Dr. Richard Zhao
When Friendship Meets Flavor: An Unforgettable Korean Meal in Fairfield
During a visit to our longtime friends Dr. T and his wife in Fairfield, California, they took us to a small, unassuming Korean restaurant tucked away on the corner of Parker Road.
It turns out our friends are regulars there, and we were warmly greeted by the owner, Mimi, a cheerful and talkative South Korean–born woman with a head of silver hair and a radiant smile. Her friendliness immediately set the tone for what turned out to be a memorable meal.
We began with an impressive array of eight traditional Korean appetizer platters (banchan), which included kimchi, kongnamul (seasoned soybean sprouts), tofu strips, kkakdugi (radish kimchi), and a few others—each fresh, flavorful, and distinct.
Knowing my fondness for seafood, Mimi recommended Seafood Jeon Gol, a hearty Korean seafood stew made with crab, mussels, shrimp, white fish, and vegetables. In some ways, it reminded me of a Korean version of French bouillabaisse or Italian cioppino—but with a uniquely Korean character, thanks to its rich kimchi and tofu-based broth.
Our friends also ordered the Haemul Pajeon (Seafood and Squid Pancake)—crispy, savory, and filled with squid and scallions—and the BBQ Galbi, tender marinated beef grilled to perfection with smoky-sweet flavor. Both dishes were outstanding, but the Galbi, in particular, was unforgettable.
As we enjoyed the meal, I complimented Mimi on her cooking and asked what her secret was. Her answer surprised me. With a grin, she said, “I hate cooking.” Then, laughing, she added, “But I love to eat.” She explained that her recipes came from her mother, who lived in a coastal city in South Korea. Over the years, she had recreated those childhood flavors through trial and error, guided only by memory and passion.
Needless to say, we had the pleasure of savoring an authentic Korean feast in the warm company of dear old friends. That combination—good food, good friends, and genuine hospitality—is truly unbeatable. Whether you come with company or on your own, I wholeheartedly recommend this hidden gem in Fairfield.
… moreDaphne Ng
Ordered the Samgyeopsal pork belly, and it was delicious!! The portion was sizable and it came with many banchan sides and rice. Everything was authentic and tasted amazing. Despite its humble exterior, it could go head to head with many Korean restaurants in the Bay. Would highly recommend and will definitely be back!
… moreKarin Yamaki
It was a cold and very rainy night when my husband and I decided to get some dinner in this place. Everything we ordered was fresh and well seasoned. The portions were fair and the meat was soft and well cooked.
… moreLiann Amagan
My parents wanted Korean for lunch and specifically fried fish. I looked at the different Korean restaurants in Fairfield and Koreana was one that had fried fish on it. We opted for the pan fried flat fish which we really enjoyed! This is definitely more of a traditional Korean restaurant with staff and the environment. Right outside of Travis Air Force Base. If people
we’re stationed in Korea, this definitely is a little piece of Korea close to being on base. It was busy for a Sunday, when we got there service was a bit slow but others got their food fast. We got the Galbi hot stone bibimbap and the seafood tofu soup. The meal was large enough for me and my parents and their Banchan was really good too! Parking is super easy and plenty in this small shopping plaza.
… moreSeventhSamurai72
Update July 2022: New owners but still delicious and authentic. I definitely still recommend. One of my favorite Korean restaurants.
Delicious, authentic Korean! My favorite is the spicy chicken, but I also love all the side dishes that come along with the meal. Wonderful flavors and fresh foods, I highly recommend this place if you are in the mood for Korean.
… moreSamantha Woods
This place is amazing! Anything you get will definitely be worth the wait.
They do get busy, but that’s because locals know this is a great spot. The women taking orders and handing out food are super nice and work as fast as possible. And whomever is cooking back in the kitchen knows what they’re doing! Our family will definitely be going back.
… moreManuela Galvan
This place was great for Korean food, i highly recommend the chicken wings they were so delicious. I miss Korean food and this really fulfilled my cravings. Lovely service family owned.
… moreLanie Choi
My family and I are regular costumers here, and each time always has been a different experience. Depends if the owner is there or not as well who is working that day, and the waitress. We always had our highs/lows. Unfortunately, we decide to come here on Labor Day as a special treat, and already we can tell the waitress who was working there today was new. She was not nice at all. It took a long time to get our orders, and once our order came out, my dad’s order was messed up, and did not come. We are a family of 4, and she only came out with 2 rice bowls, and try to make excuses why the other rice was not given to my dad. Give in mind, my parents are pretty old school traditional Korean especially my dad, and it is already hard to find a good authentic traditional Korean restaurant in this area as it is.. we never been to a Korean restaurant where rice is not given to all parties. When my parents try to explain to the waitress all I kept hearing was excuses from her, and try to argue with my dad. What was the deal breaker was when all of our food came out but my dad’s, and we brought it up to the waitress attention, and she informed us it was coming. But what was weird was that by the time we were already almost finished with our dish, and my dad was just picking at our food and the side dish while waiting for dish to come out. We asked the waitress again, we had to ask her three times. Turned out my dad’s order was never put in, and the worse part she was blaming the cook instead of taking responsibility of her mistake. Her attitude was very poor and not nice. I suggest to the owner they need to train the waitress properly whoever they hire as a new employee or make sure there is 2 waitress working on a weekend/holidays knowing it is the most busiest time. My family left not feeling good, and not eating well. This is something you don’t want to experience when having a special family dinner outing.
… moreMichelle Choi
우와 진짜 맛있어요! My husband and I (both Korean) came in slight hesitation – but optimistic. Most Korean restaurants have “westernized” their dishes due to availability of ingredients and palates. That makes it difficult to find “real Korean food” especially in Fairfield/Vacaville. We were very pleasantly surprised with the food here. The 반찬 (banchan/side dishes) were fresh and have great flavor. The main dishes we ordered (오징어 볶음) stir fried squid and (양념치킨) spicy chicken were so good! We really felt like we were back in Korea. We are very thankful and happy to have found such good comfort food! 잘 먹었습니다!!
… moreNing Yuan
The restaurant changed owner about a month ago. I came twice already since then. Love their side dishes and the ingredients are really fresh… we tried seafood package (really like how the cake was sliced, made it easy to share), spicy stirred fry squid (my mom was impressed with the quality of the squid), hot stone beef bibimba
… more