Restaurant Ravers: The exotic, the new and the near #1

Restaurant Ravers: The exotic, the new and the near  #1

House of MILAE

4932 St Elmo Ave, Bethesda, MD 20814

 

Tucked into the tiny property adjacent to Bethesda Florist on St. Elmo Avenue, House of MILAE’s facade is modest and simplistic. When we showed up for a late lunch at around 2 p.m. on a Sunday, the space was near empty, with only two other groups quietly dining. After being seated, we were promptly surprised with five tiny side dishes from a waitress, including kimchi, cold potatoes and pickled cucumber. The service was consistently speedy, and only a few minutes passed from when we ordered to when our appetizers arrived. The pork pot stickers and kimchi onion patties were equally tasty, though they cooled down quickly and could have been crispier. Following the appetizers, our entrees arrived: Galbi and Hot Stone Bibimbap. Served steaming hot in a cast iron bowl, the Bibimbap was superbly done; the beef and seasoned vegetables perfectly highlighting the foundation of crunchy rice and the sunny-side-up egg adorning the dish. The Galbi’s marinated short ribs were somewhat inconvenient to eat due to their size, though they were still as flavorsome as the rest. A bit pricier than expected, we paid around $60 in total, though some entrees were as low as $8. Passing up the few dessert options, we left satisfied, with extra food boxed up for later. Though unassuming in appearance, House of MILAE’s cuisine is nothing less than satisfying, and proves itself worthy as one of the best Korean restaurants in the area.

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