A Korean Smorgasbord At Ka Won

If you are in the mood to do some serious eating; if you want meat and a lot of it, but are craving variety as well, and perhaps a touch of the exotic, then Korean barbecue is for you. I have been told by more than one source that Ka Won is the best place in the area to go for this and after eating there I believe it. Ka Won is a humble space, located in a strip mall in Lynnwood just off Aurora. It is my experience that often the best places for food are kept behind such unassuming façades. I appreciate a restaurant that doesn’t have to advertise via fancy exterior and decor; let the food speak for itself already.

When you go to Ka Won be sure to take along your appetite and, ideally, several friends. If you are not Korean I recommend bringing one with you, as I did. As the three non-Koreans in our party walked through the door we were regarded warily by our hostess, but when our Korean guide, Mr. B, came into view her entire demeanor visibly softened. Yes, we would be accepted after all. We were led across the well-worn floor past booth after booth of Koreans. No music played overhead, the only sounds those of lively conversation and eating, eating, eating. It’s handy to have someone in the know explain the menu as it can be a bit daunting. There are so many similar sounding meat options it is hard to know where to begin. We ended up ordering, at the advice of Mr. B, two varieties of marinated beef ribs, jumullok and yangnyeom galbi. One was a fattier cut than the other, but to me the difference was negligible. I just know they were both juicily delicious and completely infused with flavor. Our table had a little gas grill set into it and Mr. B set about the task of grilling the meat. This was a bit of a full time job but he didn’t seem to mind. I believe that it is possible to sit in a non-grilling area for those who don’t want to make the commitment to cooking their own food, but this is really part of the experience. If there is one in your party up to the task I recommend it. The meat comes in a long strip which you cut down to size with the provided scissors. A large bowl of salad mixed with a chile vinaigrette is meant to be eaten along with bites of meat but is fantastic just by itself. A highlight of the meal was the seafood pancake, hae mul pajeon. This consisted of squid, shrimp and scallions, barely held together by a light, egg-y dough. This was just the right amount of greasy and was absolutely fantastic, possibly better as leftovers the next day. The most exciting part of the dinner for me, however, was the plethora of tiny side dishes that were brought out before the actual meal. Something about an assortment of small bits of food just thrills me to pieces. So many flavors to sample! These dishes included, among other things, several different types of kimchi (cabbage, cucumber, radish), an egg omelet still bubbling in its cast-iron bowl, tiny salty-sweet fried fish, small brown squares of gelatin I was told were made from almond, tofu and zucchini soup with miso paste, and, the piece de resistance, a whipped potato dish mixed with cucumber, carrot and radish. This was so smooth and light I would like to bathe in a large tub of it. As utterly full as I was at the conclusion of the meal (and believe you me I was full) I still ordered another dish of it.

The soju and beer flowed, conversation was bandied about, and even though each of us stuffed in as much food as we could reasonably manage our meal still looked relatively untouched at its conclusion. We went through the somewhat difficult process of flagging down a waitress and then finally waddled out to the car, four full containers of leftovers in tow. Oh yes, I was to be eating well the next day.

Ka Won

15004 HWY 99 Suite A

Lynnwood, WA 98037

(425) 787-6484

Gimme Some Tongue

I remember the first time I tried tongue. I was in middle school and over at a friend’s house for some sort of celebration (I tried tongue of a different sort for the first time in high school, but that’s another story). Her dad was from Tibet and had cooked some traditional Tibetan dishes for the party, most of which were meat based. I tried a piece of an unfamiliar meat, sliced in a little dish, and was surprised at the texture. I asked my friend what it was and she told me, a little warily, that it was cow tongue. Instead of spitting it out I went back for more and for this her dad loved me. I was the only one of his daughter’s friends open-minded enough to try his food and he really appreciated it. A lot of people seem put off by the idea of eating a tongue. Why is this? It’s just a muscle. Is it really any different from eating an animal’s shoulder or butt? I think what it comes down to is presentation. My mother grew up in a large family and cow tongue was a cheap cut so they would sometimes get it for dinner. Her dad would simmer it in a big pot and serve it sliced with ketchup. She says that they would gross out the neighbor kids by bringing them over and showing them the large gray tongue boiling on the stove. OK, I can see how that would be unappetizing, but with a little cooking magic tongue can be quite good. My preference is for tacos de lengua and I encourage you to withhold judgment until you’ve tried them. The tongue is cubed and mixed with diced onions and parsley and served in a corn tortilla. The meat is soft, tender, and has a very rich taste, a bit buttery and smooth. It just melts in your mouth. My sincere wish is that people would get over the “gross” factor of eating a tongue and give these tacos a try, because they are delicious and it would be sad to let a personal hang-up get in the way of good cuisine.

When in Ellensburg, Eat at the Valley Cafe

Driving back from Spokane after a morning spent running in the Bloomsday race, my Dad and I stopped at the Valley Cafe in Ellensburg for a bite to eat. Not having spent much time in Ellensburg I wasn’t sure what to expect, but stepping into the Valley Cafe was like entering a classy time warp. The space itself is small and elegantly casual, hearkening back to an earlier time with its art deco light fixtures and carved wooden and stainless steel booths. The smooth sounds of Miles Davis played gently in the background. This place is all about aesthetic and ambiance, but the food does not suffer. Our warm, understatedly friendly waitress brought over a fantastic baguette to start with and the accompanying dish of olive oil and balsamic was filled with tiny bits of red pepper, parsley and diced garlic. Perusing the appetizer menu I was torn between the baked Camembert and the ahi skewers, but finally settled on the Camembert. It was served with crostini, candied pecans, and sliced apples, pears and kiwi. The cheese was gooey and warm, the pecans finely chopped and delicately sweet, and the crostini’s light crunchiness nicely offset the heaviness of the cheese. The house salad of fresh mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and roasted pumpkin seeds came lightly dressed and perfectly tossed with a yogurt herb dressing. A well tossed salad is becoming a lost art in most restaurants, but Valley Cafe got it right. No globs of dressing or naked bites of lettuce here. The entrees are in the $15.00 range and include many pasta options, tuna, crab cakes, and chicken marsala. The slightly spicy crab cakes came served with a red pepper aioli and were densely packed with crab, not filler. They were delicious, if a little burned on the bottom. They were served atop a serviceable pesto penne that went mostly ignored. The Valley Cafe also offers several local Washington wines and has a more casual bakery/cafe next door.

Driving away toward Seattle, our meal digesting happily in our full stomachs, we were afforded a spectacular view; to the north and south were giant, flat clouds like swept sand, colored rosy by the setting sun. Farmhouses dotted the green of the landscape and Rainier was softened by a fuzzy blanket of cloud. Ahead of us to the west ominously black, flat-topped storm clouds encroached on the friendliness of the scene, but I held onto the warm comfortable feeling left by the Valley Cafe and, entering the wind and rain, I was perfectly content.

Valley Cafe

105 W. 3rd Avenue

Ellensburg, WA 98926

(509) 925-3050

Soy Cream Is Better Than Ice Cream!

Let’s face it: a good non-dairy ice cream is hard to find. Most tend to have an icy or gooey texture and usually taste funny and wrong. That is why I would like to sing the praises of Double Rainbow’s non-dairy ice cream, Soy Cream. If you are lactose intolerant, or like me find the milkiness of ice cream to be too heavy, this is the dessert for you. It is far and away the best non-dairy ice cream I have ever had, and I actually think that it’s better than most ice creams. It has the taste and texture of the real deal but is lighter and cleaner tasting and doesn’t leave that unpleasant coating of dairy in your mouth. The Mint Chocolate Chip flavor is my favorite. It’s so fresh and minty you’ll feel like you just brushed your teeth and it is chock full of fat little chocolate flakes. It seriously reminds me of those old York Peppermint Pattie ads that start out with someone standing in the living room biting into a York and end with them downhill skiing on their coffee table. The Vanilla and Mango Sorbet combo is also quite good, the mango sorbet giving a little sweet/tart punch to the delicate smoothness of the vanilla. Soy Cream is not always easy to find, unfortunately, and has recently been discontinued at PCC and QFC. It’s carried at Whole Foods and can also usually be found at Trader Joe’s (although their selection is somewhat limited). Soy Cream: get the sensation.