SORIMMARA - Federal Way (WA)

5 /5 Jackie Lee: First time trying malatang. Was pleasantly surprised! I LOVE spicy food but I’ve never gone out of the way to try mala food. Fun concept of building your own bowl- but definitely easy to go overboard. Tip- weigh your bowl as you go at the front to make sure you’re not going crazy because your wallet will definitely pay for it later! I got the original malatang level 4 (they say level 2 is like shin ramen and level 4 is like buldak). Definitely had a nice kick to it. They ask if you want to add any toppings when you get to the counter and while I didn’t get any this time, I’d probably add cilantro next time I think it’d pair really well with the broth. We also got the pork guobaorou (the server said that’s the most popular), and it had a sweet and sour sauce while the pork itself was crispy on the outside yet had a chewy inner layer. Reminds me a lot of tangsuyuk! The guobaorou pieces were pretty big- the smaller size was definitely enough to share between two people as a side dish. Will definitely be back to try the other mala options (they also said the rose stir fry was the other popular dish)

4 /5 Kim Brownlee Personal Trainer: Sorimmara in Federal way is a very unassuming building. It is a very different style of typical restaurant where you get seated and get a menu. When you enter you grab a large metal bowl and help yourself to any vegetable and meat. You pay by weight of what you put in your bowl. They take your bowl and ask you what flavor of broth and spice level you want. They bring it to you also with whatever you order after they cook it in the kitchen. The food is wonderful with amazing flavor and variety. The staff are very friendly and respectful as well making sure to ask about different options and so helpful. My only complaint is the coldness in the restaurant. It was uncomfortably cold where I just couldn’t relax and truly enjoy the food without thinking of how cold I was. And not a huge issue but the chairs felt like you were sitting in outdoor plastic chairs. Overall the food and staff definitely made up for the shortcomings of atmosphere.

3 /5 Tanya M.: Third time dining in here and I swear it used to be better. Noodles used to be dry (now they are in water seems like so they can weigh more and therefore charge for them more. Why would you put noodles in water since they are gonna be boiled in the end? Don’t think I will end up returning.

5 /5 Amanda Gale: What a meal! This checked all boxes for what we love about Korean food. The server gave off impeccable vibes. The kitchen staff were friendly. The rose soup is the hottest flavor profile right now and they have a special going. It’s like what we love in our favorite brand of instant ramen but made with premium ingredients and a wide variety of toppings. Make sure you get the little sweet potato dumplings and the fish cake on a stick.

4 /5 JPN: Build your own hot pot from a variety of vegetables, noddles, meats, and seafood; which then gets weighed, followed by a choice of broths or stir fry. The result is a deliciously satisfying meal, with plenty in the way of leftovers. Their Korean style chicken wings are a must have; crispy and scrumptious. Service is quick and efficient.