Inside Look: Chef Park Puts a ‘Modern Fusion’ Twist to Korean Fare at Chan’s Seattle


Photo credit to Charles Koh

Tucked away in the narrow streets of Post Alley in Seattle, you’ll find a cozy Korean Restaurant called Cha:n, owned and operated by former Seattle Art Institute student Heong soon Park. The Korean-born chef is taking Korean cuisine to a new level of sophistication and what he calls “Modern Korean Fusion” to bring out bolder flavors, fresh seasonal ingredients and asian-inspired cocktails and dishes.

Cha:n offers modern classic Korean food and drink prepared with western cooking techniques. You won’t be seeing the traditional banchan setup like you normally get at traditional Korean restaurants. But if you’re a fan of Kimchi, Chan’s offers a Kimchi Jar on their menu which includes one of the tastiest Kimchi we’ve ever tasted. Each dish is carefully prepared with locally grown ingredients and fresh ingredients available by season. ​You’ll also notice the open kitchen concept which is another distinctive style at Chan’s not found in other Korean restaurants. Chan offers small shareable portions served with many courses, allowing diners to experience the flavor of traditional and modern Korean food.

Guests can sit at the full bar and enjoy an open kitchen concept as the chef and bartender prepare your food and cocktails.

Chan’s asian-inspired cocktails will blow your mind!  Few of our favorites include the traditional Hite Beer, Ginger Makgeoli, Soju Rainbor Flight, Korean ‘Kazi,’ Lemongrass orange collins and the Su Jung Kwa.

The restaurant has limited seating, so make sure to get there early to get a seat! (opens at 5PM)

Kimchi Jar: house made kimchi selection
Review: The kimchi tastes fresh, mixture of sweet and spicy, and has a great texture. Kimchi is a great dish to pair with other ingredients to bring out the flavors.

Ginger Makgeoli: korean rice wine, ginger, lime, orange liquor
Review: The perfect cocktail to pair with your spicy dishes. It’s refreshing and sweet.

Fried Rice Cake: sweet & spicy sauce
Review: One of our favorite dishes of the evening. It has a nice crispy outer layer and a soft doughy center rice cake. This dish has a strong spicy kick and a sweet coating to it so prepare!  These are perfect for sharing and snacking on during your meal.

Ahi Tuna Tartare: avocado, radish, chili mayo, scallion, brioche bun
Review: Simple, light and a great starter dish.  The spicy ahi tuna pairs beautifully with the avocado which brings down the heat.

Soju Rainbow Flight: three surprise house soju shots
Review: Steal of a price! For $5 on happy hour, you can enjoy 3 different flavors.

Bulgogi Sliders: two, cucumber kimchi, chili mayo, scallion, brioche bun
Review: A must order! The combination of flavors in this dish will make your mouth explode.  The sweet bbq marinated beef combined with the sweet cucumber kimchi and chili mayo is the perfect combination.

Spicy Pork Sliders: two, with pickled daikon radish, mayo, scallion, brioche bun
Review: If you like spicy, the spicy pork slider is one you’ll have to order.  The spicy bbq marinated pork combined with the sweet cucumber kimchi and chili mayo will make you order another one!

Chilled green tea noodle: kimchi, arugula, nori, smoked daikon, cucumber, boiled egg, spicy sauce
Review: This is the perfect dish to eat on a warm day. The cold noodles with the sweet cucumber make this refreshing. You can ease the spice by taking a bite of the soft boiled egg.

Chicken wings: chili caramel glaze, peanuts, garlic, scalion
Review: We can eat these wings all day, everyday. One of the more spicier dishes on the menu. Bold in taste and a great crisp. The nuts on the wing give it a nice texture and added flavor to it.


Skillet bibimbap: vegetables, bulgogi, fried egg, served on a bed of short grain rice
Review: The cast iron adds a unique experience eating this dish. The traditional bibimbap is served in a clay pot which keeps the dish warm, adds a soft crisp texture to the rice and other ingredients in the dish.  The cast iron is a great modern touch to this dish and serves a similar benefit.  The vegetables in this dish were fresh and vibrant in color.  The house made red chili sauce, also called Kochujang made this dish taste even better. Typically more on the spicy side, Chan’s sauce is a bit more sweeter.

Special Makgeoli korean rice wine ice cream


Written by Charles Koh

Founded EatSeattle, and has continued to use his expertise as editor-in-chief to guide the website’s growth over the last five years. Koh’s experience focuses on digital marketing and social media, and has been a part of several companies, some of which he created, specializing in both areas over the course of his career. Koh was previously with Google and Zagat where he helped expand and grow communities worldwide.

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