Yes, Kansas City has great BBQ. But my favorite ribs in town are at this Korean place

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Obviously, Kansas Citians know their barbecue.

But when I eat meat, which isn’t often, I gravitate toward another type of barbecue: Korean short ribs, called galbi, at Choga in Johnson County.

I headed to the Overland Park restaurant at 6920 W. 105th St. — nestled in a strip mall, which seems to be where all the best Asian restaurants are located across Johnson County — to enjoy what restaurant manager Daniel Chuang called their “must try” dish.

“We’re known for our galbi,” he said.

The “key secret” to Choga’s short ribs is the quality of the meat, he said.

Cooks trim the fat and marinate it for at least 48 hours in a homemade sauce of fruits and soy sauce.

The galbi is grilled and presented with a bed of caramelized onions on a seasoned plate. It’s served along with all-you-can-eat banchan, or side dishes that come with every meal and are shared with the table. Choga has my favorite selection. Of course there’s an array of kimchi, a staple for Korean meals: traditional kimchi made with cabbage, radish kimchi and cucumber kimchi. Rounding out the banchan are pickled radishes, Korean omelets and broccoli drizzled in a semi-spicy sauce.

The sizzling galbi is tender, sweet and smoky and oh so rich in flavor. You can wrap the boneless galbi strips in a romaine lettuce leaf or dip them in one of three sauces — a soybean paste, a sesame oil with salt and pepper or a chili paste known as gochujuang, my favorite. It adds a little heat but is more savory than hot.

The restaurant offers different kinds of galbi, including one made with pork instead of beef and a bone-in galbi. Chuang informs me that the flanken-style ribs are known as L.A. galbi. To me, it’s just the “normal” kind since that’s what I had growing up.

Throughout my life, food has been one of the primary ways I connected with my heritage. I’d devour galbi on special occasions (since it’s a bit more expensive, it’s not typically a standard meal) and somewhere along the way, I acquired the acquired taste that kimchi is to most Western palates.

My brother and I still bond over Korean meals, and they’re something I’ve shared with loved ones over the years.

Some of those friends have become interested in Korean culture with the explosion of Korean pop music, shows like “Squid Game,” and the rising popularity of Korean beauty brands.

That’s something Chuang has noticed.

“With growth of K-pop, people want to explore Korean culture more and more, including the food,” he said. Restaurant goers will come in and ask questions and want to learn, he added.

Still, many of their patrons are Korean American. Chuang said the restaurant supports local Korean businesses and churches. The restaurant, he said, is “a symbol, a reminder of home and togetherness.”

In fact, “choga” is a type of traditional house made with natural materials like straw.

It can also be translated to “house of Cho.” Duk Cho established the restaurant in 1999. After immigrating to the U.S., she settled in Johnson County to be near family. As a side hustle, she cooked for church gatherings. The food was so good, people at the church suggested she start her own business. She began by catering and then opened the brick and mortar location.

It was an opportunity to serve the Korean American community and introduce others to Korean food. It’s also grown in popularity with international students from Korea and U.S. veterans who served in Korea and are “homesick for the food,” Chuang said.

The restaurant offers seating where you can grill the meat at the table yourself (personally, when I go out to eat I want to avoid cooking, but Chuang said some people like that option).

The galbi entree costs $25.95. Choga also offers an all-you-can-eat Korean BBQ option. Starting at $32.95, you can feast on all the galbi you want.

This story was originally published October 17, 2023 at 5:30 AM.

Katie Moore

The Kansas City Star

816-234-4312

Katie Moore was an enterprise and accountability reporter for The Star. She covered justice issues, including policing, prison conditions and the death penalty. She is a University of Kansas graduate and began her career as a reporter in 2015 in her hometown of Topeka, Kansas.