Dish of the Month (DoTM) – MAY 2016 – KOREAN

Hi @paranoidgarliclover,

Yah for sure. We went a few weeks back when it was cooler, but I forgot to post it. :wink:

Hope you like it!

Hi @TheCookie,

You will not regret it: The Goat Fried Rice at the end is absurdly delicious. :slight_smile:

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 :slight_smile:).

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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! :slight_smile:

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. :slight_smile:

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. :slight_smile:

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. :frowning: 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. :slight_smile:

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! :slight_smile:

When you walk in, it’s a total hole-in-the-wall, and packed (always a good sign). :wink: 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. :blush:

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. :slight_smile:

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! :slight_smile:

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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Also had sulungtang but at Han Yang in Buena Park (OC). Great stomachs eat alike. I prefer Han Bat’s more in depth and stronger BUT the mustard green kimchi is one of the best banchans in my non-Korean opinion. The bittersweet pairs well with the kimchi spice. I wish I had a tub of this mustard green kimchi.

Also the post-dumpling DAT SMELLY LEEK LEEK BURPS THO!!!

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Smells like a natural gas leak (not so bad IMO)… Asian-ness rating: Upped.

Jinsol Gukbap.

Pork soup. $10. Generous amount of pork belly in the soup. Not as rich as a ramen broth and not as light as chicken soup. Add your own seasonings:


Only need 1-2 spoonfuls of these for salt. Add some black pepper, chives, and break up the chilli paste for flavor. Great deal, and great service,

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Buil Sam Gye Tang


Chicken Soup For The Soul. Salt and pepper at tableside. One small cornish hen stuffed with rice that has yams, garlic, green onion, and red dates. Some ginseng as well. Dark meat with the rice, so good. NICE owners, not as nice as Jun Won, but very nice service. Hell yeah I come back!!
The banchan had a banging kimchi radish!

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Nice. I just had that little rice stuffed hen/ ginseng dish as well for lunch… wonderful on a cold rainy day… completely stuffed right now, burping up rice.

Myung Dong Noodle House. We’ve gone there maybe 25 times this year for lunch.

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Nice @Nemroz. :slight_smile:

That seems like a huge portion; is that ideally for 2 or 3 people?

Thanks.

It’s a close up. It’s no bigger than my head. Everyone eats one by themselves there, but Koreans eat like hungry wolves from my observations

Thanks. Good to know! :slight_smile: