A nod to Seoul Korean Restaurant

Back in the early ’90s, Milwaukee had only one Korean restaurant called Club Wasabi on the South side. It was very good. Mr. M. remembers the owner ribbing him once about whether he could figure out that “wasabi” wasn’t really Korean, per se. It’s Japanese horseradish traditionally served with sushi/sashimi. The owner thought that naming his place after something Asian-hot would lend it an air of American coolness. Then, Mr. M. remembers ribbing the owner a few years later, after he closed his restaurant in order to go in with another guy to open a night club at the corner of Water and Michigan streets. (It’s now occupied by Joey Buona’s.) What a regrettable disaster that turned out to be. Milwaukee was left with no Korean restaurants for a very long time after that.

Fast forward several years: There was once just another Japanese restaurant next to the old East side Salvation Army store on Prospect Avenue (remember that?). And then miraculously, Han Kuk Kwan appeared  at 2178 N. Prospect Ave. It eventually evolved into its current incarnation, Seoul Korean Restaurant. Alas, alas. Milwaukee again had a Korean restaurant! So, of course, Mr. M. insisted on taking Mrs. M., especially for his birthday and for those great lunch buffets every once in a while.

So, let’s compare Seoul Korean Restaurant, f/k/a Han Kuk Kwan, to Club Wasabi, where Milwaukee once had great Korean food on the South side. Well, now it has even better Korean food on the East side.

For $10 to $20, our city’s only Korean restaurant offers diners an authentic, albeit limited range of Korean dishes like bibimbop (rice and vegetables with beef or tofu, topped with fried egg) and traditional bulgogi, which are fun lettuce wraps you roll yourself with tender, spiced beef, and, of course, plenty of the spicy-savory Korean cabbage relish called kimchee, rice and other succulent, little goodies that are provided on the side. Vegetarian options abound here, too. In fact, the weekday lunch buffet is a remarkably good deal at less than $8 per person (all you can eat, of course). A nice selection of Korean and domestic beers just tops it!

The seating’s a little tight, especially during the weekday lunchtime buffet, but the service is fast, friendly and attentive. At night, the lights are turned down a little, providing a nice, cozy — even romantic — atmosphere. It’s totally worth it. So go support our city’s only Korean restaurant!

Seoul Korean Restaurant
2178 N. Prospect Ave., Milwaukee
414- 289-8208

Major credit cards accepted.