On Restaurants: Craving Korean | The Columbus Dispatch

If you haven't tried Korean BBQ, you're missing out. Ka-Ya is a favorite. Love the bulgogi (beef). Their short ribs (Kalbi) are awesome too. It helps if someone in your party has experieced Korean BBQ before, it only resembles American BBQ by virtue of the name and there is meat involved. If you're flying without a net, ask the staff and they'll school you on the best ways to indulge. Come hungry, you will leave fat and happy.

a guy in columbus wrote:

If you haven't tried Korean BBQ, you're missing out. Ka-Ya is a favorite. Love the bulgogi (beef). Their short ribs (Kalbi) are awesome too. It helps if someone in your party has experieced Korean BBQ before, it only resembles American BBQ by virtue of the name and there is meat involved. If you're flying without a net, ask the staff and they'll school you on the best ways to indulge. Come hungry, you will leave fat and happy.

Are expensive or are they easier on the wallet than most nice restaurants

Now I'm hungry

How about some real news like: Did Damon's close ?

CSD wrote:

How about some real news like: Did Damon's close ?

If it did a favor has been done to the stomachs of Columbus.

Damon's have been closed..thankfully.

Korean is great. There used to be a larger number of Korean restaurants, especially around the Bethel Road area..but most closed.

Since I am ½ Korean, I have to keep up on these things.

Places in Columbus for Korean:
Restaurant Silla (Henderson Road)
Min-Ga (Bethel Road)
Japanese Oriental (High Street, Campus)
Ka-Ya (Reed Road)
San Su (Bethel Road)
Diaspora (High Street, Campus)
Kiyko (Riverside Drive)
Mr. Sushi (Hamilton Road)

Prices are typically in the $10-$20 a head range.

One Fly White Guy wrote:

Damon's have been closed..thankfully.
Korean is great. There used to be a larger number of Korean restaurants, especially around the Bethel Road area..but most closed.
Since I am ½ Korean, I have to keep up on these things.
Places in Columbus for Korean:
Restaurant Silla (Henderson Road)
Min-Ga (Bethel Road)
Japanese Oriental (High Street, Campus)
Ka-Ya (Reed Road)
San Su (Bethel Road)
Diaspora (High Street, Campus)
Kiyko (Riverside Drive)
Mr. Sushi (Hamilton Road)
Prices are typically in the $10-$20 a head range.

Which has the best Bulgogi?

Lfod wrote:

<quoted text>
Which has the best Bulgogi?

I enjoyed it at Silla and Japanese Oriental. Not do much at some of the others.

Restaurant Silla has the most odd location (entrance facing the west wall of the Sears Hardware store) and Japanese Oriental has various degrees of difficulty for parking (campus, go figure).

I used to go to a place called Koreana which used to be on Bethel. Long gone though.

San-Su is the newest of the bunch (in a location once called Bumpers, just west of the Refectory). Had lots of kimchi accompanying the meal, however it is very hands-on since you are the one cooking the beef. The cooking surface can be small for more than two people.

Kikyo is the one of my list I lack experience with.

Lfod wrote:

<quoted text>
Which has the best Bulgogi?

I really like Ka-Ya (Reed Road). They will help you out in your menu selection. I also like the meat and veggies that you stuff into lettuce leaves and make a burrito style wrap. Most all of them have the free kimchee appetizers dishes. Some are pickled and sweet and others can be a little spicy but what a great way to try new and interesting foods. My wife is half Japanese and even she likes the variety of what they have.

I'm half Korean and I've been to most of these restaurants. One that wasn't mentioned (I don't think) is Pung Mei. It has Chinese and Korean food and is probably one of the better ones. My favorite food there is the jampong. During lunch hours, the prices are very reasonable.

I've never ate at Ka Ya, but I can tell you one thing about them: they do not like serving Koreans. My mom and I walked in and they actually told us (in Korean) they were uncomfortable because most of their customers are white. This made us uncomfortable as well so we just walked out.

Silla used to be good, but they're getting too stingy with their food now. The last time we went there, their soondae-guk only had one piece of soondae in it. Anyone who knows what I'm talking about knows there should be a lot more. Oh, and if you do go there I highly recommend going during their lunch hours, otherwise their food will cost you an arm and a leg.

I've been to Min-Ga several times and in my opinion, the ONLY good food there is the dolsot bibimbap. It is pretty tasty. The other foods are extremely bland. Plus, the waitress (the only one I think) is always a bit rude.

Another place not mentioned is Tea Zone Bakery. They have some Korean food there (bibimbap, bulgogi, cold noodle, etc) that I've never tried, but I always go there for the bakery items. Yum! Plus they have bubble tea. Yum Yum!

Hope this helps someone!

Michael wrote:

<quoted text> Are expensive or are they easier on the wallet than most nice restaurants

Cost is comparable to an Outback. Last time my wife and I went, we each had bulgogi, had some sushi as an appetizer, no alcohol and our bill was about $45, excluding tip

Jay wrote:

I'm half Korean and I've been to most of these restaurants. One that wasn't mentioned (I don't think) is Pung Mei. It has Chinese and Korean food and is probably one of the better ones. My favorite food there is the jampong. During lunch hours, the prices are very reasonable.
I've never ate at Ka Ya, but I can tell you one thing about them: they do not like serving Koreans. My mom and I walked in and they actually told us (in Korean) they were uncomfortable because most of their customers are white. This made us uncomfortable as well so we just walked out.
Silla used to be good, but they're getting too stingy with their food now. The last time we went there, their soondae-guk only had one piece of soondae in it. Anyone who knows what I'm talking about knows there should be a lot more. Oh, and if you do go there I highly recommend going during their lunch hours, otherwise their food will cost you an arm and a leg.

I've been to Min-Ga several times and in my opinion, the ONLY good food there is the dolsot bibimbap. It is pretty tasty. The other foods are extremely bland. Plus, the waitress (the only one I think) is always a bit rude.
Another place not mentioned is Tea Zone Bakery. They have some Korean food there (bibimbap, bulgogi, cold noodle, etc) that I've never tried, but I always go there for the bakery items. Yum! Plus they have bubble tea. Yum Yum!
Hope this helps someone!

I'm really surprised that Ka-Ya treated you so poorly. Nearly everytime I've been there the clientele is 90% Asian. As a matter of fact, the dude that turned me on to the place is Korean. I will say however, the hostess isn't always the most welcoming. She's efficient, but sometimes I think her face would crack if she smiled. The food more than makes up for it and the wait staff is very pleasant.