Review: Kimchi Bistro

This past Thursday, my partner and I, dined at Kimchi Bistro on Capital Hill. It was my first time at the establishment, and I was very impressed.

The top photograph shows my dish, beef bul go gi, in the forground, the appetizers in the middle, and my partner's dish, bi bim bap in the background. The bottom photograph is a close up of the bi bim bap.

Upon entering the restaurant, there was a long line to get a table. The line moved very quickly though and we were seated within ten minutes. Upon entering, I noticed the restaurant was small and very full. The decor is simple but appealing. 

At first the hostess seemed rush and like she was in a hurry to seat us and get everybody out of there, but the service quickly improved after that. We ordered a mere minute or two after we were seated and received our food another two minutes afterwards. 

The appetizers were traditional Korean plates, kimchi, pickled radish, cabbage, daikon, mung beans, and a slaw salad. Tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary.

The bul go gi on the other hand was perfect. The beef was tender and perfectly flavored and meshed with the onions and vegetables on the hot plate perfectly. My highlight of the night.

We also ordered a haemul pajeon, which is sometimes to referred to as a Korean pancake. The haemul part signifies that it is a seafood pancake. This one had octopus alongside onion, peppers and soy sauce. The pancake was crunchy and well cooked. A perfect compliment to the bul go gi.

I tried some of my partner's bi bim bap and was not as impressed. It needed a little punch or spice to go with the rice, egg and vegetables. I have had better.

Overall, I fully recommend Kimchi Bistro to everyone. A good combination of delicious food and incredibly quick service make this an easy, relatively cheap and delicious destination on Capital Hill.

Kimchi Bistro

219 Broadway E # 7

Seattle, WA 98102-5733
(206) 323-4472