Koya Kitchen
Ascend to Mount Hood’s intimate and fantastical noodle mecca
Koya Kitchen
OVERVIEW
Food cart with a whimsical outdoor dining area, full bar and flavorful Pan-Asian menu, featuring primarily Japanese cuisine.
CONACT
koya.kitchen | 503-564-9345
ADDRESS
67886 East Highway 26
Welches, OR 97067
9 minutes from Mt. Hood Alpine Chalet
FIELD NOTES + INSIDER TIPS
Everyone knows that a bowl of steaming, rich broth and warm noodles is a surefire way to defrost after a day on the mountain. Around Mount Hood, Koya Kitchen is where you’ll find your fix among its Japanese specialties.
This eclectic, healthy food oasis stands out from the scores of beer, burger and pizza joints lined up along Highway 26 around Mount Hood. Parked in Welches, this asian-fusion restaurant is technically a food truck with an extensive bar inside an old cabin that serves cocktails, beer, wine, and the requisite sake. A few tables sit just in front of the bar, but don’t be fooled, Koya has a lot more to offer.
A Forested, Festival Atmosphere
The restaurant can be a bit confusing on your first visit, so here’s the lay of the land: find a place to park in the back (watch the potholes), order from the food truck, weave your way through bamboo walls to go indoors, order your drinks, and then find your table.
Or take a brief detour into their cute gift shop two steps from the bar. The warm space features apparel and wares crafted by local makers. When you’re read to sit, don’t worry if their cozy cabin is full; here’s where you’ll discover more. Head out past the tables and through the “front door” before taking a hard right to meander down an outdoor path.
Rounding the corner, you’ll find dreamy elements like a private table inside an A-frame with floor pillows for seating and a heated school bus lined with intricate murals. Yard games, hammocks, paper lanterns, good tunes and firepits make it feel like an artsy festival without the ravers and patchouli. You will find some four-legged friends though, because Koya Kitchen is pet-friendly.
A Feast of Fresh, Asian Flavors
A variety of popular Japanese dishes and asian-inspired mashups make up the menu, including ramen, poke, curry, fried rice and sushi. We’ve tried nearly a third of the menu, and it’s obvious that Koya focuses on great flavors, fresh ingredients and artful presentation. Well, aside from the paper plates and bowls they use.
Looking for a recommendation? The Domburi Bowl is a savory stir fry of cabbage, green onion, mushrooms, soft boiled egg, nori and pickled ginger. We ordered ours with tofu and added kimchi for a bit of zip, but you can also choose pork.
We also come back for the ramen and poke bowls. Pick whatever poke whets your palate, but we lean toward tuna. We’ve also heard good things about their sushi, although most rolls are simple classics a la the California and Philly varieties. Our little ones love their adventurous menu too, with the Soba and Karaage Bowl passing as fancier and more flavorful versions of kid favorites like ramen and chicken strips.
A Damn Good Bar, for Everyone’s Saké
Koya’s bar is like stepping into a kind witch’s cocktail cavern beneath towering trees. The list of libations and saké tasters is a foodie's dream, but they also come through with a strong list of Oregon microbrews and wines.
They pull from their saké and tea menus to concoct some incredible potions. We’re suckers for a tea-based concoction, and the Green Tea Hot Toddy Cocktail gets us all cozy inside. Hot toasted rice green tea, honey, fresh lemon juice and bourbon whisky.
The Plum & Ginger Whisky Sour Cocktail is a best-seller. It features fresh lemon juice, ginger and plum puree shaken with whisky and topped with a splash of soda water, lemon twist and ginger candy.
The bartenders are also super friendly. On our last visit, the barkeep even made our kids a special mocktail with a cherry on top. It made their day as they pretended to drive Koya’s psychedelic school bus to their own far out imaginary places.
Forest to Oasis, Farm to Plate
As you travel through this woodland experience, you’ll find that Koya isn't just a restaurant; it's a manifestation of community and a passion for crafting extraordinary experiences. Jo Milone, the visionary owner, infuses everything with a personal touch. It makes Koya Kitchen perfect because it isn't about perfection. The place embraces novelty and exudes magic.
Jo's dedication to sourcing hyper-local veggies, even from her neighbor, adds the same authenticity to each bite. So order up, sit back, savor the flavor and don’t sweat the small stuff. Tables can get dirty, pillows might be damp, a fireplace could sit unlit, but rest assured, you’re in a good place.
No matter if you're seeking a post-ski feast, a family outing or a laid-back evening with friends, Koya Kitchen beckons. Step into this culinary paradise; it's an adventure for your taste buds and a journey into the heart of Mount Hood's culinary secrets.
