
10

"I step into a diner where the rich scent of caramelized onions and peppery chicken lingers over a counter lined with postcards from Bali to Ukraine, and regulars rise from barstools to embrace the familiar fog of the Inner Sunset. It’s been a Korean American hash brown sandwich dealer since 1989; after a pandemic closure, new owners Chol and Young Lee (with their son Joe serving) took over in February 2021 and kept both the Korean offerings and the classic toast-and-coffee crowd. The phenomenal hash brown sandwiches are the major crowd-pleasers: the dakgogi hash brown sandwich is an umami-filled triumph with a light sprinkling of cheddar that locks in the sweet-and-spicy chicken, and bulgogi and hot link sausage sandwiches (plus the “samurai” bulgogi three-egg omelet) round out the menu. They share outdoor seating with neighbor Fresca, and though that parklet could change, they remain known for infusing Korean food into a diner menu while being famous for their hash browns—a true worlds-colliding, two-birds-one-stone situation." - Paolo Bicchieri