đ˘ Nak Won in Beaverton: A Hidden Korean Gem
Obsessed beyond words!!! This place is so darn goodâbeen here countless times, and itâs never let me down đ Hereâs the thing: theyâre only open for 3 hours a day (5:00-8:00 PM) đ, and thereâs always a line snaking out the door. But let me tell youâevery minute of waiting is 100% worth it đŻ. đ°ď¸ A 3-Hour Food Sprint: Miss It, and Youâll Wait Till Tomorrow Their hours are basically a âfood limited editionââ3 hours sharp, no exceptions. First time I went, I showed up at 4:40 PM and found a line already curling around the corner. The auntie in front grinned, âWe come every Wednesdayâshow up late, and you might even miss the kimchi!â By the time we got in at 5:00 PM on the dot, the air hit me like a warm hug: sizzling meat on grills, the (charred aroma) of stone pot bibimbap, servers yelling âOrder up!â in Korean, and the tang of free banchan (side dishes) wafting over. My friend rubbed her hands, â40 minutes in line? Totally worth it.â Turns out, great food doesnât wait aroundâit waits for people who get it. 𼊠My âNever-Failâ Order List: Every Bite Screams Korean Soul I havenât tried everything on the menu, but these staples? Order with your eyes closed and thank me later: Grilled short ribs are the star of the show đĽ! Marinated beforehand in pear juice and gochujang (Korean chili paste), theyâre charred at the edges, juicy in the middle. Bite in, and the meat juices burst with a hint of fruity sweetness. Dip in sea salt or more gochujangâtender enough to melt, even the crispy bits left on the grill are worth scraping up for rice. Army stew is winterâs comfort blanket đ˛! Melted cheese stretches over sausages, spam, and ramyeon (Korean ramen). The kimchi broth zings with just the right tangâsimmer it till it bubbles, spoon some over rice, and youâll be sweating a little (in the best way) but unable to stop. We always slurp the last drop of broth. And donât sleep on the free banchan! Spicy cabbage crunch, sweet pickled radish, crispy pan-fried fish cakesâevery time the server refills them, they smile, âMore? Just ask!â That kind of generosity? Warmer than the stew itself â¤ď¸. đ Why Itâs Worth Coming Back Again (and Again) People ask, âItâs just Korean foodâwhy the line?â But at Nak Won, youâre not just eating. Youâre getting fresh ingredients (they prep daily, no leftoversâ3 hours mean zero compromise) đĽŹ, a owner who sticks to âquality over quantity,â the fun of chatting with fellow line-waiters about âhow good the ginseng chicken was last time,â and that perfect first bite of ribs that makes all the waiting vanish. Next time? Iâm showing up at 4:00 PM. Why? To be first in line for their fresh-out-the-pan Korean mandu (dumplings)âword on the street, theyâre the hidden kings of the menu đ. đ Nak Won (Beavertonâjust follow the line that forms after 4:30 PM. You canât miss it!) #PortlandKoreanFood #BeavertonEats #WorthTheWait #KoreanBBQ #OregonMustTry