Koreana

168 Southgate Square  

Colonial Heights, VA 23834
(804) 520-8989

            Last Sunday Amanda and I were out and about and decided to grab a bite to eat. On a Sunday, many family run restaurants are closed leaving only large chain restaurants to choose from. Since I try to never eat at those places this often poses a problem.   Luckily, after thinking hard and driving around we ended up at Koreana, a Korean Restaurant near K-Mart. 

            Let me give you a little bit of background. Amanda’s Dad was stationed in Korea when she was little so she grew up eating Korean food and introduced this often overlooked cuisine to me.  Since then I have taken  a liking to Korean food especially bulgogi, mandu and  jap chae. We will even go check out the Oriental market in Hopewell from time to time. Unlike Chinese and Japanese foods Korean food has not become quite as Americanized.

            Koreana’s offers a lunch buffet, apparently seven days a week, for $7.95.  Amanda an I both got that so we could get a little bit of everything.  The buffet has many of the typical Korean foods.  It had great bulgogi; it was thin and tender yet still juicy and flavorful.  The Mandu was crispy on the outside and filled with delicious meat and vegetables.  Dipped in soy sauce I dare you to find anyone who would not love mandu. The jap chae did not have any meat or a lot of vegetables but the glass noodles were cooked perfectly and it had a great taste.  The kim chi, which I typically don’t eat because it is too spicy, had just the right amount of heat for me.  There were tempura fried sweet potatoes that mix salty and sweet perfectly, spicy cucumbers that were cold making for a nice spicy and cold combination.  There was also a chicken dish which I have never had before. It was ok but not my favorite thing on the buffet.  Overall all of the food on the buffet was great.  It may not be as good of quality as individual dishes but it is better than a lot of buffet food.

            While the food was delicious the best part of Koreana is the owner/waitress. She is one of the nicest people and best hostess you will find anywhere.  She is quick to fill your glass, answer any question that you may have and she will make sure that you try a little bit of everything so that you will get a true taste of Korean food.  For a great as the food and atmosphere is, she really makes the experience.

            If you are looking for good Korean food or just want to try it out to see if you like it, Koreana is the place to go.