Paju — Cascadia Native

Mr. Mustang and I subscribe to the Seattle Times and one of the articles I look forward to the most when reading the paper is the monthly piece about all the new restaurants opening in the city. Last month (August 2019), I saw a mention of a new restaurant opening in Lower Queen Anne that I took note of, Paju. We frequently see shows at the Seattle Rep Theater located in the neighborhood and over the years we have tried nearly every restaurant in the area. When Paju was mentioned in the Seattle Times, I made sure that the next time we see a play in the area we will eat here first - hot damn I’m we glad we did.

When walking up to the street entrance, we almost passed it because of how well the exterior blends in with all the other storefronts. Entering inside, we are greeted with a simplistic decor of soft white walls, a long baby blue bench that runs the entire length of the room and very minimal artwork decorating the space. The chairs are all made of dark walnut with leather cushioning with the tables also a dark walnut color but with a single crystal lit candle on every surface. The kitchen is hidden behind a wall near the only bathroom with only a piece of fabric draped over the archway to separate the noise from the main dining area.

There isn’t a formal host station so when walking in you need to wait for a waitstaff member to greet you and guide you to an open table. The restaurant can fit maybe 30 people inside and the menu is even smaller with only 18 dishes ranging from appetizers to desserts. Despite the small menu, all the dishes are designed for sharing and it is recommended that we order 3-4 items between the two of us.

The drink list is even shorter with only 5 alcoholic options - a house red, house white, a stout and a pale ale and two Korean rice wines. All the alcoholic options are extremely affordable with the house white/red wines only being $7 a glass however you aren’t allowed to buy a bottle. Mr. Mustang stuck with red wine where I ordered both a glass of white and red so to try both and to better pair with certain dishes we ordered.

First up was the Paju fried rice containing kimchi and bacon that was sauteed in squid ink with a single quails egg placed on top. This dish was absolutely divine with a subtle kick of heat the kimchi provided and the ink gave the rice a rich taste. Before diving in, break the yolk and mix it casually into the rice so the heat cooks the egg while also creating a texture similar to risotto.

Second course was the Paju pancake that is similar to a Japanese okonomiyaki that uses a wheat based batter and an assortment of seafood with bonito garnished on top. A tip for those who forgot (like myself) that bonito are extremely light - the dish came out piping hot so I tried blowing on it to cool it down but that only sent the flakes to flying and landing directly into my water glass. Despite my water being coated in fish dust, the pancake was also spectacular with a great umami flavor and soft creamy texture like mashed potatoes. The vegetables inside can be somewhat difficult to cut with the side of a fork so don’t be afraid to really saw a piece in half if need be.

Third course was hands down our favorite, Truffle Bulgogi with sliced seared rib eye steak. The top layer was thin slices of grilled steak with rice infused with truffle oils that sent my taste buds soaring. Truffles can be a difficult flavor to work with because of how potent it can be however this dish was absolutely perfect and well balanced. Despite how full we were getting, Mr. Mustang and I were still fighting over the last pieces of rice from the bowl.

Now typically we don’t order dessert but after experiencing three great dishes back to back, I had to see if the fourth dish would be a fluke. Paju only has two desserts to choose from and I’m not a personal fan of Panna Cotta so I opted for the Corn Cremeux. Mr. Mustang kept saying while we waited that he was too full to try it however once seeing my face light up after the first spoon full, he couldn’t resist. How can a dessert made from corn be this good? Paju’s corn cremeux looked like a pot de creme but tasted like kettle corn in pudding form. It was unbelievably fantastic.

As we licked the remaining corn cremeux from the stone container, Mr. Mustang and I exchanged looks of astonishment. We’re a tough crowd to please and we sat there shocked reflecting that it was probably the best meal we’ve had this year so far.

Will we be back? Abso-fucking-lutely. My only worry is how popular it might become between now and the next show we plan to see at the Seattle Rep. At the moment they don’t take reservations but after the meal we had there, I wouldn’t be surprised if there isn’t a line around the block by winter.

In the end, my only advice to you about this restaurant is…

Price: $$

Atmosphere: Casual

Reservations: No

Overall rating: 10/10