Restaurant Opening: Koral Bar & Kitchen (Bellevue, WA)



BELLEVUE, WA — Koral Bar & Kitchen is a new restaurant on the ground floor of the Hyatt Hotel on Bellevue Way. The interior is gorgeous — it is modern with a rustic hint. The space is wide with high ceilings and beautiful decor and has an open kitchen. There’s something about open kitchens that I love. I think seeing your food being made with care and precision is a very enjoyable part of the dining experience. 


Fried Wisconsin Cheese Curds, Mustard Dipping Sauce

We had the pleasure of meeting both General Manager, Tracy Ducken, as well as Chef Peter Kelly. They were friendly and welcoming and provided us information about the restaurant. The owners Mikel and Bradley also own Pearl Bar & Dining in Lincoln Square. The direction of Koral’s menu is to feature Modern American food, or American food with a twist. 

Looking over the menu, I was pleased to find several items that sounded tasty. On the appetizer menu, the mussels with bacon in a wine-garlic broth and the fried Wisconsin cheese curds caught my attention. I love a good wine-garlic broth with seafood and I love fried cheese! For entrees, I debated between the lamb loin, the burger (described as having a “serious goo factor”), the fried chicken sandwich, or the bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Yes, you heard that right. Bacon-wrapped meatloaf.

Macrina Garlic Bread with Cheese… MMmM!

Chicken Fried-Chicken, Potato Bread, Mashed, Bacon Gravy


Killer Meatloaf, Bacon Wrapped, BBQ Glaze, Caramel Carrots
We decided to order the latter two items as well as the cheese curds. I think we made good choices, because everything was delicious and beautifully plated. The batter on the cheese curds was surprisingly light and the mustard dipping sauce was a perfect complement. The meatloaf was juicy with a sweet and tangy BBQ glaze and I loved the caramel carrots! I could have eaten a whole side order of them! I am picky with fried chicken, but this one was really good. Crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside. Unlike other versions I have tried in the past, where the breading on the chicken is heavy or oily, this batter was just right. I would definitely order this again. 

Koral has private rooms for parties and private events. I especially love the Private Room 2 [pictured below] because of the blue wall and beach-esque feel. It would be perfect for a spring or summer dinner party with friends. 

Private Room 1
Private Room 2
It was a great dining experience. The atmosphere, the service, and especially the food were high quality. The dining room is sophisticated enough for an intimate dinner, but also casual enough for dinner with friends. The bar offers happy hour daily from 3-6PM and 9PM-12AM. I will definitely be back with friends and look forward to trying the lamb loin and the burger! 

KORAL Bar & Kitchen
900 Bellevue Way Northeast #100, Bellevue, WA


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Contributing Writer: 
Whether it’s eating, taking pictures, or cooking, Jenni Liu, has always had a passion for food. Her days are spent behind a computer, her nights baking up a sugar storm for her dessert catering business (Jenni’s Sugar Shop). As a Bellevue native, she was seeking a place to share her foodventures in the city. Find her on Twitter @JennisSugarShop 

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