If there’s one thing the owners of Koen, a new Japanese barbecue and izakaya spot in Blackstone, want you to know, it’s this: Don’t expect an all-you-can-eat buffet.

That’s because Brian and Inez Choi, who opened Koen in July, want to focus their Japanese and Korean spot on quality.

The equipment in the Japanese barbecue side of the restaurant, Inez Choi said, is high-end, and they want both the experience and, in particular, the beef that dominates that side of the menu to match.

During my two visits, one for dinner at a Japanese barbecue table and a second time for lunch on the sushi, ramen and rice bowl side of the dining room, I never longed for a buffet. Our barbecue-it-yourself dinner was quality and fun. It was better than our lunch, though a few Korean bites, inspired by Brian C

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