Kogiya Korean BBQ located in Annandale, VA offers traditional Korean dishes in a vibrant modern dining experience. A young, energetic team is trained to be service-oriented and masters of the grill of quality ingredients like well-marbled short ribs and tender pork belly. Keith and I met up with my parents for lunch here. My Mom was apprehensious at first, because she is pretty 'old school' when it comes to Korean food, and was pleasantly surprised to see so many young kids packed around the stainless steel bbq tables. Luckily, she had called ahead so we did not have to wait long.
We decided to get the All-You-Can-Eat menu for $23 per person (everyone at the table must order the same), which comes with side dishes (
banchan), rice, spicy tofu soup, and a steamed egg dish.
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| Hadol Bakgi |
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| Sam Kyup |
We chose Option A that includes 5 meats:
Hadol Bakgi: fatty brisket,
Sam Kyup: three-layered pork belly,
Jang Sam Kyup Sal: spicy pork belly,
Miso Sam Kyup Sal: miso pork belly, and
Dak Galbi: spicy chicken. Keith and my Dad liked the brisket the best, and were fond of the various spicy/ginger/peppery dipping sauces.
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| Dak Galbi and Bibim Naeng Myun |
We also ordered the
Bibim Naeng Myun - a cold buckwheat noodle dish tossed in a spicy sauce and garnished with cucumber and sliced pear. This version was more sweet than spicy, but a nice compliment to all the meats.
With so many Korean restaurants in the Annandale area, the food at Kogiya was pretty average, but the ambience was fun. Again, it seemed more suited to younger crowds and large groups.
Some tips: Don't worry about cooking your own food, if that is not your thing, as the young waitstaff do all the cooking for you. But do prepared to have smoke permeate your clothes and hair. And do come with an empty stomach, since they do not allow taking any leftovers "to go". Do call in and get your name on the wait list, as they do not take reservations (or guarantee seating times). Also, be mindful that the parking lot is small, so be prepared to wait for a spot (towing is enforced).
Total Rating:
3.78
Food: 3.5, Price: 4, Service: 4.5, Ambience: 4, Accessibility: 4
