Cozy interiors of Iru restaurant featuring traditional decor.
A new Korean restaurant, Iru, has opened in Brookline Village, serving authentic family recipes and hearty dishes. Operated by Hajime Yamazaki, the menu features traditional favorites like samgyetang and a prix fixe option. With a cozy space for 22 diners, Iru is quickly gaining popularity due to reservations being booked through May. Located at 238 Washington Street, the restaurant aims to share the rich heritage of Korean cuisine with the community.
Brookline, Massachusetts – A new Korean restaurant named Iru has officially opened its doors in Brookline Village, bringing a collection of authentic family recipes and heartwarming dishes to locals and visitors alike. The term ‘Iru’ translates to “to serve” in Korean, perfectly encapsulating the restaurant’s mission of providing exceptional dining experiences.
Hajime Yamazaki, an experienced restaurateur with a successful background in the culinary industry, operates Iru. With nine restaurants in Japan under his belt, several of which have been honored with Michelin Bib Gourmand awards, Yamazaki aims to replicate that success in the U.S. His inspiration stems from his family’s culinary history, as his parents used to own a restaurant called Kanmiichi in Korea. Yamazaki began his culinary journey at the age of 28, transitioning from an office job to the family business, where he learned valuable cooking techniques from his mother, a skilled chef.
The menu at Iru features an array of dishes inspired by traditional recipes from the chef’s mother’s kitchen. Each dish reflects Yamazaki’s careful adaptation of those beloved recipes, staying true to the cooking methods employed by his mother. One of the standout offerings is the samgyetang, a traditional Korean ginseng chicken soup with roots tracing back to Korea’s Joseon Dynasty before 1897. Iru’s unique twist sees the samgyetang served as a shared dish for tables, a departure from the conventional serving style.
In addition to samgyetang, Iru offers a prix fixe menu starting at $60 per person. This includes the signature samgyetang and an assortment of banchan, a collection of Korean side dishes that diners can also order separately à la carte. Other menu highlights feature popular Korean delicacies including beef bulgogi, japchae (stir-fried glass noodles with vegetables), and seafood pancakes, providing an extensive culinary experience.
Iru’s cozy space accommodates approximately 22 diners and tends to fill up quickly due to its growing popularity. Reservations for the restaurant are nearly booked through the end of May, but Iru is committed to welcoming walk-ins each night, ensuring diners have an opportunity to experience authentic Korean cuisine. The decor emphasizes simplicity and warmth, featuring clean wooden tables and rice paper lighting, making the food the highlight of the dining experience.
The choice of Boston for Yamazaki’s first U.S. restaurant was influenced by personal connections in the area, particularly his friendship with Masuo Onishi, the owner of a ramen shop in Davis Square. Yamazaki also cited Boston’s climate as a key factor, suggesting that the city would be an ideal location to introduce a restaurant specializing in comforting samgyetang, a dish that is particularly appealing during colder weather.
Through a commitment to honoring the historical and cultural significance of Korean cuisine, Iru aims to share its rich culinary heritage with a diverse audience. The restaurant is located at 238 Washington Street, Brookline, Massachusetts, and is open for dinner from Tuesday through Saturday, inviting guests to explore the heartfelt offerings inspired by Yamazaki’s family traditions.
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