7901 SE Powell Blvd
Portland, OR 97206
(503) 771-5842
I discovered Korean food relatively late in the game–it wasn’t until college that I tasted my first soon du bo (korean tofu soup) or tried grilling bulgogi (thinly shredded beef marinated in a sweet garlicky sauce). Since then, I have been very bold in trying pretty much every Korean dish I can find, from raw pepper marinated blue crab to iced cucumber soba noodle soup. Along the way, I’ve tried pretty much every type of soju (Korean’s spirit of choice) available at k-town bars in SoCal as well too. Although there are some good Korean restaurants in town such as Nakwon in Beaverton, or even gussied up places like Bewon on 23rd, none of them had the comforting bar atmosphere with hushed music, cool lighting, and snack foods.
None that is, until I accidentally stumbled into Sorabol Fusion Restaurant, hidden in the gaudy strip mall on the corner of 82nd and Powell. This plaza, home to Food4Less and KFC, is not exactly the type of place I’d be tempted to go into but thankfully, my dining partner insisted that I give it a try. Apparently, this is one of his co-worker’s favorite lunch spots, and often brings the group there for their excellent $6 bento boxes. We went in on a Friday night, and was asked immediately if we wanted the BBQ side or the restaurant side. Their menu is quite impressive–with great Korean alcohol selections such as Bekseju (medicinal liquor) and Hite, the unofficial “water” of Koreans. They have two pages of different BBQ options, but you must order a minimum of 2 BBQ dishes before you may take one of the grilling tables. Since I wasn’t that hungry, we opted for the restaurant side where Korean music videos pulsed along on three flat screen tv’s spaced through out the bar.
My dining partner ordered a bottle of Hite beer and the dol-sot bibimbhap, which is rice cooked in a hot stone pot topped with 7 or 8 goodies including grilled beef, julienned veggies, and a sunny side up egg along with a side of sweet and spicy red pepper paste.
This rice dish came with 5 sides of banchan, various pickled vegetables and accompaniments. My favorite is the sweet sesame flavored sliced lotus root.
I ordered a some sushi off the menu–nothing too extraordinary. I ordered a bulgogi roll, which was described as sliced bulgogi, cucumber, and avocado, but I was disappointed to discover to see it arrive with just bulgogi.
Other than that, it was a good, solid place. The restaurant is large enough to be able to accomadate large group gatherings, and the grill-your-own meal is interactive and fun. They had a special for 2 that costs under $30 where you get to try a tasting of several menu items. I may give that a try the next time we return. With such an expansive menu, there is truly something for everyone.