Comfort food meets Asian cuisine at Federal Way’s new Golden Spoon Buffet and Banquet

Jae So, co-owner of the Golden Spoon Buffet and Banquet, wants to reunite families over a warm meal where comfort food meets Asian cuisine.

The Golden Spoon is resurrecting the space previously home to the Old Country Buffet at 1818 S. 318th Place in Federal Way. Opening is planned for mid-April, though an exact date has not yet been announced.

“I decided to bring a buffet back for the community, create jobs for the community and create a space they could come and bring their families,” said So. “It’s a family restaurant.”

Inside, gold-plated heating lamps hang over quartz counter tops in the 11,000-square-foot space. Slight renovations, new carpet and a fresh, bright paint job have spiffed up the restaurant, prepared to welcome up to 300 guests.

The buffet’s name comes from a Korean tradition celebrating the major milestone of when a baby turns 100 days old. For the celebration, known as Baek-il, family friends often present the baby with a solid gold spoon to symbolize health, wellness and good fortune, So explained.

“That’s where I got my inspiration for the name,” he said. “That’s what it is: you made the 100th day, now you get a golden spoon to eat.”

The Golden Spoon is ready to accommodate all taste palates. Diners can enjoy a rotating variety of soups, a fresh salad and vegetable bar, a dessert bar, and traditional comfort foods of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, fried chicken, carved meats and more.

Asian cuisine dishes such as spicy pork belly and marinated chicken barbecue are also on the menu.

“For people who have never tried Asian food, they can get introduced to it,” he said. With more than 15 years in the restaurant business, So also owns two Palace Korean Bar & Grill locations in Federal Way and Bellevue. “I’ll probably bring some of our recipes and ingredients to incorporate here [at the Golden Spoon].”

A hibachi grill in the restaurant gives diners to a front row seat to watch their chef in action.

In addition, the Golden Spoon offers beer and wine (16-ounce beer and 9-ounce wine for $4.50 each). A beverage bay also includes a soda fountain, an Icee machine with three flavors, tea and Caffé D’arte coffee.

“That’s a big difference here that I added to the existing footprint,” So said of the alcohol options. “I’m trying to accommodate everyone — from the kids with the Icee’s all the way up to the beer drinkers, wine drinkers, coffee drinkers.”

On the west side of the restaurant, a large banquet room with an 86-inch TV and surround-sound audio system is available for parties, meetings and other reservations.

So grew up in Federal Way, later attending the University of Washington and Seattle University School of Law. He is also a member of the City of Federal Way Planning Commission.

“It’s a good experience to see what the city is going through and I am trying to provide feedback to the city from a small business owner perspective,” he said, noting conversations about zoning, police enforcement and alleviating crime near businesses. “Trying to put my five cents worth in.”

So says he wants to give back to the community through public service, and hopes to potentially expand his career as a city leader in the years to come.

“Bringing a dead restaurant alive will eliminate the homelessness and bring tax dollars in for the city, so I think it was just a win-win for everyone,” he said.

The Golden Spoon will offer dinner service for the first month, then expand to add lunch service too.