What Nancy Leson and I Loved (Haemul Dukboki) at Ka Won Korean BBQ Restaurant

When I launched EAT99 in August, one of the first comments on my post was made by Seattle Times' decades-long food critic Nancy Leson: 'Marjie! What an excellent blog! And your reviews are great fun to read, informative, and hit close to home... As "they" say on the interwebs: FOLLOWING!'  

Nancy Leson, following me?! I've been following her for years!

Nancy Leson taught me what top-notch sushi is by telling me to go to (the dearly departed) Taka Sushi in Lynnwood years ago.

And you know why I sit at the Oriental Mart counter every time I go to Pike Place Market? Because Nancy Leson told me to watch Auntie Lei "give everyone the business" while she dictates what I order (usually, hopefully, the Salmon Sinigang!). 

She is my food-writing inspiration.

Her comment filled me with happiness. We started corresponding, and after a few weeks--get this--she suggested we get dinner. "Where does EAT99 want to go next?" she asked, and then replied, "Korean is my favorite!" when I suggested Ka Won Korean BBQ Restaurant in Lynnwood. 

Despite its ubiquitous presence on our highway, I know less about Korean food than just about any other cuisine. And suddenly, I was riding shotgun next to Nancy Leson-who-loves-Korean-food-best on my way to eat it. 

I am a lucky person. 

She said my choice was serendipitous. Just days before, one of her Korean friends had told her Ka Won is where everyone goes for traditional food— and Nancy admitted to her that she hadn’t been there in far-too-many years and was jonesing to go back.

When we entered the restaurant, we had to choose whether to sit at a BBQ grill table or a regular table. Overwhelming. We sat at a grill table, then reconsidered and moved to regular. These are the hard decisions in life for people like us. But the menu decisions--rice cakes, dumpling soup and seafood pancake--were easy. 

I read the reviews, so I knew about the two women who have run this restaurant together since 2001, and how some say they can be rather abrupt and opinionated. That's why, when Nancy ordered Haemul Dukboki (stir fried rice cakes and seafood in a spicy sauce, $29.99) and our server shook her head and scolded, "Too spicy for you," it made me pretty happy. 

"Not too spicy for me!" Nancy answered. 

Pointing at me, but without a glance my way, our server said, "What about her?" and then, without waiting for a reply, said she would tell the cook to make it "not very spicy." She consulted with Nancy only about our order because, well, she knew who was in charge. I love this kind of service.

Anyway, back to the Haemul Dukboki. Calling all rice cake fans! This dish offers thick, tubular rice cakes, oblong rice cake disks, and very long rice noodles. As someone who craves glutinous rice in all forms, I declare this dish "thoughtful" for offering so many different iterations of "chewy" all in one place. At one point, I broke a crab leg in half and sucked the (not too spicy) juices out, and asked Nancy if she had done that yet. 

"No!" she said, and then did so enthusiastically. We exchanged an appreciative nod. Mussels, squid, crab legs, veggies and so many rice cake noodles simmered in a sauce made of spicy gochujang (chili paste). A dream. 

Haemul Pajeon (seafood scallion pancake, $22.99) is the Korean dish I know best, because I adore Chinese scallion pancakes, and this is that on blast, but with a lighter texture. You know how, when you are unfamiliar with a cuisine, you find one "safe" thing to order and you just keep ordering it at the expense of trying other things you might love just as much? That's what pajeon has been for me. Made from a batter of eggs, wheat flour, rice flour and scallions, we both loved Ka Won's crispy, non-greasy version, packed with shrimp and squid and accompanied by a perfect dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and ginger.

We also loved Ka Won's Manduguk ($22.99). "I haven't had better than this," Nancy said after her first taste of the traditional beef dumpling soup. "You can tell these are homemade."

As for the banchan (small side) dishes, they are declared to be 'the best in town' by many a Google reviewer. We both especially loved the crispy smelt, barbecued potatoes, and the sweet mashed potatoes. Their kimchi is also divine. Something I learned from Nancy: in most Korean restaurants, these sides can be refilled at no charge. All you have to do is ask for more of whichever banchan you want.

We had a two-hour dinner. Then, with full, satisfied bellies and that energized feeling you get when you've found someone who speaks your language--in this case the language of good food, and how good food permeates everything that is good about life--we headed toward home. As we passed the Winco Foods parking lot on 220th, I interrupted a story Nancy was telling to point out the pop-up taco stand with pork shoulder rotating on a vertical spit and the long line of people waiting for it. 

"Have you seen this?" I asked. "It's been appearing here at night lately!"

Nancy paused to take in the scene, then spoke my thoughts out loud. "My only question is 'Why aren't we eating there right now?'"

Homework:

 Read some of Nancy's fun reviews!

Nancy Leson

KA WON KOREAN BBQ RESTAURANT, 15004 Hwy 99, Ste A, Lynnwood, WA 98087
425-578-6484

Open Monday-Sunday, 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Closed Tuesdays