Last Friday night Joe and I decided to try a new restaurant. We had been talking about trying a Korean restaurant in Cleveland ever since we went to this great Korean Restaurant in Los Angeles Korea Town earlier this year. I did a little research online and only came across two Korean restaurant options in Cleveland: Seoul Hot Pot and Korea House. We chose Seoul Hot Pot at 3709 Payne Ave., Cleveland, OH 44114.
The restaurant looks a bit seedy from the outside, but it is actually quite cozy on the inside. Parking is limited, we parked in the lot across the street. This restaurant has an interesting story, it used to be a pizza place. When the current Korean owners purchased the pizza place they were not sure if Americans would be interested in Korean food. They originally learned how to cook Italian and kept the place as an Italian restaurant. Then, many local Koreans and exchange students in the area began asking the owners to cook their favorite Korean dishes. For a period of time, they offered both Italian and Korean food on the menu. The owners soon realized that both Americans and Koreans had more interest in the Korean food, so now the menu is Korean only.
Joe and I ordered the more popular Korean dishes. Joe got the bulgogi, which was thinly sliced pieces of marinated beef and vegetables. The bulgogi also comes with an assortment of side dishes, refered to as Banchon in Korean. The Banchon inlcudes kimchees, kung namul (bean sprouts), mook (a jello made out of acorn powder), soybeans in a soy sauce marinade, and more. Unfortunately, we did not sit at table with a built in grill, where you would normally grill the bulgogi at your table right in front of you. We will definitely be back and sit at a grill table next time.
I ordered the Bibimbap (“mixed rice”), which is rice topped with vegetables, beef and egg, and served with a dollop of chili pepper paste. It was so delicious! I visited South Korean back in 2000 and stayed with a host family who cooked me homemade Bibimbap and the Seoul Hot Pot’s version was just as good.
Not only is the food excellent, but the service was also great. There was only one young girl waiting on all the tables in the restaurant. She was friendly and attentive.
I highly recommend Seoul Hot Pot for a fun food experience. Try this place for something different. And, the food is very healthy!