OSAN AIR BASE, South Korea — We kept hearing good things about a Japanese "fast-food" restaurant popular with servicemembers at Osan Air Base, so we decided to stop in for lunch at Happy Teriyaki.
We liked what we found: a clean, no-frills place with modest prices, that specializes in teriyaki dishes but whose menu includes lots of other Japanese dishes as well. The menu is in English and Korean.
It occupies the upper two floors of a building down the street from the Osan Air Base main gate. There’s no smoking on the lower floor; the second is used for parties and allows smoking.
About 85 percent of its customers are U.S. servicemembers.
Happy Teriyaki has no bar but serves various beers and wine, as well as soft drinks.
We ordered a noodle dish called yakisoba chicken, number six on the menu, at 9,000 won (about $8), and found it flavorful enough, and filling. We asked for water, which was 1,000 won a bottle.
And we liked the fact that the place looked well-kept and clean, including its men’s room.
Among the most popular dishes are chicken teriyaki (number one on the menu, at 8,000 won (about $7.50); sweet and sour chicken, number 16, at 9,000 won; and hot yakisoba chicken, number eight, at 9,000 won. Another big favorite is number 27, hot and spicy chicken and vegetables stir-fried, 9,000 won.
We think we’ll probably go again, next time to see what one of those top three favorites tastes like, and on a weekend so we can take in the crowd.
Happy Teriyaki Pyeongtaek, South Korea
Hours: 11 a.m.; 10 p.m. daily
Prices: Entrees range from 7,000 won to 16,000 won (about $6 to $14); combination dishes 7,000; 15,000 won (about $13); lunch specials are 7,000 won. Alcoholic drinks are 4,000; 6,000 won (about $3.50-$5); wine is 25,000 won a bottle (about $23); non-alcoholic beverages range from 1,000; 4,000 won.
Specialties: Teriyaki and other Japanese dishes
English menu: Yes, English and Korean
Dress: Casual
Clientele: Mostly U.S. servicemembers
Location: About 130 yards to the right of Osan’s main gate, between a Citibank branch and Songtan Sports store
Phone: (031) 665-7942
Web site: None
