Hi @Ns1 - Sorry. Just got your message. Yeah. I noticed I didn’t include the price. Let me see if I can find my receipt. Unless you have already found out. I’ll get back to you.
nope, trying to figure it out now - the question is basically for 2 people would Oo-Kook or Park’s make more sense. w/o combos Oo-Kook would be the winner for sure, but depending on the combo pricing Park’s might work out.
Okay. The P1 is $95 + tax & tip and serves 2-3 people. It is not inexpensive for sure. People also rave about the lunch specials. They have a $7.99 and $10.99 per person.
That’s not awful considering Oo-Kook is now $28pp, so if it really serves 3 people then the pricing is on par with Oo-Kook.
thanks for the answer!
There was only 2 adults and a 5 year old who eats like a super model. We finished everything. But my husband is a notoriously large eater so… You should be fine. You can always order one al la carte, if you think it’s not enough.
We had a chance to visit a couple wonderful places for Korean cuisine.
Mirak
Mirak is famous for Korean Black Goat Stew, which is a funky, soulful meal, and perfect for the times you just want to relax and eat something rustic with friends. 
Mirak’s free Banchan won’t win any awards, but it’s very solid (and bottomless):
Bek Se Ju:
I can’t handle the more popular firewater from Korea, but this drink is delicate and sweet and enjoyable to drink chilled.
Black Goat Stew:
And the reason to visit Mirak arrives at our table. After a few minutes of boiling and stirring, the Black Goat Stew is ready.
There are some wonderful herbs and spices thrown into the stew, but the key is the soft, tender chunks of Stewed Goat. It’s slightly gamey, tender and deeply satisfying and savory. It’s SO GOOD! 
But what might top the Goat Stew is the complimentary Goat Stew Fried Rice that comes at the end of the meal:
Towards the end of the meal, when most of the Black Goat Stew has boiled down and distilled into a more concentrated liquid, you can signal the servers, and they’ll bring over some Rice, Seaweed and other condiments. They then pour it all together in the pot, turn up the heat, and make the Tableside Fried Rice.
The copious amount of Seaweed, the long-distilled Goat Stew concentrate, Kimchi and herbs all combine to make this a true Bowl of pure Umami flavor!
This is one of the most satisfying bites around, rustic, homely, and DELICIOUS! 
Obligatory pics on another visit (a week later, with another group of friends who heard about the visit and demanded to go, LOL ;)):
Dipping Sauce (2):
Mirak
1134 S. Western Ave., Suite A2
Los Angeles, CA 90006
Tel: (323) 732-7577
Soban
I had bookmarked this place for a while, but kept forgetting to try it. After the long discussion on FTC and recommendations, we finally made it out there. Make note to remember the street address because they had no signs in English. We approached the front door, unsure, but then saw an L.A. Times cutout, and figured this must be it.
The most glorious thing at Soban (arguably) is the Free Banchan that arrives before you meal even begins. We were blown away by the variety of the dishes! 
Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew):
This was recommended by @TonyC, and it was quite good. It tasted like the best version of the broth you might have with Korean Soft Tofu Pot (Soondoobu), made with Anchovy Broth, Fish, Clams and Squash.
Galbi Jjim (Braised Beef Short Ribs in Sweet Soy Sauce):
Absolutely DELICIOUS! Mouth-watering, tender morsels of Beef Short Ribs, braised for hours. The Sweet Soy Sauce is sweet and salty, but never cloying. Within the stew are Ginko Nuts, Carrots, Chestnuts and other veggies.
It was so satisfying to eat this with their Multi-Grain Rice. Just really heart-warming food.
On a 2nd visit, we were treated to their generous Free Banchan again:
Their awesome Multi-Grain Rice:
Braised Black Cod:
This was OK. Too many bones in the Black Cod, but flavor-wise it was spicy, briny, and light.
Maeun Galbi Jjim (Braised Spicy Beef Short Ribs):
The Spicy version of their Galbi Jjim we had last time, this was pretty spicy, but not terribly overwhelming. Maybe like a Level 2 at Jitlada. The spiciness really did pair up well with the Braised Beef Short RIbs which were as tender and succulent as the 1st visit.
It’s a very homely, relaxed setting, and the Galbi Jjim at $35 is definitely enough for 2 people (with leftovers), and you get bottomless Banchan which were just splendid!
Soban
4001 W. Olympic Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Tel: (323) 936-9106
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Oh, that all looks mouthwatering. Maybe when the weather cools down! Thanks for the report, as always.
The Goat Stew Fried Rice looks great. What are the lentil looking things with the dipping sauce?
I pass by Soban all the time (it’s my zip code). Who knew. The Banchan is impressive. The Soybean Paste Stew and Sweet Soy Braised Short Ribs 
.
Great out of the ordinary (for me anyway) Korean dishes you selected. Bravo!
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Yah for sure. We went a few weeks back when it was cooler, but I forgot to post it. 
Hope you like it!
Hi @TheCookie,
You will not regret it: The Goat Fried Rice at the end is absurdly delicious.
The lentil-looking things are actually toasted Perilla Seeds (part of the Mint family, although it doesn’t taste like Mint at all). Nutty, slightly crunchy, quite flavorful (they are quite small, that was a zoomed in pic ).
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Love that banchan and spicy galbi jjim at Soban! Also good call on the purple rice – I always opt for that at Korean restaurants. Have you tried the marinated crab (gejang)? It’s their specialty.
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Hi @Bigmouth,
Yah the Banchan is so good! 
I haven’t tried the Crab yet. It’s raw, right? That kinda scares me off.
Are those 2 different kinds of rice at Mirak?
Which one was the Purple Rice?
FWIW. the banchan selection at soban is nowhere near as diverse at lunchtime.
Hi @TheCookie,
No, it’s just a before and after pic.
And the purple rice that was mentioned is just another name for the rice served there. Thanks.
Hi @secretasianman,
Weird. The first visit pictured above, was from Lunch. Not sure why you didn’t get as much Banchan? Maybe they ran out?
i can only speculate - but i got there late and the rest of that particular lunch party may have come across as loud americans - which is pretty much what they were - and they ordered before i got there. i dropped most of those folks from subsequent invitations to lunch in Ktown.
Yes! Along with the galbi jjim, however, it’s their specialty. If you’re unsure about ordering a whole crab, keep your eyes peeled for other Korean places that offer smaller crabs as part of the banchan. A handful do, though I can’t recall which off the top of my head.
The multi-grain rice. We always called it “purple rice” growing up. Many Korean places offer it in addition to white rice.
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Nae Go Hyang
Thanks to Korean restaurant guide on Eater, we found out about this healthy, Handmade Whole Wheat Noodle Specialist in K-Town. Nae Go Hyang has a variety of dishes (even Bossam!), but it seems a lot of people enjoy their Handmade Wheat Noodles and Dumplings the most.
Roasted Barley Tea:
We started with a complimentary cup of their hot Roasted Barley Tea. I love Korean Barley Tea, with its fragrant nuttiness and nice rounded taste.
Complimentary Banchan:
Their free Banchan selection is limited to just 2 items (which seems very sparse), but they are freshly pickled (not too funky) with a nice crispness.
Bunchu Mandoo (Steamed Leek and Pork Dumplings):
Their Handmade Steamed Leek & Pork Dumplings are wonderful. There’s a real, slightly al dente, nice chew to each Dumpling while still being very tender. The Leek & Pork filling is also lightly seasoned, where they encourage you to add however much salt you want via their Light Soy Sauce.
Haemul Kal Gooksoo (Whole Wheat Noodles with Crab, Shrimp, Squid, Clams, Mussels and Vegetables):
The Seafood Noodle Soup is a gentle, lightly briny broth. It is fine, if a bit straightforward. But the ample amount of Seafood is nice. They give you half of an entire Crab, but it is sadly on the smaller side (understandable given the cost), but it makes it too hard to extract much meat out of it unless you are diligent. The Squid, Clams and Mussels are fine, not overcooked.
The Handmade Whole Wheat Noodles are hefty. There’s a good graininess note to them, and thicker than most types of Soup Noodles.
On another visit, we start with:
Mool Mandoo (Boiled Dumplings with Pork, Leeks and Zucchini):
Their Steamed Leek Dumplings were delicious, so we wanted to see how their Boiled Dumplings were. These are very soft, but not mushy. They still retain a gentle, playful chew to them towards the tip. And like their Steamed Leek Dumplings, these are very lightly salted, so you can control how salty you want it with their Soy Sauce, which is nice.
Haemul Jun (Green Onion Griddle Cake with Oysters, Squid, Clams and Shrimp):
I’m always looking for a great Korean Seafood Pancake. Nae’s version is a bit too greasy. 
It has a slight crunch to it, but the inside is also a bit too wet. There is a massive amount of Seafood, though, which is nice.
Yook Gae Jang Kal Gooksoo (Whole Wheat Noodles in a Spicy Beef Broth with Green Onions):
This Spicy Beef Broth wasn’t very beefy, but rather tasted like a more substantial version of a Korean Spicy Tofu Soup (Soon Doo Boo).
The slivers of Shredded Beef were tender, and tasted quite fresh. The Handmade Whole Wheat Noodles were similar to last visit, still with a nice chew, but pliable.
In general Nae Go Hyang feels like a nice place to get lighter, healthier Korean fare. They have an Anchovy & Vegetable Handmade Wheat Noodle Soup that I think I want to try next time.
Nae Go Hyang
3516 W. 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Tel: (213) 381-0022
Hanbat Shul Lung Tang
I haven’t had a great Sul Lung Tang in years, ever since a Korean co-worker took us to a specialist in O.C. So when we heard about Hanbat, a Sul Lung Tang specialist in Koreatown, we had to go!
When you walk in, it’s a total hole-in-the-wall, and packed (always a good sign). 
They serve only 2 items on the menu: Sul Lung Tang (Korean Ox Bone Broth) and Suyuk (Boiled Beef Dish). You can choose which parts of the Cow are part of it.
Banchan:
They only serve 2 simple items for their Banchan appetizers, and both are well-seasoned, lightly spicy and tart.
Mixed Sul Lung Tang (Ox Bone Soup with Beef Brisket, Flank Steak, Intestine, Tripe, Spleen):
When their large piping hot bowl of Ox Bone Soup arrives at the table, it’s a milky white color. A sip of this broth as is might throw you off as it has no added Salt. Instead, as is tradition, you season the Ox Bone Broth yourself, adding ample amounts of Green Onions and however much Salt you’d prefer. The result is this:
Which is fantastic! A beefy, delicate, light Bone Broth starts to come alive with the Green Onions and pinch of Salt. It’s warming, fragrant, and when eaten with some of the Beef Brisket or Flank Steak slivers and the Steamed Rice, it makes for a wonderful lunch that warms you up on the chilly Winter days.
The Mixed Combo comes with bits of Beef Intestine, Spleen and Tripe which are fine, and I’d imagine this is something @theoffalo would love.
You can also order their Sul Lung Tang with just one type of protein if you prefer (e.g., All Beef Brisket Only, etc.). I want to try their Beef Tongue Su Lung Tang next time.
This is easily one of the best, down-to-earth, humble lunches I’ve had in a while. Can’t wait to go back!
Does anyone know if there are places that also serve this with Beef Tendon?
Hours:
7 a.m. - 10 p.m., 7 Days A Week
Hanbat Sul Lung Tang
4163 W. 5th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90020
Tel: (213) 383-9499
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