Two Decades of Family, Flavor & Community in Natick

When Chef Soon Young Lee opened Dah-Mee in July 2000, she brought with her a lifetime of culinary tradition — and a vision to share the bold, comforting flavors of Korean, Thai, and Japanese cuisine with the MetroWest Boston community. The name "Dah Mee" is Korean for "delicious." She meant it as a promise.

From Korea to Natick

Chef Soon Young Lee immigrated from South Korea in 1977. She learned to cook from her mother and grandmother — women who treated food as an act of love and cultural preservation. She honed her skills working in her sister's restaurant in Cambridge, MA, before setting her sights on something of her own.

After raising three sons — Dennis, David, and Daniel Lee — in Natick, she opened Dah-Mee in the summer of 2000. It was a bold move: a Korean immigrant pioneering Pan-Asian cuisine in the MetroWest suburbs, long before it was fashionable. More than 25 years later, she's still at the stove.

Handmade, Every Day

All of Dah-Mee's Thai curries are made from scratch daily. The kimchi is handmade by Mrs. Lee herself — the same recipe she brought with her from South Korea, the same one that caught the attention of celebrity chef Ming Tsai. In 2003, Tsai featured Mrs. Lee on his PBS show Simply Ming, where she demonstrated her kimchi-making technique to a national audience.

Her bulgogi marinade, her stone pot bibimbap technique, her Thai curry pastes — none of it comes from a jar or a bag. Every dish is made the way her mother made it: with time, care, and real ingredients.

The Lee Brothers

Dennis, David, and Daniel Lee grew up in Dah-Mee's kitchen, watching their mother cook. That foundation shaped their careers. In San Francisco, the brothers founded Namu Gaji (2012–2021), a Korean-American restaurant that became one of the most celebrated in the city — covered by the New York Times, the Guardian, the BBC, and named to the Eater SF 38 Essential Restaurants list. Dennis Lee earned the Rising Star Chef Award from San Francisco Magazine in 2012.

After Namu Gaji, the brothers launched Pixlcat Coffee & Butter Mochi, with locations in San Francisco and Boston.

While her sons built their careers on the coasts, Mrs. Lee stayed in Natick — cooking for her community, day after day, for 25 years.

Rooted in Natick

We have watched our customers grow up. Children who came in for California rolls twenty years ago now bring their own families in for dinner. We have catered graduation parties, office milestones, and intimate anniversaries. This community is the heartbeat of our restaurant.

We invite you to our table. Whether you're stopping by for a quick lunch, ordering a spread for the family, or joining us for date night — you are part of the Dah-Mee family.