Do you need another place to satisfy your Korean craving? Sometimes the hole in the wall can be a great place for truly authentic Korean food. We found a very unassuming place in a unassuming little strip mall called Cafe Ga Hyang. It is located on Olive just west of 45th Avenue. When you get close to the address you really have to keep your eyes open because if you blink you will miss it. We started with a Coke which they bring in a can with a glass of ice on the side. My first appetizer choice was Gyoza or more commonly known in our house as potstickers. This was one of my favorite street foods from my life in Korea. These are deep fried dumplings filled with meat and vegetables and dipped in a soy sauce mixture. Kudos to Cafe Ga Hyang who have this down to a "t" and every bite flooded me with memories of the streets of Seoul.
For my second appetizer choice I went with duk bokki, also known as Korean spicy rice cakes. Despite the warning from our server that this was an extremely spicy dish and not for the typical American palate, I ordered it anyway and assured her my palate was anything but typical. After devouring about a quarter of this inferno of an appetizer, I had to quickly set it aside. This is truly a "15" on the 1-10 spicy scale. Although it was delicious, after a few bites you can no longer taste anything but the heat. I recommend you go when you are congested as it will clear out your sinuses quickly! Patti was so intrigued by the rice cake noodle-things that she wanted to try it as well despite the warnings. She attempted to scrape off the sauce and what she could visibly see as peppers but to no avail. She couldn't even finish a single bite in her mouth.
In this small restaurant you have, accenting in the background, one of our key indicators of authenticity, the TV playing native language broadcasts. We were pleasantly surprised by the change from soap opera looking shows to more of a newscast program here.
And as in a traditional Korean barbecue, they provide 10 side dishes that accompany your meat entree. This included a variety of pickled vegetables including kim chee, as well as fresh vegetables like bean sprouts. These were all very delicious and if you don't mind a little bit of spicy kick, I recommend their traditional kim chee.
Patti ordered the bulgogi, which is a Korean marinated beef that is grilled and served on a bed of sizzling onions. Unlike the other Korean BBQ's that we have been too, this one did not appear to have the option to grill your own food at your table. Instead they bring it out to you sizzling hot. The beef was extremely tender and full of marinated goodness.
Another excellent option would have been dukgolgi, which is a marinated chicken. I however decided to step out of my usual list of favorites and went with the Korean short ribs. I'm sure many of you have tried short ribs at Asian restaurants have found them to be typically tasty but still chewy. These at Cafe Ga Hyang are a must try rib! The meat nearly fell off the bone and only needed gentle prodding from the chopstick. I was happy that I was able to satisfy my Korean craving, although I wish I had heeded the waitress' warning. So when she tells you it is spicy you better believe her and if you haven't tried gyoza, try it now.
For my second appetizer choice I went with duk bokki, also known as Korean spicy rice cakes. Despite the warning from our server that this was an extremely spicy dish and not for the typical American palate, I ordered it anyway and assured her my palate was anything but typical. After devouring about a quarter of this inferno of an appetizer, I had to quickly set it aside. This is truly a "15" on the 1-10 spicy scale. Although it was delicious, after a few bites you can no longer taste anything but the heat. I recommend you go when you are congested as it will clear out your sinuses quickly! Patti was so intrigued by the rice cake noodle-things that she wanted to try it as well despite the warnings. She attempted to scrape off the sauce and what she could visibly see as peppers but to no avail. She couldn't even finish a single bite in her mouth.
And as in a traditional Korean barbecue, they provide 10 side dishes that accompany your meat entree. This included a variety of pickled vegetables including kim chee, as well as fresh vegetables like bean sprouts. These were all very delicious and if you don't mind a little bit of spicy kick, I recommend their traditional kim chee. 
Patti ordered the bulgogi, which is a Korean marinated beef that is grilled and served on a bed of sizzling onions. Unlike the other Korean BBQ's that we have been too, this one did not appear to have the option to grill your own food at your table. Instead they bring it out to you sizzling hot. The beef was extremely tender and full of marinated goodness.
Another excellent option would have been dukgolgi, which is a marinated chicken. I however decided to step out of my usual list of favorites and went with the Korean short ribs. I'm sure many of you have tried short ribs at Asian restaurants have found them to be typically tasty but still chewy. These at Cafe Ga Hyang are a must try rib! The meat nearly fell off the bone and only needed gentle prodding from the chopstick. I was happy that I was able to satisfy my Korean craving, although I wish I had heeded the waitress' warning. So when she tells you it is spicy you better believe her and if you haven't tried gyoza, try it now.
My mouth is watering, and I've never even tried Korean food in my life. We're gonna need to go out with you guys some time. :)
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