Seoul Food Court

Seoul Food is a counter at the back of Keeaumoku Supermarket. There are a few tables where you can dine there or you can do take-​out. The prices are very reasonable (see photo) and the food is fabulous. Most Korean fast-​food places over season their food. I find the meats too sweet or too salty. But the meats at Seoul Food are always seasoned well. More importantly, I think most take-​out places have their chicken pre-​cooked. Then when you order, they put the chicken on the grill to warm it up. The chicken ends up being really dry. Not at Seoul Food! It takes a little longer to get your food but the chicken is always so tender and juicy. I just call ahead with my order to minimize the wait time. Note that you cannot pick your side dishes. There is a set selection each day and you get what you get. But at least you know the side dishes are freshly made. And I must say the side dishes are outstanding! There is a counter at the front of the supermarket that sells pre-​packaged hot foods. My favorite there is the pan fried homemade mandoo. There is a sign at Seoul Food that says they sell the same mandoo but frozen. I am definitely going to buy the mandoo next time we have a pot-​luck party!

Others have called this food stand the «food court» within Ke’eaumoku Supermarket, and the street address is the same, because this operation is within that market; however, the formal name (on the cash register) is «Seoul Food Café,» and the phone number is different from that of the market (just checked my receipt which confirmed both those facts). You purchase hot meals here, to eat in the humble food court adjacent to it, or to take home, not buying them at the supermarket’s row of check-​out registers. So it’s a separate, but related, business than that supermarket. [You can find other reviews of this restaurant/​take-​out place under that market’s Unilocal heading.]
The staff is quite prompt and polite; it’s a mom-​and-​pop run by, literally, the kindest Korean Mom and Pop. Some standard Korean meals that locals like, packed in the full white styro container, such as bi bim bap, soon du bu, spicy pork, spicy chicken, various soups, etc., most of them including about 2 small scoops of rice (spread out, so you can’t see exactly how many scoops; nice and dry, more like jasmine rice texturally, though it’s definitely regular Japanese/​Korean rice botanically), 1 scoop mac salad (very basic mayo and mac, not the fancier/​pureed Japanese/​Korean kind), about 6 – 8 oz. of meat, YUMMAY kimchi (house made, I’d guess), a couple of pieces lightly flavored broccoli (banchan), for around $ 7 – 8 on the low end (a few around $ 10 – 11, even $ 12). That’s pretty good these days, when plate lunches in those white styro containers can start at $ 11 in many places.
Spicy pork and spicy chicken were a nice combination of hot, savory, and slightly sweetish, each with different textures to the spice blend. Presentation was clean and not sloppy, and Mom and Pop seemed to make the meals on order, so it tasted relatively fresh.
There were about 3 small rows of tables, and Korean aunties/​ajumma were sitting at one, gossiping and grinding, and a mother and her elderly mom at the other, with their grand/​child. Like Ke’eaumoku Supermarket, a dynamic and comforting community space.
We will be back.