If you want to savor authentic Korean food on the Island of Hawaii, the trip to Waimea to visit Yong’s Kal-Bi will be worthwhile. After sampling the hearty portions of flavorful food, you’ll find out why this restaurant is a favorite for locals and visitors craving real Korean food
Yong’s Kal-Bi is in an outdoor mall and offers casual counter service. However, don’t let the laid-back atmosphere impact your decision to dine. The food is exceptional with a large menu and generous portions. Plus, it is one of the few Korean spots where you can get vegan meals.
The chef and main server make up the husband-and-wife team who own and operate this restaurant. For more than a quarter of a century, they have served authentic Korean dishes to the locals. Their food is so good that they’ve earned the favor of locals who make it a part of their regular rotation of restaurants. Visitors note that the food at Yong’s Kal-Bi is much more affordable and tastier than the cuisine at area resorts.
Options on the menu include Korean favorites such as Bibimbop, Mandoo Soup, Spicy Rice Cakes, and Mung Bean Pancake. You can also find beefy entrees such as Kalbi and Bulkoki. If you don’t eat meat, you have vegetarian and vegan options that don’t skimp on flavors, such as Korean Miso Stew, Tofu Gim Bop Roll, and Fried Rice. No matter whether you want to enjoy chicken, seafood, beef, pork, tofu, or vegetables, you can find a filling, flavorful meal at Yong’s Kal-Bi.
Try one of the following visitor recommendations when you go to Yong’s Kal-Bi:
Oxtail Soup
Oxtail Soup is a bowl of comfort food for many, and at Yong’s Kal-Bi, you get soup made with oxtail raised on the Big Island, mushrooms, onions, cabbage, and braised daikon. This hearty soup provides ample enough food for a meal. It also comes with rice and three choices of sides. With a rich, meaty flavor, you should try this dish if count Oxtail Soup among your comfort foods.
Korean Chicken
The Korean Chicken is a flavorful entree that is part of the restaurant’s top-selling #25 combination plate. To prepare the chicken, the chef takes skinless, boneless chicken and marinates it in sweet soy sauce for the perfect blend of sweet and savory.
When ordered on the combo plate, you also get Kalbi and Shrimp Tempura. You can also choose this dish as a standalone entree. Whichever way you choose to enjoy the Korean Chicken, you will savor quality chicken and a generous portion of this tasty dish.
Spicy Pork
If you like spice, try the Spicy Pork, which gets its heat from a marinade in spicy Korean chile sauce. This pork draws high praise from people who love it so much that they wish they could finish their large portion of the meat. You have the option to choose this pork as an entree or a stir fry with vegetables. As with other entrees, the Spicy Pork comes with three sides and rice or four sides without rice to accompany your meal.
Kalbi
Kalbi, barbecued beef short ribs, have a sweet soy sauce marinade and are the restaurant’s claim to fame enough to become part of the name. Almost everyone who orders the Kalbi highly recommends it to others for its tastiness. 0You won’t be disappointed by ordering this if you have a craving for beef short ribs.
When you want to eat what Waimea locals enjoy, visit Yong’s Kal-Bi for Korean foods that typically surpass even the highest expectations.
Insider Tips:
-Plenty of parking for the restaurant in the shopping center.
-The restaurant will accommodate vegan diets. Specify vegan if you want your meal made without animal products when ordering from the vegetarian menu.
-Have patience after ordering because the chef makes food to order, which can take several minutes to prepare, depinning on the dish.