Seong Buk Dong

Seongbukdong Review: Koreatown’s Enduring Comfort Food Haven Is Halmoni Cooking at Its Finest | Eater LA

"Serving a varied menu of Korean comfort food classics for nearly two decades, this Koreatown mainstay offers some of the best galbi-jjim, fried fish, and banchan in Los Angeles in a no-frills, expanded dining room that’s well-suited for both small and large groups. The food leans into the essence of Korean homestyle cooking from Gyeongsang-do, reflected in dishes like spicy braised mackerel (godeungeo jorim) made with mukeunji, or very-aged kimchi, served in a small, beat-up metal pot that feels like it came from a Korean grandmother’s cabinet, with deeply umami flavors that complement the oily, intense fish and thick discs of softened radish that soak up the sauce. Tender short ribs arrive in soy or spicy versions, but servers steer you toward the classic non-spicy galbi-jjim, with melt-in-your-mouth chunks of beef short rib in a balanced braising liquid studded with bite-sized pieces of carrot and potato. Fried yellow corvina, served two to an order, challenges your chopsticks skills as you pry out flaky, salty pieces that are perfect over hot rice with a few bites of kimchi, embodying true halmoni food. The restaurant is best for quiet, satisfying meals with family and friends, where conversation is the main soundtrack aside from distant kitchen sounds and the clinking of plateware, as there’s little in the way of decor or curated ambience. An insider move is to grab a Korean-flavored popsicle from the small fridge up front for a sweet finish, especially since most Korean restaurants don’t serve dessert." - Matthew Kang