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