It’s a nondescript teriyaki carryout on Evergreen Way, one that I had passed many times and never noticed.
That is, until a reader suggested I give it a try.
So I did on a late Saturday afternoon in August.
2GoExpress Korean Food &Teriyaki is on one side of the flat green building. On the other is a laundromat.
There was only one car in the eatery’s side of the small parking lot, a pizza delivery car.
The front door of 2GoExpress was open. From across the room I was greeted by the woman who rings up customers at the counter. Behind her, an aproned man was busy in the kitchen.
“She’s the bubbly hostess and he’s the workhorse,” I told my husband. “That would be us.”
He agreed.
A digital menu board listed yakisoba and teriyaki as well as items I didn’t know, such as banchan, pa-jun, bibimbap and gui.
I stared at it, confused. The friendly woman led me to a wall menu with bright oversized photos. Even with her limited English and my total lack of Korean she was able to explain enough about each dish to help me decide.
The dining area is long and narrow with basic tables and about 25 stacking chairs. For entertainment, it has a row of windows facing the road. What it lacked in decor was made up for by the enthusiasm of the hostess with a radiant smile.
There was only one customer, the pizza car guy wearing a pizza work shirt. He nodded approvingly at his chicken bowl when my husband said he wanted a chicken bowl. “What I always order,” the pizza guy said.
I chose three other dishes, spicy pork ($7.99); galbi beef short ribs ($13.99) and sweet-and-sour chicken ($6.99).
Egg drop soup and green tea are free for diners or people waiting.
I ordered it to go because there were hungry family members waiting at home. Besides, it’s a half-block from Value Village, a fun and easy place to kill 10 minutes, especially now with all the cool Halloween costumes to peruse.
When we came back, more like 20 minutes later, our food was ready. It looked like a ton of stuff. The hostess and the cook insisted on carrying the food to our car. It was securely packaged, so as not to spill or leak all over the car. The four free cold water bottles were a nice unexpected perk.
I needed it for the spicy pork. It had zing. The pork was thin, fatty and greasy, just the way I like it. The galbi ribs were bite-sized goodness. Under the beef was a bed of crunchy broccoli, onions and sliced carrots.
Max liked his meaty chicken bowl as much as the pizza delivery guy did. My sweet-and-sour son liked the tender consistency and zest of his chicken dish.
The portions were big enough for second day servings.
I had to have more galbi. I went back a few weeks later.
The nice woman greeted me like I was her best friend. The food was as good as the first time. Again, they carried it to the car and added cold bottles of water at no cost.
Online reviews for 2GoExpress praise the food as tasty and authentic. That sweet hostess got a lot of mentions as well.
It was a good excuse to return earlier this week to learn more about her for this story (and to get more galbi and spicy pork).
She told me her name is Grace An. The chef is her brother. They moved here a year ago from California to work at the eatery owned by a cousin, who renamed it 2GoExpress when he took over ownership last year.
There were four employees then, she said, and now there are only two.
She said it is for sale.
No! I don’t want 2GoExpress to go.
2GoExpress
6100 Evergreen Way #A, Everett; 425-353-9595; www.2goexp.com.
Hours: 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Alcohol: None
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