TRAY KITCHEN: KOREAN COMFORT FOOD W/ A TWIST

A few weekends ago, my friends and I went to the Fremont/Ballard area to have our usual food adventures. With the help of Yelp, we came across this place called Tray Kitchen which is a bit of a Korean fusion twist in a comfort food sort of way.

 

        

 

We went for their brunch and quite enjoyed their food. The menu is small but with enough variety so you have a few options to choose from. We didn't do the congee bar (sorry, but it's just too overpriced for congee and having a mom who makes excellent congee, or going closer to home (Chinatown) to get a bowl for less than half the price!) but we did snack on some of the condiments they served (probably weren't supposed to do that, but oops!)

 

I had the K.F.C. grain bowls - I had too! K.F.C are also my initials apart from it being Korean Fried Chicken. The chicken was nice and moist with a crunch on the outside topped with a not too spicy chili sauce. The fried egg on top was perfect and the cucumber kimchi added a nice coolness to the dish and crunchy texture. This take on a bi bim bap style rice dish was nicely done and I really enjoyed it. I could have gone a little lighter on the sauce, but that's just personal preference.

 

One of my friends had the Kimchi & Pork belly pancake and it was really good as well. It was extra crispy and thicker than your usual pajun/pajeon (Korean pancake). My other friend tried the Loco Moco and I really liked how they breaded it! It had a non-traditional corn flake coating to add to the extra layer of crunch.

 

The dishes were smaller than what we expected, especially for the price, but surprisingly, it was very filling for the size. We went on a Saturday afternoon around 1pm and surprisingly again, it wasn't crowded or busy at all especially considering the place being a little small (but comfortable and not crowded feeling). I would definitely go back to try out their dinner menu, especially if I'm headed to that area in the first place. The parking in front is limited, but there is plenty of street parking available around the block. The service was good, though the waitress was a bit awkward at times and forgetful, but maybe she was new? Our food came out in a timely manner and I love how there's an open kitchen so you can really see what is going on.

 

If you're into Asian comfort foods with a little bit of a twist, then definitely check this place out. It's close to the busy Ballard and Fremont areas if you plan on hanging out or getting drinks or dessert after so everything is really convenient!

 

Readers, have you tried different Asian comfort foods? What is your favorite comfort food? Let me know!

 

 

 

FEBRUARY NATURE BOX

Another month passing by means another Nature Box review! I'm happy to say that I was completely happy with my entire box this month. Nothing was out of stock and replaced and each item tasted great.

Mini Belgium Waffles - These little bite sized Belgium waffles tasted exactly like one's I've had before but less sweet, which I liked. They were a bit harder/crunchier than an actual waffle and more like a softer cookie in texture which also made for a fun snack.

Blueberry Greek Yogurt Pretzels - These ones had a slight blueberry flavor to them and I found myself liking them more than the Strawberry ones I had previously. If the blueberry flavor was any stronger, I think I would have been put off, but these were great and not overly sweet.

Asiago & Cheddar Cheese Crisps - These were probably my favorite snack out of the bunch. I love the cheese flavors coming through and it was almost as if I was eating baked crispy cheese bits without any cracker to it. It wasn't too salty at all and just right. I'm glad these came in a bigger bag!

Parmesan Garlic Pop Pops - Another savory snack that had an explosion of flavoring. I love pop pops in general and love the texture of half popped popcorn. This flavor combo was great and definitely left your breath garlicky. It can be a bit salty for some, especially towards the bottom were the seasoning lies, but it was still delicious.

Mini Medjools - simple and delicious. I love dates, especially medjool dates and found these to be a perfect sweet treat! I didn't think they were particularly 'mini' but that didn't bother me, it actually made it even better. The only thing that'd make it better is if they came seedless!

As mentioned before, this was definitely one of my favorite boxes and in my next box and will definitely be reordering some of these soon! 

Readers, have you guys tried Nature Box yet? Any snack in particular that is your favorite? Let me know!