Joule

Hmmm. Wanted to love Joule, but ultimately I think it's a little overhyped. Came for dinner on a Saturday night and my party of 4 tried:+ Spicy rice cake+ Beef tartare+ Smokey wok style mussels + Smoked tofu+ Chinese broccoli+ Kombu cured mackerel+ Ube mocha cake The most delicious thing was actually the cake - it was totally perfect. Non-dessert standouts were the beef tartare and spicy rice cake. Everything else was good, but not amazing. They sounded awesome in theory, but the flavors just weren't landing. Pacing was also kind of weird - the 4 starters we got were all spread out so the four of us were hungrily attacking one dish at a time, then waiting another 15 mins for the next app (prob would have made more sense to pair 2 dishes at a time). The broccoli dish that we had purposefully ordered with the fish entree also arrived after we'd finished the apps but long before the fish itself, so it was kind of sitting there (to be fair, the broccoli is on the menu as a starter). I can't remember if we received the "dishes arrive as they are ready" spiel but it's usually less noticeable. Anyway, incredible food would have made up for all of that, but I found it merely decent. Maybe an off night?

To start with Unique. You should look at the menu as something to share with the table. So bring friends to share more or with fewer people take home leftovers. We started with three kimchi's and then a bone marrow and toast. We had noodles lamb and steak. Each unique and you will not find anywhere else. Parking in the area is a challenge so you might just want to park in the paid lot across from Fremont Beer Garden. But if you have a beer do not fill up on beer and pretzels or you won't have room for dinner.l The restaurant seems small and is mostly kitchen. The staff is excellent.

We just had the special Veganuary Sunday Supper and it was one of the best meals of my life. I'm vegan, but the three friends who came with me are not, and none of us had been to Joule before. It was an overall delightful experience. Manager Brandi spent a lot of time talking to us and checking in, chefs Cera and Carter told us about each course. I got the Oh Mai, Oh My! mocktail, and it really did taste like a mai tai. Was delicious, would get again. My friend got the mocktail pairings and was disappointed by half of them, but I think that was the only draw. Starter was eggplant unagi onigiri with black rice. I wish the eggplant had been super soft as it sometimes can be cooked, but the flavor was nice. Then housemade cashew cheese on toast, topped with crunchy chickpeas, mushroom, & preserved lemon chili crisp. One of the highlights of the meal for me! And I don't really like mushrooms! Light, balanced, flavorful, creamy. Then house-fermented kimchi pancake with mushroom bao. The mushroom inside looked like pulled about meat, was quite impressive. All the portions were QUITE large, which we were pleasantly surprised by for an expensive, multi-course meal. The green curry noodle bowl came out, with tofu katsu, and we were told that it was in a cilantro sauce, which was not on the menu. This was unfortunately, because one of my friends literally can't eat cilantro. I waved Brandi over and explained the situation, and she said she'd go figure something out with the kitchen. She brought my friend the spicy rice cake from the regular menu, but with mushrooms instead of chorizo, making it vegan. My friends were delighted! It was delicious--perfect crunch on the rice cakes, super flavorful. I enjoyed the green curry noodle bowl -- the tofu katsu was really juicy and the breading was delicious, and I'd never had collard greens pickled like that. I took most of them home though! Dessert was the highlight for all of us. My friend was literally in her own little world while eating it, she enjoyed it so much. Only stopping to say "I love this." Banana toffee canelle (cake) topped with caramelized bananas with a perfect hard sugar shell, and black sesame coconut whip. Every bite was exquisite. Brandi explained to me that their regular menu also has quite a few vegan options -- scallion pancake without the salmon/creme fraiche, smoked tofu, cabbage salad without the cheese, spicy rice cake (which we got to try), and the chinese broccoli & winter squash. Looking at the menu now, I think the dan dan noodle is also vegan. I'll certainly back for a nice vegan meal in the future!!

Starting off with apps, the beef tartare & scallion pancake. The beef tartare was good, I'd give it a 7/10. Nothing mindblowing though. The scallion pancake I'd give a 6/10. The pancake by itself had no flavor and was very oily. The roe/creme fraiche/cilantro sauce was not balanced. The crème fraiche muted the other flavors and then was weird to get a pop of salty from the roe. I looooove scallion pancakes but this was pretty disappointing. I think more cilantro, finely chopped, would've helped with the flavor and also less crème fraiche. Next we got the rice cakes & geoduck paella. Rice cakes were a 10/10. I loved the spicy flavor and the different textures of the rice cakes. Some were crispy and some were chewy, it was a nice touch to the dish. The chorizo was delicious and flavorful as well. The geoduck paella was not very good in my opinion. I like the concept and I normally love black rice (grew up eating it) however the geoduck ruined it for me. I had never had it before so I didn't know what to expect but it tasted way too fishy and killed the entire dish. The Chinese broccoli was a 10/10. The garlic & walnut pieces were fantastic and the broccolini was cooked perfectly. Finally we got the short rib steak with grilled kimchi. I loved this dish, it felt very homey and familiar. The steak was so tender and melted in my mouth, while having the traditional kalbi flavor. For drinks I got the Seoul Sun which is good if you like sweet & spicy cocktails. It tasted like a spiked mango juice. My fiancé got the Jalisco campfire which is good if you like smoky drinks.Service was great, she was kind and helpful in making recommendations. Didn't catch her name unfortunately.

Joule, a Korean fusion restaurant in Seattle, masterfully combines traditional Korean flavors with innovative culinary techniques, creating a unique and unforgettable dining experience. This fusion approach results in a menu that's both adventurous and deeply satisfying, offering dishes that surprise and delight with every bite. Whether you're a fan of Korean cuisine or new to these flavors, Joule presents them in a way that's accessible yet sophisticated, making it a must-visit spot for foodies and culinary explorers alike. The service is amazing and everyone was super friendly!! The ambiance was perfect for date night!

Came here for a birthday dinner to sample the various asian-fusion dishes. Our server Michael was very friendly and informative of that evening's menu. The four of us had the following dishes family-style:Beef tartare - 5/5 very fresh beef, with a lil "yolk" aioli to tie everything together. Comes with a fried rice paper, which adds a nice textural contrastHeirloom tomato salad - 5/5 flavorful heirloom tomatoes, layers of roasted onion, and a fat burrata drizzled with chili oil to tie it all togetherSmoked tofu - 4/5 simple ingredients but surprisingly good; generous amount of mushroom covered the tofu, in a tasty miso sauce12oz grassfed ribeye - 4/5 pretty good especially for the quantity, however we felt there was an excess of acidity on the plate (pickled plum, black lime). Enjoyed the rengdeng curry sauce, but the small swoosh was simply not enough. I would have liked to propose the following barter with the kitchen: half of the acidity on the plate for curry swoosh. Chinese broccoli - 3/5 not bad, but definitely could have done without. Honestly prefer Chinese broccoli from a regular Chinese restaurantDan dan noodles - 3/5 also could have done without this; came with semi-wide egg noodles in a not-so dan-dan-like sauce. Perhaps I'm too loyal to the Chinese dishes...Bone marrow - 3/5 pretty standard, came with a few pieces of crusty bread to soak up the precious bone jelly...not very asian-fusion of themWe also had the Angel's Kiss Sangria and ~forgot name but see pic~ for drinks. Both were good to sip on throughout the meal. Starters were very strong, with decent entrees and alright "sides". Based on this meal, I'd recommend leaning towards fusion-heavy dishes rather items with no asian influence, and on the contrary, dishes with Asian names verbatim. The menu is very descriptive, so I'd bank on ordering based on what ingredients sound good to you.

Have been here twice now and both times it was excellent. This time my wife and I shared the kimchi trio, smoked tofu, geoduck rice, short rib and rib eye along with the apple spoon cake and the crunch cake. Everything was great but the standouts were the smoked tofu, short rib and both desserts. The tofu was so light and subtle with the flavors and was really a pleasure to eat. The short rib was perfect and the sauce it came with was sooo good. We were surprised by how good the desserts were. Those were some of the best desserts we've had. My wife who does not like sweets said the spoon cake was her fat dish of the night! We sat on the patio and they put us right next to the fire pit which was a really fun spot for dinner. Service was super friendly.

Amazing food. Great service that was very accommodating for our small party of 5. Our group decided to get a bunch of different plates and share. We ordered about 12 dishes between some of the smaller plates and the main dishes. Out of all the plates we tried, I'd say there was maybe 1 that I wouldn't order again. Not because it wasn't good, but because everything else was so much better. I'd eat here again in a heart beat.

We LOVE joule. Make an extraordinary effort to come here at least twice a year now that we live over an hour away. I'd be mean if I didn't highly recommend the rice cakes!

Joule is a top-notch spot for Korean fusion cuisine that doesn't disappoint. Despite the higher prices and smaller portions, the food is worth every penny.We tried a bit of everything, starting with the steak tartare and bone marrow appetizers. Both were exceptional, with the steak tartare boasting a perfect egg yolk and delightful pine nut crunch, while the bone marrow melted in our mouths.For mains, the green curry noodle and grilled octopus stole the show with their bold flavors and expert preparation. The kombu-cured mackerel was a simple yet standout dish, while "that Short rib steak" was pure melt-in-your-mouth perfection, especially paired with the gochujang sauce. The mussel had a delicious hint of Tom Yum flavor that added an extra layer of goodness.Although the portions are small, the quality of the food at Joule makes it a splurge worth indulging in for anyone craving high-end Korean fusion cuisine.