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| Lee's Korean Interior shot by Andy Downey of Urbanspoon.Com |
It was a Saturday afternoon when I got the craving for some
Bulgogi and went looking for a Korean restaurant nearby. I had heard a lot of
good things about Lee’s Korean Restaurant on Bishop Lane in Louisville. So, I
looked them up and headed that way. This unassuming place was a little
difficult to find at first due its location inside the base of an office
building. I had heard the place described as utilitarian, and in many ways that
fit, but I was actually impressed with the pleasant décor of their main dining
area.
It was to be my first meal of the day, so naturally I chose
to start with an appetizer. There were lots of tasty options available, but I
was curious about the Beef Roll. Being a sushi lover, the thought of a sushi
rice roll with cooked beef instead of fish had my attention. And, of course, I
was craving Bulgogi, so that was my order for the main dish. It was to be a beef
kind of afternoon.
My curiosity served me well this time. The beef was tender,
the rice was perfect, and the Noori was fresh. The beef was accompanied inside
the roll by fresh spinach and crisp carrots. This hand roll was an unexpected
delight and I highly recommend it.
Without a doubt, Bul-go-gi is my favorite Korean dish. The
first time I saw my favorite K-Pop idol Kim Taeyeon eating Bul-go-gi on a
Korean variety show, I knew I had to try it. Traditional Korean Bul-go-gi is
essentially strips of beef marinated in a BBQ or steak sauce and then grilled,
broiled, or fried. At Lee’s Korean Restaurant they use a home-made signature
steak sauce, and they broil it in a gas stove. They use thin strips of what tastes
to be sirloin. I prefer flank skirt, but certainly sirloin is a great cut for
Bul-go-gi. I was a little disappointed that there were no shredded carrots, as
I have come to expect that at other Korean restaurants, but that certainly did
not detract from the great flavor of Lee’s Bul-go-gi. The beef was flavorful and
plenty.
One of the best things about a Korean meal is all the other
stuff that just comes with your meal: small bowls of various Kimchi and prepared
vegetables. The spread I received was fantastic: spicy cabbage Kimchi, radish
Kimchi, soy bean sprouts in vinegar, lightly marinated and fried baby potatoes,
sweet egg cakes (Tamago for you sushi lovers), and cucumber Kimchi. My
favorites are always the cabbage Kimchi and the cucumber Kimchi. But, I was
really impressed with the delicious potatoes; it was something new for me.
By the time I had finished my veritable feast, I was
completely sated. It had been the perfect meal for my Korean craving.
Flavorful, hot, spicy, and filling. My only criticism is that the meal was a
bit pricier than I expected, and the beef strips were just slightly dry.
Although, I am inclined to believe that the dryness can be attributed to the
type of steak sauce they use. Nevertheless, I was thoroughly impressed with Lee’s
Korean Restaurant and have added it to my re-visit list. For those of you in
the Louisville and surrounding area, Lee’s is well worth the visit. I highly
recommend it.
Lee’s Korean Restaurant has a Google Plus profile you can
check out here:
My rating: * * * * 1/2
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