Seoul Korean Restaurant

Seoul Korean Restaurant is in the heart of the East Side, on Prospect Avenue (right next to Izumi's). It's a neat little place with it's own parking lot -- which is a bit small -- and a good traditional feel.

Food: 3 Beards and a Mustache

The food was a unique treat, being one used to more "American-ized" Asian cuisine like Chinese, Indian, and others. This place definitely knows how to make itself stand out.

I started with an OB (Oriental Brewery) beer, which was nice and crisp.

To get a good sampling, I ordered the combination appetizer, which consisted of Korean dumplings -- which were much like any other East Asian dumplings -- friend squid and fried shrimp, both different from what one would expect. The appetizer was served with a nice soy-sauce mixture (with sesame seeds, green onions, and chili paste), and a sweet-and-sour sauce. All meals are also served with a variety of small sides, including sweetened potatoes, radish, kimchi, friend pork, and dried seaweed, as well as soup.

As my entrée, I ordered spicy squid, which was much spicier than the "medium" one of the two wait staff suggested. I was very happy for my beer when that arrived. It was a fairly simple meal of squid and onions in a spicy sauce. It was served in an iron hot place, which was neat. The spice did, however, overpower the meal a little, which was a disappointment.

Service: 4 Beards

The service here is great. I'm not sure if it was because it was a slower night or if it's just the way they are most times, but the two wait staff on duty that night were both attentive. I did not want for drink, nor did I need to ask for anything the entire time. One of the wait staff was a little hesitant on his English, but he was very nice; the other was very good at making suggestions from off the menu -- both traditional and popular items.

My only complaint was that the main entrée came out at nearly the exact time as my appetizer, which made for a very crowded table.

As a side note, I was very absent-minded and left my credit card with the bill, and the waiter rushed out to catch me, so I wouldn't leave it behind. Bonus points for that.

Menu: 3 Beards

The menu was well laid-out and easily understandable. The drink menu had an out-of-date weekend specials on it, which might have just been the way they do things. Also, the person I was with wanted to order an item off the menu and was told they no longer served it. Always a disappointment when that happens. Overall a decent menu, though, with a wide variety of soups, noodle dishes, seafood, and Korean barbecue.

Atmosphere: 3 Beards and a Mustache

The ambiance of the place was nice. However, it was a little chuckle-worthy that they were playing soft 80s rock. The place was very clean, though I imagine if it gets busy, it gets very cramped, very quickly.

Pricing: 3 Beards and a Mustache

Most things were within a good budget. Appetizers ranged from $5.95-7.95. Entrées were from $9.95-13.95. There are also some pricier items that require a purchase of two of them, which is meant for "family style" dining.

Overall: 3 Mugs and a Shot

The place definitely warrants a second trip with the variety of the menu. I would highly recommend it for anyone who wants something Asian that's a little out of the norm -- especially if you eat a lot of Chinese food.

Beardy's Food Ratings

Here is the Beardy Rating System. It's pretty simple, because I don't like confusing.

Overall Rating: The overall rating is based on the five key elements of each place I go to. It will be a 1-5 mug scale (yes mugs, because it's Brew City). 1 mug is poor; 2 mugs is below average; 3 mugs is average; 4 mugs is above average; 5 mugs is great. Shot glasses will represent half a point.

The following five ratings are based on beards -- yes beards -- with the same scale as the mugs. A mustache is a half a point.

Food: The most important rating is food. I mean, it is a food review blog after all. It will be based on quality, presentation, combination of items (sides, etc.), and any drink recommendations by the wait staff. This especially applies at places where wine is served.

Service: I grew up with a Southern mother who's aunt owned a restaurant for 30 years. I want good service. It not only means my wait staff is attentive; it means that the owners and managers are very keen on the notion that customers are business. This rating will be based on attentiveness, knowledge of the menu (including specials), and general attitude.

Menu: A good variety on the menu is nice. If there aren't many choices, then there's not much to complain about or write about. Also based on clarity of the menu, good layout, and attention to detail.

Atmosphere: A good environment is nice. Is the place clean? Is it thematic? Is it nice to be in? These things make for a nice return visit. However, it won't be as critical as the previous three items.

Pricing: Lastly, pricing. I'm not a rich guy, but I do like to eat out. If I can only go to a place once a year, then it's probably not worth my time, because I like to go to places more than once. It is also based on whether it's appropriate for the quality of the food and service.

Full disclosure: I am NOT a food critic. I'm just an average guy with a love of food and a desire to get Milwaukee's great diversity some recognition. This blog is meant to showcase not only the notables throughout the city but also to highlight some of the places that might not get the notice they deserve.

If you've got a restaurant you think I should try out, email me at beardysfood@gmail.com, and I'll add it to my list of places to try out.