Seattle Dining Adventure

The High-End Korean Fusion Experience at Paju Today, I'm sharing my experience at Paju, a well-known Korean fusion restaurant in Seattle. Let's dive into whether it's worth the visit! 🌟 🐟 Yellowtail The tangy marinade with lemongrass aroma pairs well with the raw fish and radish. It's not mind-blowing, but it offers a unique flavor profile. The fish is fresh, though if you're not a fan of sour flavors, you might find it just okay. It's an interesting appetizer. 🍣 🥩 Beef Tartare Crispy potato chips topped with seasoned raw beef. The contrast between the crunch of the chips and the smoothness of the beef is delightful. Honestly, crispy chips go well with almost anything! The beef is decent in terms of freshness and seasoning. 🍔 🐙 Octopus The chewy octopus is paired with cheese. The octopus is perfectly cooked—neither tough nor raw. However, it does get a bit heavy after a while, likely because both octopus and cheese can be rich when eaten in larger quantities. 🦑 🍖 Bugak This oxtail dish is definitely one of the most impressive on the menu! It's incredibly flavorful, with tender, succulent meat that melts in your mouth. The seaweed wrapper and toppings add a nice touch. But! It's! So! Expensive! Just a couple of pieces, and the price makes you gasp. It feels like a wallet-drainer, but the taste is genuinely amazing. 🍖 🍝 Sujebi This dish feels like Korean pasta, with a rich tomato meat sauce. The noodles are chewy and have a nice bite to them. The sauce is hearty and has a hint of spiciness, making it a great comfort food. It's one of the more substantial dishes among the seafood options. 🍝 🦑 Paju Fried Rice The squid ink fried rice looks stunning, with the black rice grains giving it a sophisticated appearance. The seasoning is good, with a hint of seafood flavor, but honestly, in terms of taste, it's hard to justify the price, and the creativity doesn't feel particularly novel. 🍔 🍳 Seafood Jeon (Seafood Pancake) This Korean seafood pancake has a Japanese twist, drizzled with okonomiyaki sauce. The seafood is fresh, and the pancake is crispy and delicious, with the sauce adding a touch of sweetness. 🥟 🦆 Duck This was a special dish of the day and, in my opinion, one of the highlights of the menu! The duck is flavorful and tender, with no gamey taste. The accompanying sauce really enhances the flavor. If this dish is available when you visit, I'd recommend giving it a try! 🍗 Dessert: Bingsu & Ginger Ice Cream Out of curiosity, I ordered these two desserts, but they were tiny portions. Honestly, they felt like luxury items with a strong "money flavor"—the portions were minuscule. True luxury desserts! 🥲 💰 Summary In the end, five of us spent a whopping $480! It was definitely a unique dining experience with beautifully presented and creative dishes, but to be honest, the value for money wasn't high. Worth trying once, but unless it's a business meal with expenses covered or a special occasion, it's hard to justify the cost again. #100RestaurantsChallenge #SeattleAdventures #SeattleFoodie #SeattleLife #SeattleEats #Seattle #Food