For most of us, Korean cuisine can be difficult to like. First of all, it is the cuisine that gave the world kimchi – the notoriously stinky, fermented cabbage that is an essential part of any Korean meal and an acquired taste at best. Then there is the fact that so few Korean restaurants bother to Americanize. Most cater to Koreans only, so in reality there is little need to do so.

But this is a healthful style of cooking and quite delicious to boot.

Palace Restaurant and Cafe is no exception. Born three weeks ago in the former Papaya Sports Bar on South Tacoma Way, it is one of the more inviting, visually, of the two dozen or so Korean restaurants in Lakewood's Korean Town. The open concept décor mixes dark woods, purple and yellow halogen lighting, and modern touches with hokey red ribbons on plants, Korean advertisements and Korean programming on large plasma screens. On a recent lunch, there were around a dozen Korean men wearing golf hats, who had apparently just finished playing 18, and several groups of Korean businesswomen.  I was the only Caucasian but felt welcomed.

The menu is divided between noodle dishes, seafood, chicken, barbecue, and lunch boxes. Beef tends to be the main attraction at the Palace. With almost any entree you order, you also will get pa'chan – around 10 side dishes filled to the brim with kimchi, rice, house soup, yellow bean sprouts, pickled pineapple and on and on.  The boneless barbecue chicken arrived mountain size and quite tasty.

I'll have to send Weekly Volcano lounge rat Brad Allen their way.  The Palace's list of exotic cocktails is his dream exercise.

[Palace Restaurant and Cafe, opens at 11 a.m., 8718 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood]