Paju
Korean restaurant · South Lake Union ·
Inventive Korean cuisine featuring squid ink fried rice and truffle bulgogi
Inventive Korean cuisine featuring squid ink fried rice and truffle bulgogi
"After moving in 2024 from a ramshackle Queen Anne space to a swankier, bigger spot in South Lake Union, this stately, muted Korean restaurant feels like the kind of place you’d take a client or your girlfriend’s parents. It basically operates as a steakhouse: the dry-aged steak—New York or rib-eye—is the star, with crackling edges and juicy, tender meat, and the creamy, spicy aioli adds another dimension even if it seems sacrilegious. The other scene-stealer is the fried rice, theatrically black from squid ink and topped with a smoked quail egg, with kimchi and bacon making it a sticky, smoky, umami treat. The octopus is a great complement to a meaty entree, charred over an open flame and paired with a creamy yuzu sauce and delicate, salty roe. Note that lunch is a different affair here—with no steak and no fried rice—so to get the full experience, go for dinner." - Harry Cheadle
"For a seamless-but-still-sorta-fancy lunch in SLU, there’s Paju. The restaurant known for its wood-fired takes on Korean classics serves a small menu of bowls, wings, and other bites, all in a breezy dining room without a wait. The poke is a standout—delicate chunks of salmon and tuna with creamy bits of avocado, and a thick, tangy sauce to keep things interesting. If you don’t need to run off, order the shaved ice for dessert that tastes like bingsoo-ified Cinnamon Toast Crunch." - aimee rizzo, kayla sager riley
"Right in the heart of Amazon’s SLU campus is Paju—a sorta fancy Korean restaurant where you can bust out laptops and not look out of place. While the spicy pork bowl is pretty good, the poke must hit your table. It has delicate chunks of salmon and tuna that get along with creamy bitsies of avocado, snappy cucumbers, and a tangy sauce. If you don’t need to run off to another meeting, order the shaved ice for dessert that tastes like bingsu-ified Cinnamon Toast Crunch." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente, kayla sager riley
"Paju moved from a tiny Queen Anne location 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 misses, 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. The incredible seafood continues during weekday lunch with their bright, delicate poke. 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), power lunches, 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 arsenal. RESERVE A TABLE WITH RESERVE A TABLE Food Rundown 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, though it has been hit or miss inside. One time it was perfectly soft, while on another visit it tasted 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. photo credit: Nate Watters 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. 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. photo credit: Nate Watters Poke The main hit of Paju’s lunch menu is this dish filled with delicate chunks of salmon and tuna, all mixed in with avocado bits and snappy cucumber. It comes dressed in a thick, tangy sauce so good, you'll be tempted to steal the extra little bottle they give you on the side. photo credit: Gabe Guarente Shaved Ice If a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and bingsoo had a love child, it might resemble Paju’s shaved ice. Rice puffs add welcome texture, while a light cream at the bottom does a wonderful job making sure each cinnamony bite never feels one-note. photo credit: Gabe Guarente" - Kayla Sager-Riley
"The steak here was great, but arguably overshadowed by the dish this upscale South Lake Union restaurant has become known for: the fried rice. With bacon, squid ink, kimchi, and a smoked quail egg, it’s sticky, smoky, and more than a bit umami (you don’t get a lot of pickly kimchi flavor); recommending it feels like saying, “You know what’s a great show? The Sopranos,” since it’s already one of the restaurant’s most popular dishes (that quail egg yolk sure looks good in photos)—if you’re coming here, you’re already getting the fried rice. But maybe you should get two?" - Harry Cheadle
