Diving into a Million memorable flavors

Growing up, Kyong Gha Park and her four siblings — three sisters and one brother — were surrounded by their mother’s wonderful home cooking.

“It was so tasty, and people always loved it,” Park recalls.

They had a big extended family, and for special occasions, everyone would gather at their house for family meals. As children, the siblings often would help their mother in the kitchen. Now, as adults, they are sharing their rich culinary roots with everyone through the family-run Million Restaurant.

Million Restaurant has been serving up what chef Park says is a mix between traditional Korean fare and local eats for more than 20 years. In addition to its yakiniku selections, Million also has a varied menu featuring a range of prepared dishes. For a sample of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, try Cold Buckwheat Noodle and Kalbi Combo ($21).

The combo features buckwheat noodles in a chilled soup that is filled with apple, daikon, cucumber, a boiled egg and sliced beef. The kalbi, meanwhile, is seasoned with a special sauce, which Park says is a restaurant secret.

“The meat is a very good quality,” she says of the kalbi. “It’s very tender.”

If you haven’t been to Million in a while, here’s just one exciting update to the menu: Seasoned Acorn Jelly Salad ($13.95 for lunch and $16.95 for dinner). The dish features a variety of vegetables, including lettuce, carrot, cucumber and bell pepper with an acorn-flour-based jelly — all bathed in a shoyu-based sauce. This type of jelly is common in Korean cuisine.

“It is a good diet food,” Park explains.

Contact Christina O’Connor at diningout@staradvertiser.com

Million Restaurant

626 Sheridan St., Honolulu
596-0799
Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Friday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-midnight