Soondol Tofu House 순돌이네

Soondol Tofu Brings a Build-Your-Own Stew Spot to Koreatown in Time for Soup Season | Eater LA

"On Sixth Street, the new Korean restaurant Soondol Tofu, which opened in early September and took over the now-closed 365, offers shareable soups and stews cooked tableside in a shallow pot: the opening menu features three broth bases — a spicy red pepper that resembles a classic soondubu, a nutty perilla powder, and a spicy kimchi stew — and a variety of add-ons. I found meat options priced at $7 (beef, daechang/large intestine, salted pollock roe, and seafood), toppings like stir-fried kimchi and soft tofu for $5, dumplings, tteok, and an egg for $3 each, and noodles (ramen, udon, and sujebi) for $3. A server brings the ingredients to the table, pours a rich, milky oxtail broth over them, and lets it simmer — with the server refilling the broth as it cooks down so the stew becomes thicker and richer — a communal, tableside style common in Seoul. Meals come with banchan such as marinated bean sprouts and cooked zucchini and a side of purple rice. In addition to the shareable stews, Soondol serves a la carte sides including steamed tofu with kimchi, stir-fried daechang, Korean fried chicken, and buchujeon (chive pancake); the restaurant is in the process of getting its license to serve beer and soju. It also offers a weekday lunch special (Monday–Friday) for $17.99 with a choice of Korean fried chicken, pork cutlet, bulgogi, or stir-fried pork and either soondubu or kimchi stew, and is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m." - Rebecca Roland