Iron Pot makes a quick and tasty Korean lunch in Kent

Recently, I made my first trip to a downtown Kent food spot for delicious Korean food at Iron Pot, 222 1st Ave. S.

The inside of the restaurant was dark, yet comfortable and cozy, with string lights hanging from trellises almost like an indoor patio. I was greeted by a friendly and welcoming employee who showed me to a table and handed me a menu.

Iron Pot’s menu included dishes such as poke sashimi bowls with fresh ingredients and raw fish, bibimbap (a Korean rice dish often served in a heavy hot bowl so the rice gets crispy on the edges), kalbi marinated short ribs, and chicken katsu, among other items.

I ordered five chicken wings doused in sweet garlic sauce and the lunch bowl served with stir-fried vegetables and udon noodles, and it came with a choice of meat. I chose bulgogi, marinated beef.

Before what I ordered had arrived, I was given four small dishes, each with some type of lunch accompaniment. The dishes included tasty pickled vegetables along with a Korean cucumber salad — crispy, spicy and nutty with the flavor of sesame oil — and kimchi — deliciously fermented with a garlicky and umami flavor.

The wings came, battered and crusty, tossed in a tangy, sweet, umami garlic sauce. They were delicious.

The lunch bowl came out steaming from just being stir-fried moments before. The vegetables were tender and fresh, the udon noodles were tasty, and the bulgogi beef was also tender and scrumptious.

All in all, it was a delicious and an affordable lunch, with my entree only being $12.

Photos by Cameron Sheppard/Sound Publishing Cucumber salad, potato salad, kimchi and other sides.