buns.)

Our server brought out the Mount Ebi appetizer in short order. The fried, crusted shrimp were enjoyable, and I particularly liked the eel sauce drizzled over this hot and crunchy starter. There was plenty for both of us to share and even more to box up for later.

My kimbap roll arrived next, cut into 12 substantial slices. Going by pure appearance, I can say that kimbap definitely resembles traditional Japanese sushi, but there are a number of distinctions. Kimbap is made with the seaweed on the outside of the roll and is seasoned with sesame oil and salt. It’s not served with wasabi, ginger or soy sauce. Also unlike sushi, kimbap does not usually feature raw fish, but KOKO does make that option available. In fact, I’m fairly certain that the tuna and salmon in my roll were indeed served raw.

I liked my assembly of fish, vegetables and other fillings quite a bit, although I’m always happy to leave ginger out of everything. The inclusion of seaweed salad and the generous sprinkling of masago across the top of the presentation were strong touches. I enjoyed six pieces at the restaurant and had the remaining six for lunch the following day.

The Spouse’s yakisoba chicken was served hot and was quite satisfying, from the thick noodles to the aptly seasoned chicken bites to the medley of stir-fried vegetables in the bowl. This was a well-rounded entrée that I would have been happy to have claimed as my own.

We don’t normally indulge in desserts at Asian-food restaurants, but on this outing, we decided to try a slice of cheesecake ($5), choosing mango over sesame or green tea. The slice was small, but the whipped-cream-topped wedge was light and refreshing and delivered sweet and fresh mango flavor. All cheesecakes are garnished with fresh fruit.

KOKO Sips + Bites is on the generic side from an aesthetics standpoint, but we benefited from conscientious service, and I certainly appreciated the proprietors’ approach to the menu, which seems to embody the best of both Korean and Japanese cuisines and meshes them seamlessly.

KOKO Sips + Bites

Food: 4

Service: 4

Atmosphere: 3.5

Overall: 4

Address: 8883 Town and Country Circle

Phone: 865-249-6676

Beer service only

Hours: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Monday through Friday; 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knoxville restaurant review: KOKO Sips + Bites meshes two cuisines