Oken

The Best Dishes Eater San Francisco’s Editors Ate in October | Eater SF

"After a standout meal like the one I recently experienced at this cozy, triangle-shaped Oakland spot, it’s hard to pick just one highlight, but the hwe dup bap was a definite standout. Chef Albert Ok deftly weaves Korean, Japanese, and other Asian influences: Koshihikari rice forms the base, with shredded lettuces layered with ocean trout, shiso and perilla leaves, a hit of sesame oil, and crumbles of nori, all arriving in a golden metal bowl. A thoughtful sidecar of salmon roe keeps the orbs intact during mixing and lets me add light (or heavy) pops of roe to taste. Shoulder to shoulder with other diners at the communal table, I happily ate my way through bites and would go back in a heartbeat—if the chilled somen is on the menu, I heartily recommend that, as well as the yukhwe onigiri." - Paolo Bicchieri