restaurant profile
Keen on Korean WRITTEN BY DAVID MCCREARY | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JONATHAN FREDIN
WHEN IT COMES TO notable food trends, Korean cuisine has steadily gained favor with people seeking bold flavors, fresh ingredients, and an exciting dining experience. As it turns out, Cary has no shortage of quality Korean restaurants. Here’s our exclusive roundup of local places to check out and enjoy time and again.
SEOUL GARDEN OVERVIEW
With an original location in Raleigh, it’s all about the food at this unpreten-
tious spot that formerly housed the eatery Golden Pig. A wide-ranging menu provides plenty of bona fide options such as japchae (seasoned glass noodles with vegetables), monkfish soup, steamed pork belly, and spicy kimchi stew with tofu, pork and rice cakes. DISTINCTIVENESS
“I have really good connections with Korean food distributors, so we are able to get the freshest quality ingredients,” said proprietor Li Woo, who hails from Suwon, South Korea. “All our chefs are Korean and have been cooking for many years, so the food they are preparing is really authentic,” he added. Soups are prepared daily using meat bones to make broth. MUST-TRY DISH
Dolsot beef bibimbap, which includes
Jae Yuk Bossam is seasoned pork belly with daikon radish, kimchi, pickled garlic and Napa cabbage.
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seasoned vegetables and a fried egg, cooked and served in a hot stone bowl. PRO TIP
Ask for the spicy red sauce to add some zest to your meal. Also, be adventurous when it comes to eating the banchan (small side dishes) like bean sprouts, daikon radish, pickled cucumber, stir-fried fish cake and kimchi. BEFORE YOU GO
Bear in mind the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays. Call-in reservations are accepted, and lunch specials occur weekdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 815 West Chatham St., Cary (919) 234-6002 seoulgardennc.com
