Bright green walls, a sleek layout, and smells of traditional Asian cuisine arrived downtown last week. Hoping to provide the Iowa City community with healthy Korean, Chinese, and Japanese-inspired dishes, Enjoyabowl Fusion Grill opened its doors to the public Oct. 8. 

Located at 316 E. Burlington St., the restaurant aims to offer a unique spin on the Asian restaurant experience, Enjoyabowl owner Kevin Sun said. 

“Enjoyabowl is basically this dish I sort of grew up eating,” Sun said. “It’s inspired from this Korean dish called bibimbap.”

According to the Enjoyabowl website, “bibimbap” translates to “mixed rice.” The dish combines rice, vegetables, and sauce. Enjoyabowl is similar to several current fast food and casual restaurants where consumers can select what ingredients are added to their dish, Sun said. 

Enjoyabowl also allows customers to choose between a bowl, wrap, or salad, the restaurant’s Assistant Manager Nicole Terry said. The menu offers a variety of side dishes and beverage options, she added.  

“People are most interested in trying the bowls, just because it’s kind of our namesake,” Terry said.

Customers can decide between white or brown rice, or noodles with a choice of select proteins and fresh vegetables in an Enjoyabowl dish, Terry said. In terms of protein, customers are offered teriyaki chicken, bulgogi steak, fried tofu, and braised pork, Terry said. 

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In addition, Enjoyabowl offers a variety of vegetables and sauces. Restaurant Manager Lily Diep said Enjoyabowl offers numerous vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options for customers with specific food restrictions or preferences.

“With a lot of [University of Iowa] students, there is more of a niche of being vegan or vegetarian and making a difference,” Diep said.

Diep added that the Enjoyabowl menu features various sauces, including a thinner teriyaki sauce and spicy mayo, as well as two gluten-free options.

“We are fully able to tailor to any type of food restrictions or preferences,” Sun said. 

Although the restaurant only opened a few days ago, the savory and sweet bulgogi beef is already the most popular protein, Sun said, while the most popular vegetable option among customers is “kimchi,” a traditional Korean vegetable.  

“You can’t really go wrong when you’re building a bowl ,because you know exactly what you are making,” Diep said. 

Enjoyabowl is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays. The restaurant stays open from 1o p.m. to 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

“We will be open after the bars close,” Terry said. “So, we’re hoping to bring in the after-bar crowd.” 

Sun said Enjoyabowl offers a healthy option for an after-bar meal, right in the heart of downtown Iowa City. 

Terry said the restaurant’s team hopes to introduce nighttime food specials to its menu to draw in the city’s nocturnal crowds. 

“What we believe Enjoyabowl brings to Iowa City is a more healthy option that is more different culturally,” Terry said.