Korean Restaurants
#1
Posted 11 November 2005 - 04:00 PM
I'm kind of craving the standby, bibimbop, but also considering bbq, too.
counterintelligence blog
#2
Posted 11 November 2005 - 04:08 PM
MeMc, on Nov 11 2005, 04:00 PM, said:
I'm kind of craving the standby, bibimbop, but also considering bbq, too.
I've still never been to Yee Hwa, but I think that's about your best bet in DC. Woo Lae Oak in Pentagon City is expensive but serves everything you might want. If you feel like trekking to Annandale, try Annangol for BBQ (or Il Mee Buffet if you're really hungry and not so much worried about quality), Choong Hwa Won for Chinese-Korean noodles in black bean sauce, or Gom Ba Woo for good, informal homestyle cooking such as stir-fried kimchi with pork.
Cheers,
Rocks.
#3
Posted 11 November 2005 - 06:40 PM
porcupine, on Nov 11 2005, 06:01 PM, said:
Yeah, I had heard that about the place. I'll likely make the trek to Annandale tomorrow instead. Might as well make it a miniadventure, with my crappy sense of direction.
counterintelligence blog
#4
Posted 11 November 2005 - 06:54 PM
Annandale - Hee Been is pretty good. Choong Hwa Won like Rocks said is good for the black bean noodles (Chinese Korean really).
Closer to Bailey's Crossroads is Han Sung Oak on Columbia Pike (Falls Church, in the shopping center with Harris Teeter), about 5-7 drive from Duangrat's.
Unfortunately I've never had Korean food in the District.
#5
Posted 12 January 2006 - 04:35 PM
jaimetown, on Nov 11 2005, 06:54 PM, said:
Unfortunately I've never had Korean food in the District.
I know this thread says "DC" - so sorry to be a bit off-topic geographically.
Has anyone been to Han Sung Oak? Any thoughts, particularly in contrast to Woo Lae Oak.
Korean food is a fairly new experience for me and I've never been to either place. I'm helping with the planning of a retirement lunch for a coworker who has requested Korean. We're going to have quite a varied group food/palate-wise. I guess what I'm saying is (unfortunately) maybe the less "ethnic", the better in this case
Any reviews/feedback on either place will be appreciated! We'll probably be about 20-25 people and would like to do the tabletop grill thing...
For my own information, I'd love to hear about other authentic places that are recommended. Thanks
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
Wonka/Dahl/O'Shaughnessy
#6
Posted 12 January 2006 - 04:42 PM
#7
Posted 12 January 2006 - 04:47 PM
goldenticket, on Jan 12 2006, 04:35 PM, said:
Do you mean Han Sung in Ellicott City? It doesn't have tabletop grilling, and would have a hard time accommodating that many people in general. ----->clickity
ETA: oops...nevermind...
This post has been edited by crackers: 12 January 2006 - 09:54 PM
#8
Posted 12 January 2006 - 04:51 PM
crackers, on Jan 12 2006, 04:47 PM, said:
No - Han Sung Oak is on Columbia Pike in Falls Church/Annandale -in the Harris Teeter shopping center at Lincolnia Road. (jaimetown mentioned it above)
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
Wonka/Dahl/O'Shaughnessy
#9
Posted 12 January 2006 - 05:33 PM
wahoooob, on Jan 12 2006, 04:42 PM, said:
Sam Woo on the Pike in Rockville is decent. It's not Annandale, but if you're in the neigborhood, it's a nice place.
#10
Posted 12 January 2006 - 07:12 PM
goldenticket, on Jan 12 2006, 04:51 PM, said:
Doesn't anybody eat at the Annandale area Korean places
I know someone out there must have some info.... a Korean friend tried Ill Mee on Sunday and said it was good.
Come on VA folks
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
Wonka/Dahl/O'Shaughnessy
#11
Posted 12 January 2006 - 09:45 PM
goldenticket, on Jan 12 2006, 07:12 PM, said:
I know someone out there must have some info.... a Korean friend tried Ill Mee on Sunday and said it was good.
Il Mee Buffet is sheer quantity at the expense of quality. I discussed a few Annandale establishments in the second post of this thread (scroll up!). Also, if it's comfort-level (translation: Korean BBQ) and quality you're looking for, I would avoid Sorak Garden and go instead to Annangol or Yechon. Last time I visited Yechon, it was 11:30 PM on a weeknight, and there were 20-30 people there. It's the Bistro Francais of Annandale.
If you want to have a warehouse-like atmosphere for your party of 25, you could always try Songbird in Vienna. It isn't particularly good, but it sure is spacious inside - deceptively so.
Cheers,
Rocks
#12
Posted 14 January 2006 - 09:37 PM
porcupine, on Nov 11 2005, 05:01 PM, said:
Oh my, you'll have to join my wife and I some evening for dinner...as she's Korean, she can make sure your Korean dining experience is anything but boring and average.
#13
Posted 14 January 2006 - 09:41 PM
jaimetown, on Nov 11 2005, 06:54 PM, said:
That's true...or a wife that's Korean...
Quote
Hee Been went through a huge expansion and lost a lot in the transition. Hee Been
used to be one of my favorite Korean restaurants..now I find it mediocre at best.
Quote
Han Sung Oak has really good panchan, interesting service (the insist on giving me a fork even though I've been there a 100 times and never asked for or used one), and a really good seafood pancake...it's worth the trek.
Unfortunately I've never had Korean food in the District.
#14
Posted 14 January 2006 - 10:21 PM
According to my Korean dictionary it is called...Warty sea squirt or Styela clava...real appetizing eh? It has to be very fresh to enjoy the real flavor. Many times mi do doks served at restaurants are frozen which does disservice to the "squirt" effect.
Ask for Naengmyun sari, which is the buckwheat noodle used in naeng meun (chilled noodle soup) with the Bulgo gi or Galbi. Once you allow the noodles to soak into the broth that drips from the meat, it will a feast...as with any carb, it soaks liquid (meat drippings... ) rapidly so be haste! Let the noodles heat up and ASAP enjoy the feast!
This post has been edited by crazeegirl: 14 January 2006 - 10:24 PM
#15
Posted 15 January 2006 - 05:54 PM
#16
Posted 15 January 2006 - 11:35 PM
Thanks also for the tips on how to better enjoy the bulgogi! Now I'll be able to impress my coworkers with my Korean dining knowledge
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
Wonka/Dahl/O'Shaughnessy
#17
Posted 15 January 2006 - 11:40 PM
#18
Posted 16 January 2006 - 10:01 AM
DanielK, on Jan 15 2006, 11:40 PM, said:
We can go almost anytime you'd like. Our only proviso is that we have a standing dinner 'date' on Saturday nights. That leaves Monday through Sunday...we were at AnnanGol last night for barbecue. Let's get a list together and we can set a night.
#19
Posted 16 January 2006 - 10:35 AM
Han Sung Oak (goldenticket)
Young's Deli (clchurch)
Yee Hwa (porcupine)
Woo Lae Oak (cheezepowder)
Gom Ba Woo (grover)
Arirang (smokey)
Woomi Garden (deangold)
#20
Posted 29 January 2006 - 04:17 PM
goldenticket, on Jan 12 2006, 05:35 PM, said:
Woo Lae Oak is a very famous restaurant in Seoul City in Korea which combines northern and mid region (Seoul) cuisine. Food from those regions are not spicy.
For your information, those spicy foods you are tasting at the restaurants are almost southern style. Therefore, Wood Lae Oak's food could be described as watered down or more bland than other Korean restaurants food. Woo Lae Oak cold noodles are the best (Pyung Yang style).
Han Sung Oak serves 70's style beef barbecue which boils broth in a ring around the grill for barbecueing (Bulgogi) so the juices from barbecueing are mixed with the broth. After barbecueing you add the buckwheat noodles (Naeng myun sari).
When I was a kid, I ate this way so it is comfort food for me. This style of cooking disappeared in the 80's so when I found Han Sung Oak I was very happy.
I would say this is Han Sung Oak's claim to fame.
Another thing I would like to mention is seafood pancake. A pancake is made of squid, shrimps, mussels, clams and scallions with flour batter.
I would say Han Sung Oak's seafood pancake is the best among Korean restaurants in DC metro area.
Other dishes are similar among all Korean restaurants. Each restaurant seems to specialize in some specific dish.
I hope this will help you out.
Sheila Graham
#21
Posted 30 January 2006 - 06:18 PM
How do YOU judge a good Korean restaurant?
Sheila Graham
#22
Posted 30 January 2006 - 06:28 PM
grover, on Jan 30 2006, 06:18 PM, said:
How do YOU judge a good Korean restaurant?
If the duk mandoo guk is good and there is a lot of panchan, I'm happy.
#23
Posted 30 January 2006 - 08:44 PM
Escoffier, on Jan 30 2006, 07:28 PM, said:
Good point!!
Mandoo (dumplings) is very labor intensive to prepare.
I made dumpling soup (mandoo guk) for Chinese New Year and it took more than 3 hours.
It takes at least 3 hours to make the beef broth and 2 hours for preparing the stuffing and wrapping the dumplings.
Therefore, if a Korean restaurant serves good dumpling soup, then it definitely is a good restaurant.
Sheila Graham
#24
Posted 30 January 2006 - 08:49 PM
grover, on Jan 30 2006, 08:44 PM, said:
Mandoo (dumplings) is very labor intensive to prepare.
I made dumpling soup (mandoo guk) for Chinese New Year and it took more than 3 hours.
It takes at least 3 hours to make the beef broth and 2 hours for preparing the stuffing and wrapping the dumplings.
Therefore, if a Korean restaurant serves good dumpling soup, then it definitely is a good restaurant.
I have a question that has bothered me for a while. I know that rice is served with some soups. You add the rice to some of the soups and not for others. How do you know which soup you should add the rice to?
#25
Posted 30 January 2006 - 09:05 PM
Quote
Crazeegirl mentioned the Naengmyun sari and asking for them to go with the Bulgogi broth... So, do you put them into the liquid that is in the "trough" around the grill? Just wondering what the protocol is for getting them into the broth.
Also, I ordered bibimbap at a restaurant in NYC and it was served with a raw egg on top of it, to be stirred into the hot rice/veg, etc. where it cooked from the heat of the dish. At Han Sung Oak last week, bibimbap came with a fried egg on top
This post has been edited by goldenticket: 30 January 2006 - 09:09 PM
We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams.
Wonka/Dahl/O'Shaughnessy
#26
Posted 30 January 2006 - 09:20 PM
#27
Posted 31 January 2006 - 08:42 AM
Escoffier, on Jan 30 2006, 09:49 PM, said:
It is very difficult to answer....
There is no clear line between stew and soup in Korean cuisine.
However, you can distinguish them through tasting.
If the soup is clear, not salty and looks like broth, then it is soup [guk in Korean language].
If the soup is thick, spicy and salty, then it is stew [chigeh in Korean language].
(There is an exception -- Spicy beef soup [Yuk ge Jahng])
Another tip, guk is served per person on the table but only a chigeh is served on the table so you can share it with family.
So, when you get a soup, you can put the rice in the soup but Koreans usually don't put the rice in the stew. How much I confuse you now?
This post has been edited by grover: 31 January 2006 - 11:30 AM
Sheila Graham
#28
Posted 31 January 2006 - 09:07 AM
goldenticket, on Jan 30 2006, 10:05 PM, said:
When you order Bulgogi with Naengmyun sari, the wait staff will know the time to bring and cook it for you. FYI, when you finish 3/4 or 2/3 of Bulgogi on the grill, it is good time to ask Naengmyun sari if the wait staff forgets to bring it.
goldenticket, on Jan 30 2006, 10:05 PM, said:
Actually Han Sung Oak served correct way. It's quite odd to hear that the restaurant in NYC served you a raw egg with bibimbap. I tried to interprete it this way: You probably ordered Dol Sot Bibimbap (bibimbap in the hot stone pot) so a raw egg can be cooked inside. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Dol sot bibimbap is not the traditional way to serve. It was developed for commercial purpose in 80's from the rice cooked in hot stone pot (this one is traditional).
Traditional bibimbap is served in the big bowl with rice, veggies, marinated ground beef and egg toping (neither a raw egg nor a sunny side up egg -- I'll explain later when you come to Korean dinner)
This post has been edited by grover: 31 January 2006 - 09:28 AM
Sheila Graham
#29
Posted 31 January 2006 - 09:12 AM
grover, on Jan 30 2006, 07:18 PM, said:
How do YOU judge a good Korean restaurant?
I'm a big yuk gae jang person, so that's how I judge how good a Korean restaurant is. Incidentally, I make a pretty good yuk gae jang at home as well...
This post has been edited by mxyzptlk: 31 January 2006 - 09:12 AM
#30
Posted 31 January 2006 - 09:23 AM
goldenticket, on Jan 30 2006, 09:05 PM, said:
no "Amercanized" bibimbap for you
edited. since grover beat me to the post (see above)!
extra info: bibimbap was invented to pretty much utilize all unused leftover side dishes in kitchen. who would have thought it would become a gourmet dish in some restaurants?
This post has been edited by jjshyne: 31 January 2006 - 09:56 AM
#31
Posted 31 January 2006 - 09:48 AM
grover, on Jan 30 2006, 06:18 PM, said:
How do YOU judge a good Korean restaurant?
Kimchi is definitely a good way to tell. I also look at the rest of the banchan to see the variety and how complex the side dishes are. Kimchi chigeh and Daenjang (miso) chigeh are also very good indicators.
#32
Posted 31 January 2006 - 10:31 AM
#33
Posted 31 January 2006 - 12:12 PM
xdcx, on Jan 31 2006, 10:31 AM, said:
a man after my own (greedy little gastronomic) heart. Gotta love pajun. A vital ingredient in the upcoming Korean dinner.
#34
Posted 25 February 2007 - 10:12 AM
#35
Posted 27 February 2007 - 02:25 PM
#36
Posted 27 February 2007 - 04:35 PM
cheezepowder, on Feb 27 2007, 02:25 PM, said:
I am not sure my answer would be helpful for you. So far, I can't find any Korean take-out place except Cheo-Ga-Jip chicken in Annandale (but their side dishes are very limited). The place like Gom-Ba-Woo, Gamasot or Light House (Vit-Go-Ul Tofu) does accept take-out orders in VA. I saw some people did take-out at Myongdong Noodle.
Sheila Graham
#37
Posted 27 February 2007 - 07:00 PM
Diwiddie, you should try Vit Goel on Twinbrook Parkway. We were taken there by a Korean friend a few weeks ago.
We had the following: We had i) gool soon-du-bu: oyster tofu soups (spicyness: medium), ii) hae-mul pa-jeon: seafood pancake, iii) jjoo-kkoo-mi gook-su: spicy noodle with baby octopus and iv) Popeye Galbi: BBQ ribs.
Everything was fantastic but the seafood pancake and bbq ribs really stood out.
#38
Posted 27 February 2007 - 07:49 PM
grover, on Feb 27 2007, 04:35 PM, said:
Thanks, that's helpful. I'll try take-out from one of those VA restaurants sometime.
Edited to add: Oh, I did get take-out once from Il Mee some years ago for lunch. I think they charged by weight for the buffet, but with the raw meats on the buffet, take-out didn't quite work so well because I didn't want to get take-out but still have to cook at home.
#39
Posted 16 April 2007 - 08:58 AM
#40
Posted 13 November 2008 - 08:08 PM
Soup, on Nov 13 2008, 07:42 PM, said:
There are pretty good places in Annadale. Went to Seoul SoonDae today. It was really good. Got hot steaming bowl of korean sausage soup. YUM.
I'm hoping we could organize $20 Tuesday around mid december in koreatown. To Sok Jip, Yaechun, Lighthouse tofu, annangol, honeypig are all pretty solid places. BTW, I was at yaechun last friday and had a solid lunch. I'm not saying they are the best korean place in DC but they've been consistant and solid for so long you have to give them some credit.
Soup's post reminded me that I drove by Palace Restaurant in Annandale the other day and was wondering if folks here have tried it?
#41
Posted 06 April 2009 - 11:14 AM
I have often been tempted by Annandale's Korean scene, but I live in Gaithersburg right now and getting to Northern Virginia can be a pain at the best of times.
So if I am planning to visit a few places in Annandale every week or so for a month, where should I go? Variety would be nice but not absolutely necessary!
rob t.
#42
Posted 06 April 2009 - 11:48 AM
Oe Gad Gib for soups like the chicken with ginseng and shared dishes like bo ssam accompanied by Dong Doong Ju. Have a designated driver!!!
Ye Chon mostly for their panchan. Wide variety of fairly good quality across the baord, but not a killer spot for anything in particular.
Gamasot for tang and guks and su yuk
Can't remember tha name, but you should try a Korean Chinese palce. There are two I know of and both seem good but Grover may be more discerning.
Gom Ba Woo. Again, a lot of variety.
Restaurant & Enoteca in Cleveland Park
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#43
Posted 06 April 2009 - 12:07 PM
In NOVA, there is a Korean-Chinese restaurant called Jang-Won Bahn Jom but this place can't beat the one in MD.
I don't know how many people you are going to bring. Honey Pig and Oe Gad Jib are for the bigger group than 2. Gamasot is very clean and quiet. You will enjoy any kind of soups. I recommend short rib soup (Kalbi Tang) or spicy Kalbi Tang.
Yechon has wonderful dumpling soup. For formal Korean dinner, I would go to Han-Sung Oak.
Please PM me if you need further information.
Sheila Graham
#44
Posted 06 April 2009 - 12:23 PM
grover, on Apr 6 2009, 01:07 PM, said:
Beltsville is no closer to Gaithersburg than Annandale.
#45
Posted 06 April 2009 - 12:35 PM
#46
Posted 06 April 2009 - 01:23 PM
sphere777, on Apr 6 2009, 01:35 PM, said:
#47
Posted 06 April 2009 - 01:34 PM
Gamasot-(6963 Hechinger Dr)-I love their sul lung tang.
Han Sung Oak (6341 Columbia Pike)-has very good bbq, flavorful and juicy.
Chung Dai Kam (7215 Columbia Pike)-the only place that uses charcoal for their bbq. Its attached to To Sok Jip with a cow sign.
Todam Soon Doo Boo (7133 Columbia Pike)-A brand new restaurant specializes in tofu stew. Its almost identicle to lighthouse tofu, but its cleaner, brighter, serves more banchan.
Bon Chon Chicken (6653 Little River Turnpike)-If you never had Korean fried chicken, you should definitely come here. I took a friend from NYC here, and she loved it so much that she went on a Korean fried chicken binge when she got home. Her verdict was Bon Chon in Annandale still beats all the places in NYC.
You can also try some Korean desert places afterwards
The three big ones are Le Martin de Paris (7326 Littlr River Turnpike), Shilla (7039 Little River Turnpike), and Dolce (7203 Little River Turnpike). Dolce is the most upscale of the three.
#48
Posted 06 April 2009 - 01:50 PM
For Bon Chon chicken, it takes 30-40 minutes to fry chicken pieces in order to make them crispy. It might be a good idea to order on the phone while you are on the way in order to save your time. Click here for Bon Chon Chicken Menu. There are 2 different flavors: Soy sauce and Spicy. Please come to our Spring picnic. We are going to have Fried Chicken Tasting and I will bring Bon Chon and Cheogajip fried chicken. Try Yo Fruit for your dessert course. It would be fantastic in Summer.
Sheila Graham
#49
Posted 06 April 2009 - 03:22 PM
ema, on Apr 6 2009, 02:34 PM, said:
Restaurant & Enoteca in Cleveland Park
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#50
Posted 06 April 2009 - 03:45 PM


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