SeoulMates Korean Kitchen — Restaurant in Lancaster

I feel bad saying this, but this food is not at all what I would imagine when getting Korean food. I used to go to Spring Garden restaurant in Camp Hill before they closed & they were well known for making delicious, authentic Korean food. I’ve also had Korean food in Philly and NYC which was all pretty consistent. Unfortunately, SeoulMates missed the mark on our meals.

The kimchi jjigae was overly fatty (especially the broth) and missing the key spice I’ve come to expect. The meat was almost all fat and there was less of all the ingredients than I would expect. Pork in kimchi jjigae should have a good amount of fat but this was not normal. The kimchi used was not old enough and therefore tasted like boiled cabbage and not like stewed kimchi. There was none of the fermented taste so I’m guessing they didn’t use kimchi juice or it wasn’t strong enough. Kimchi jjigae is my favorite Korean dish and this was the first time I’ve ever had a bad one…

The tteokbokki was also confusing. It tasted so strongly of soy sauce which was okay for a few bites but quickly overwhelming. There was no real spice or sweetness to balance it out. There is such thing as a soy sauce based tteokbokki but that wasn’t what I expected to get and I don’t know if that was the intention. Regardless, it was way too strong.

Charging for banchan is crazy, especially charging $4 for one! We didn’t get any banchan because I can make them at home and they turn out good. That did make me question them before ordering and I should’ve listened to my instinct.

The macarons which are not made in-house were delicious but I expected that out of Salt & Light.

Overall I was pretty disappointed in this experience. I hope this was a fluke, but I will not be back to try it again. For the price, I could get all the ingredients at the Asian market and make it at home to taste. I love Korean food and would rather have a reliable restaurant to go to when I need my fix but it sadly will not...

Tried this place tonight for the first time with my boyfriend. To start off on a good note: the service here is great! Friendly and attentive staff 100%.

On the negative side: The food lacks a lot of flavor. We tried two of the starters, and two mains. All of the food was “good” but not worth the price for what was served.

The most disappointing food was the pork belly special and bulgogi beef bowl. The pork was entirely pieces of fat with no meat. The beef was incredibly chewy and difficult to eat. We were both unable to finish our entrees. The kimchi was underwhelming as well.

We will not be returning and do not recommend this to anyone...

The people with reviews saying the food is “flavorless” need to get their taste buds checked, because this food is so delicious and has so much flavor!!! The tteobakki was full of grab and spice, it was some of the best I’ve had! The Korean fried chicken IS the BEST I’ve ever had! The sauce was so sweet and savory, and the chicken was perfectly crisp and not greasy at all! We are so sad to see this place go, but will be sure to visit their stand at the lititz...