Place to get GREAT Korean Beef or Mongolian BBQ?

[Palolo Joe]

Re: Place to get GREAT Korean Beef or Mongolian BBQ?

If you actually read, it all relates man, just trying to offer some additional information and my opinion. It's not like you have to pay for it, just trying to share it.

Well, when you don't identify yourself, and you have a name like "PacBasin" with an avatar of Honolulu Magazine, you come across as a shill for the publication.

If you want to sign up for HT for your own personal pleasure, feel free. But if all you're going to do is participate in threads so you can leave self-promotional posts? Do us a favor and stick to the "Selling" forums, because that's what you're trying to do.

[cynsaligia]

Re: Place to get GREAT Korean Beef or Mongolian BBQ?

I know a really good place in Oregon!! ROFL! ~giggle snort~ hahaha
Doesn't do anyone any good but me!

erm, would do my mom good! she moved to portland several years ago! so do share!

[cynsaligia]

Re: Place to get GREAT Korean Beef or Mongolian BBQ?

I'm headed to Oahu the March/April of 2007 and I am trying to scope out a list of good, great actually, restaurants where I can get some Bulgogi or find a Mongolian BBQ place that grills the food rather than cooking it on a hot slab. I rememer when we lived at Schofield Barracks they used to have weekly Mongolian BBQ night at it was SOO good. It's been over 20 years, but we've never found a place that can match it. It's like it was cooked over an actual grill that had a fine wire mesh over the grill, so they would get charbroiled rather than cooking on what is essentially a hot metal griddle, which is all we can find here in Florida and Georgia...

As for the Korean Beef (bulgogi) my mom learned to make the marinade when we lived there and it is still something we cook on the grill at homw. However, I'd love to have it in a restaurant, cooked like it should REALLY be done.

I swear I'm going to gain about 20 lbs on vacation. I feel like I'm going to eat my way across the island...

here are my suggestions, and even tho i myself am not korean, the beau is part korean and has dated several koreans. i have korean friends and have worked for korean bosses, and the beau and i will only buy kim chee from the korean stores--that's how picky we are. no halms or joe kim's for us. anyway, here are the three of the places that consistently rate highly amongst the koreans i know, and they're either first or second generation here in hawaii. all of these are in the kapiolani-piikoi-keeaumoku-convention center area:

Korea House, aka Yakiniku Koryowon - Kapiolani Blvd, across-ish from 24 hour fitness. onokinegrindz has a good review of their restaurant's kalbi/tofu stew/fried corvina/fish jun special which will stuff two people (cost is about $40). My former boss insists this place has the best quality meat of all the neighborhood korean places. Parking is expensive so i'd suggest parking at nearby ala moana (bottom floor, nearer to macy's on the kona street side is good).

Choi's Garden - Rycroft Street. The BEST spicy butterfish and spicy squid stirfry--mrs. choi's versions are the best i've had. i'm drooling just thinking about it. Really good meat jun, too. free parking. don't bother with the stews tho--kinda watery. grilled meats good here, too, but i would say go here for the seafoody stuff.

Million - Sheridan Street. best all around, and it's too bad they're only open i think tues thru sat from five pm. they used to be open like 21 hours a day. if you like korean pot stews, they are sooooooo good here. the grilled meats--whether you grill yourself or have them do it for you, which is a cheaper option--is also sooooo good. they have really good ban chan here and i love the green lettuce salad they provide. it's got this dressing that looks like it should be spicy as heck but it's got this sweet peppery taste that is very addictive. whenever i introduce people to authentic korean food, this is my first choice. beware that parking (which is behind the restaurant off) is very potholey so i'd consider either street parking or parking at nearby walmart and then waddling back the block or so.

there's also the place on kapiolani that is right next to club femme nu. i'm sorry i can't remember the name, but that place was really good too. i waddled outta that restaurant with a happy stomach many a time. do not let the fact that it is right next to a strip club and very near to an x-rated goody shop dissuade you from going, because the food is very much worth any embarrassment or prudish pride you might feel being near such establishments.

as for the food, besides bulgogi, i'd consider the following meats: brisket, steak, and tongue. yes, tongue! omg--it's kinda like bacon, but better. if memory serves correctly, each of the three places i've described above has some sort of meat combo option.

sorabol is fine but parking is valet most of the time and the previous places i've mentioned are better deals when considering price v. quantity v. quality.

hope this helps!

[Samurai123]

Re: Place to get GREAT Korean Beef or Mongolian BBQ?

I think the place next to Club Femme Nu is called Seoul Garden. Lunch there is pretty reasonable and you get all of those little side dishes. Of course you could just go to Club Femme Nu instead.

[cynsaligia]

Re: Place to get GREAT Korean Beef or Mongolian BBQ?

I think the place next to Club Femme Nu is called Seoul Garden. Lunch there is pretty reasonable and you get all of those little side dishes. Of course you could just go to Club Femme Nu instead.

*snort*

then again, i think i did hear that femme nu has good food, too!