Our Story

The Korean word ‘SONMAT’ literally means “hand taste”. The word ‘SONMAT’ relates to a compliment in response to excellent culinary skills and abilities. If someone is a great cook, the compliment would express that “you possess great ‘SONMAT!’.” We offer authentic and healthy Korean food with the secret of ‘SONMAT’ by Korean chef & owner in the heart of Utrecht.

SONMAT’s philosophy is to provide happiness through excellent Korean cuisine that satisfies both body and soul.

Why is Korean Fried Chicken so special?

Do you know that there are more fried chicken restaurants in South Korea than McDonald’s locations in the entire world? Surprisingly, it is true. Anyone who’s ever tucked into a plate of Korean fried chicken will understand that there is nothing on earth quite like the sensation of biting into perfectly crispy chicken skin that melds fluidly into juicy succulent meat inside. It’s an amazing balance of crunch and tenderness that has in turn created a global obsession.

Also, the crazily-popular yangnyeom fried chicken, which is double deep-fried chicken thinly coated in a sweet-spicy sauce, makes Korean fried chicken so distinct. You do not like spicy food? Don’t worry, we have other delicious sauce too!

Kimchi, the Korean Superfood!

Kimchi (김치) is a traditional Korean dish consisting of pickled vegetables, which is mainly served as a side dish with every meal, but also can be served as a main dish. Kimchi is mainly recognized as a spicy fermented cabbage dish globally, but we also serve Baek-kimchi which is made without chili pepper. An age-old fermented Korean delicacy, kimchi is a highly nutritious low-calory, high-fiber dish. In addition to being a storehouse of vitamins, it is loaded with highly beneficial antioxidants and probiotics.

Needless to say, eating kimchi can benefit your body in a number of ways. Kimchi also may lower your risk of heart disease by reducing inflammation, suppressing fat growth, and decreasing cholesterol levels. In SONMAT, you can enjoy homemade Kimchi not only as a side dish but also as a warm meal!

Try our Deopbab, the tastiest healthy Korean wok meal!

Deopbap (덮밥) literally means “covered rice” and is a bowl of rice topped with several toppings. It is a casual one-dish meal with a variety of ingredients. Our Deopbab is well balanced meal and it is great for a snack, lunch and dinner.  Are you a fan of spicy food? Then try our  signature SONMAT Deopbab with stir fried chicken with fresh vegetables in our own spicy red pepper sauce!

Are you a vegetarian? Don’t worry. We also have Veggie Deopbap which is made of Korean Enoki mushroom and champignon with fresh vegetables based on flavorful sweet soy sauce! Do not forget to mix all toppings with rice thoroughly so that you can enjoy ultimate taste!