D.J.K Korean Barbeque & Shabu Shabu in Beaverton, OR

My husband and I used to eat at this delicious Korean restaurant in Portland. That is, until they closed their doors. Disappointed and on a hunt for another Korean restaurant for our family to visit we came across D.J.K Korean BBQ & Shabu Shabu. This restaurant is located in Beaverton off of Canyon Rd. next to Car Toys. When travelling from Hwy 217 it will be on the left side of the road. You will find an exact address at the end of this article.

However before you visit the restaurant you probably want to know, "How good is it?" I had read previous reviews of this restaurant through a Google search. The results seemed to be mixed and I knew the only way I would find out just how good this restaurant was, was to visit. So this past weekend my husband, myself, and my daughters went to the restaurant for an early dinner.

When we went here it was around 4 pm on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant wasn't terribly busy as I expected it would be for the time of day we visited. There were only two other occupied tables though when we left more visitors had arrived. The air smelt of delicious Korean food as I so fondly remember growing up with a Korean mom who was an excellent cook. We were seated across from a couple whose table was filled with a variety of delicious foods. It looked promising.

Browsing the menu we realized that this restaurants prices reflected those of a more upscale restaurant. Each table was equipped with a grill so that your meat could be cooked right at your table. I would have requested this but with a three year old I wasn't willing on taking any chances for burns. My family ordered the Yaki Mandu, Japchae, Maeun Dwaeji Gui, Bibimbap, and the Galbitang. In case you are not familiar with Korean food these foods are as follows:

Yaki Mandu-Korean dumpling filled with vegetables and/or meat. Ours was filled with vegetables and deep fried. Mandu can also be served steamed though I did not see this option in the menu.

Japchae-Korean noodle dish featuring potato noodles, beef, onions, carrots, mushroom, spinach, and green onions. Everyone seems to have their own version of Japchae and it is easily adapted to taste. For instance you can leave out any vegetable, perhaps add other vegetables, and could go meatless if desired. This dish has a slightly sweet flavor.

Mauen Dwaeji Gui-Korean spicy pork. This dish can be made as just pork slices in a spicy sauce or can be made using sliced onions. Every Korean restaurant I visit seem to include the onion and I highly recommend making hot pork this way. Some restaurants may call this dish Dwaeji Bulgogi. It is made with a red sauce that gets its color and heat from Kocheejong (Korean spicy red pepper sauce).

Bibimbop-Bibimbop is a delicous Korean dish that my mom used to make for us kids as a tasty lunch. This dish is great for using up leftovers. At this restaurant their bibimbop was a bit different from what I am used to seeing. Usually there is kosadee (baby fern), radish, kimchi, egg, beef, carrots, and cucumbers. Of course this can be made in many different ways. Some restaurants include lettuce, as this one did.

Galbitang-For the soup lover this is a delicious beef short rib soup. It consists mainly of broth and beef short ribs. Other additions are green onions or leeks. This is a mild soup that would be great for someone who may be feeling under the weather or is looking for some comfort food.

There are many other items on the menu which insures that there will likely be something for everyone at the D.J.K Korean BBQ restaurant. When searching for a Korean restaurant my husband and I always try to find one that serves Ban Chan at the table. Ban Chan is a mix of dishes that is served with the meal and placed at the center of the table for everyone to share. You will find kimchee, radish kimchee, kungnamol (marinaded bean sprouts), marinaded broccoli, spicy tofu, and a sort of ambrosia type dish. Our wait staff were always prompt in replacing empty dishes quickly which was great as we were a hungry bunch.

Not only was the service good at this restaurant but the food did not disappoint. In fact we left with little to take home (which was a disappointment as I always love having leftover Korean food in the fridge). The Japchae was served in a crispy tortilla like bowl. It was slightly sweet and not overly oily like you might expect at different restaurants. There was plenty of beef and vegetables added to the noodles which was another plus.

The spicy pork, or Maeun Dwaeji Gui, was spicy without being too spicy. It arrived sizzling, as you expect from a Korean restaurant, and was very tasty. The bibimbap was a bit too salad like for my daughter's liking and wasn't like the one she is used to being served at home. The beef short rib soup, or Galbitang, was served in a huge bowl with plenty of broth just the way my husband likes it. The beef was tender and delicious and the broth was mild yet tasty which was just what my husband needed after an afternoon riding on the Scrambler at Oaks Park.

So will I visit this place again? I bet you guessed the obviously, yes. Sometimes at Korean restaurants I don't always get friendly service. Especially after the staff find out how little Korean I know. However here I felt welcomed and we were treated nicely. It didn't take long to check out like it does at some restaurants and the staff is often smiling. The food was delicious and what I expect when being served authentic Korean cuisine. So if you are thinking you'd like to try some Korean tonight or maybe you are familiar with Korean food and want to try a new restaurant I recommend you visit D.J.K Korean Barbeque & Shabu Shabu in Beaverton. You won't be disappointed.

More Information:

12275 SW Canyon Rd

Beaverton, OR 97005

(503) 641-1734