Han Woo Ri, a Korean restaurant in downtown Lexington, just might become your favorite new discovery in central Kentucky! Check out our review and favorite menu items.
By: Alisha Trenalone
There’s one restaurant in Lexington, Kentucky, that gets a lot of love here at Champagne Tastes.
You may have seen Sarah mention it longingly in her recipe for Vegan Kimchi Soup. And with good reason!
Han Woo Ri, a Korean restaurant located at 371 South Limestone, is somewhat of a hidden gem in downtown Lexington. (Check them out here for all the latest!)
Sarah introduced me and my family to Han Woo Ri a few years back. We don’t live close enough to go there all the time, but it quickly captured our hearts with its fantastic flavors and small but cozy dining area.
It’s been the perfect place to meet up with friends or just to have a special family meal, and these days I love stopping there for pickup whenever we’re in town.
Han Woo Ri Hours and Parking
Han Woo Ri opens its dining room for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and dinner from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Times are current as of spring 2021).
If you want to do pickup, it’s easy to call ahead with your order, but a limited menu is also available on DoorDash (order here) and GrubHub (order here).
Parking is available in a small lot behind the restaurant. Han Woo Ri shares a building with a couple of other businesses, but pay attention and you’ll be able to see its sign from the street.
Looking for other things to do in the Lexington area? Check out the UK Arboretum, Evans Orchard, Talon Winery, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and Raven Run Nature Sanctuary!
The Menu!
One of my favorite things to get is the bulgogi, a dish that features marinated strips of beef along with stir fried potatoes, onions and carrots.
The bulgogi is sweet and just a little bit tangy, and my whole family adores it! You can get it in regular or spicy variations.
Sarah’s favorite entrees are kimchi dumplings, soon doo boo/soondubu jjiage (a spicy soup that includes tofu and seafood), and pa jun (seafood and green onion pancakes).
What’s wonderful about this place is that there are options for a variety of palates: there’s sweet food, there’s spicy food, there’s meat or seafood or veggies.
So even if you have a family or a group with different tastes, everyone should be able to find something delicious!
Lexington is full of great restaurant options no matter what you’re in the mood for! Check out our posts on The Local Taco and Pietana.
Han Woo Ri also serves amazing sushi. Sarah’s pick is the dragon roll, featuring shrimp tempura, crab, avocado, cucumber, and eel. Because Sarah missed it so much, she’s been inspired to make spicy salmon poke bowls, spicy tuna poke, and deconstructed sushi bowls at home too.
Dessert at Han Woo Ri
Last but not least is dessert. Han Woo Ri offers mochi ice cream, something I had never experienced before my first visit there.
Let me tell you, it was a revelation! The cold and creamy ice cream nestles inside a chewy and squishy coat of sticky rice dough, making for a really unique texture combo.
The menu offers green tea, vanilla, mango, and strawberry flavors of mochi. (Mango is our favorite.) You get two at a time and can even mix and match flavors.
Korean Cooking at Home
Can’t get to Lexington to visit this delightful restaurant? You might enjoy experimenting with similar dishes at home!
Sarah has tested and fine-tuned recipes for kimchi seafood soup and a version of Korean seafood pancakes.
But if you are close to Lexington, do give Han Woo Ri a visit! It just might be your favorite new discovery in central Kentucky.
About Alisha Trenalone
I’m Alisha and I live in eastern Kentucky. Discovering good food is one of my joys in life, but you will also find me doing lots of reading and dreaming of travel. Having worked at a local newspaper for several years, I’m avidly interested in the written word and the art of sharing stories. Now I help Sarah out in various ways here at Champagne Tastes!
Leave a Comment: