Trove - Seattle, WA

Let me begin by prefacing that I am a lover of Korean BBQ, Revel, and Joule (both restaurants I've reviewed on this site multiple times). Though I'm a resident of Capitol Hill in Seattle, I've been willing to drive 25-ish miles out of the city for more authentic Korean food. Until now.

Korean BBQs tend to require an expansive space considering the size of the grills and vents, so I had little hopes of one being in the city. But oh me of little faith. The magical chef duo behind Revel and Joule, Rachel Yang (pictured above) and Seif Chirchi, recently opened Trove, a 4,000 square-feet Korean BBQ in Capitol Hill, just minutes away from me on foot.

I haven't been this excited about reviewing a restaurant in a while. Let's do this!

Left: Husband's "Tacoma-Fashioned" and my "Seoul Mule." Right: You can order a meat tower: "Modest" ($70 for 2-3 people: 6 meats + 2 veggies) and "Baller" ($100 for 4-6 people... and does this option come with stacks of dolla dolla bills for you to toss?).

Tender octopus atop a white bean and kale salad dressed with miso.

An order of "Sloppy Kim", an Asian twist on the Sloppy Joe with cilantro and daikon in a fried bun.

Between the two of us, we ordered 2 beefs (hanger and wagyu) and 2 porks (pork belly and short rib) for the Korean BBQ. My recommendations: wagyu - melts in your mouth! And pork belly, because samgyeopsal is my favorite. Dip the pork belly in the sesame oil and salt mixture (pictured below).

We ordered one bowl of rice (plenty to share between 2 people) and some Korean side dishes that included kimchee and pickled vegetables. The banchan servings are modest, and not the plethora you're used to in more traditional Korean restaurants.

Just because this beer is so kawaii.

I'm never too full for dessert. Within Trove, there is a Bar, Noodle Bar (bustling for lunch - get the rice cakes), and Parfait Truck. We got a "New School Snickers" parfait layered with chocolate ice cream, crunchy miso caramel, black sesame cake, and candied peanuts. Also, make sure you take a look through the pipe on the side of the Truck. You will see a Godzilla surprise. ;)

Trove is a modern take on Korean BBQ, and expect quality over quantity. There may not be stacks of meat and endless banchan, but I don't think I'll ever have to drive out of the city for Korean food... maybe except for when I'm craving soondubu. Check out more of my reviews of Seattle restaurants! Happy Friday!

Photography by Miguel Marino. Please contact us for use.