Wave Bowl Makes a Splash in Plano With Authentic Bibimbap

Steamed rice, raw vegetables and stir-fried meats converge in a mouth-watering triad in bibimbap, a Korean dish that’s attracted millions of fans over the last few decades. Despite its simplicity, the perfect ratio between greasy meat, sticky rice and raw vegetables is something that’s hard to achieve in the Asian culinary world. Plano’s locally owned bibimbap place — Wave Bowl — is what some may call a “diamond in the rough.” It’s not too fancy-looking from the outside, but once you step inside and get around to ordering, we can almost guarantee an authentic (and dare we say perfect?) bibimbap experience.
An ethereal bibimbap bowl takes time to perfect; we waited about 20 to 30 minutes for our order. If you’re hungry, get something to snack on while you’re waiting. Wave Bowl serves Asian classics like pan-seared turnip cakes ($5.95), chicken spring rolls ($7.95) and spicy tamarind wings ($5.95). We enjoyed the turnip cakes, a plate of three flat, rectangular cakes made of finely ground turnip. The cakes are fried generously in a pan of oil to give them a slightly charred exterior. There’s something about the way the outside crunch caves into a tender interior that makes these cakes weirdly addictive.

Main entrees vary depending on your meat, vegetable and rice preferences. If you prefer your rice fried and oily, order one of Wave Bowl’s fried rice bowls ($12.95). You can choose from either a hibachi- or a healthy-style bowl. The hibachi style comes tossed with a tangy kimchi and your choice of protein, while the healthy style offers a mix of grilled zucchini, carrot, mushrooms and red bell pepper — although we’re not too sure how healthy an oil-tossed rice bowl can really be. Don’t count on it to bring down your daily calorie count, at least.
Other popular options include the bulgogi beef bowl ($14.50), which includes a base of steamed rice topped with thinly sliced beef and onions. The Japanese coconut curry bowl ($14.50) is made with a carrot-onion-potato curry with sweet undertones. Also, get your hands on the chicken curry cheese bowl ($14.50). This customer favorite comes with deep-fried breaded chicken breast served atop steamed rice and a cheese-coconut curry. The addition of melted cheese to a classic Asian-style curry adds an ingenious level of depth to the dish.
Don’t leave without trying the dessert here. Wave Bowl serves its signature “honey toast” in four flavors, including tiramisu, Nutella-banana, and crème brûlée. All variations begin with the same thick-cut slice of brioche toast soaked in a honey dressing. They’re topped with different nuts, ice creams and mousses, depending on which flavor you select from the menu. While they are on the expensive side of dessert ($11.50–$12.50), our verdict is that it’s worth it for a good end to a good meal.

Wave Bowl, 8608 Preston Road, Plano. Tuesday – Friday , 11 a.m – 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.; closed Monday.