"Paju moved from a tiny Queen Anne location with plain oatmeal walls and minimal decor to more spacious digs in SLU. There’s now a full bar, an open kitchen with a wood-fire grill as the centerpiece, and enough black marble to assume Home Depot was having some kind of blowout sale. And while more space means more menu items, what we love about this excellent Korean restaurant is what’s been here all along. photo credit: Nate Watters Aside from a couple of newer dishes that fall flat, Paju is still making some damn good Korean food. You’re in good hands with standout bites like a savory seafood pancake with fistfuls of dancing bonito flakes that pairs well with a chili lime oil-infused martini. Kimchi fried rice is colored black with squid ink and ingredients like bacon and a raw quail egg cracked on top give it a smoky punch. And the yellowtail crudo with hints of lemon verbena and tart granny smith apple slices is as beautiful as it is delicious. You may leave smelling like a campfire thanks to that wood-fire grill, but Paju is perfect for work dinners (Amazonians we’re looking at you), dates, and maybe even a low-key birthday celebration. Take advantage of the opportunities that more space and a full bar brings, and keep Paju in your dinner arsenal. Food Rundown photo credit: Nate Watters Chips And Dip Bites from these curly shrimp chips echo with a satisfying crunch and pair nicely with a mustardy dip. We could easily snack on these all night. photo credit: Nate Watters Yellowtail Ah yes, old faithful. Delicate slices of yellowtail formed into the shape of a camellia with tart green apples and refreshing naengmyeon broth. It’s almost too beautiful to eat—almost. photo credit: Nate Watters Cauliflower This hunk of roasted cauliflower is charred nicely on the edges, but once you cut it open, the inside just tastes raw. photo credit: Nate Watters Sujebi Sometimes a dish comes along that has everyone at the dinner thinking about it weeks later. These chewy sujebi noddles in an umami-loaded bolognese are just that. It’s savory and a little sweet thanks to soft slices of Korean melon and finished with wispy breadcrumbs for a nice burst of texture. Don’t skip it. photo credit: Nate Watters Seafood Jeon The outside of this excellent pancake has a crisp shell topped with a sweet tonkatsu sauce, a creamy mayo drizzle, and some dancing bonito flakes. Also, the middle is packed with large pieces of tasty mixed seafood. Paju Fried Rice Eating this fried rice makes us feel like we’re sitting by a fire inside on a peaceful snowy day. It’s an amazing pile of squid ink-infused rice with bacon, kimchi, and a smoked quail egg yolk. The combination of the fluffy yolk-soaked rice, the crunch of the cabbage, and crispy edge bits is already outstanding, and then they go and add bacon to it. photo credit: Nate Watters Branzino Gui The best part of this dish is the sides of seasonal banchan it comes with, like punchy kimchi or bright asparagus. Other than that, this is a very dry and thin cut of branzino. Stick to the smaller dishes." - Kayla Sager-Riley
