Alex J.
Yelp
A few years ago we, unknowingly, stopped by Sun Nong Dan and weren't big fans because of how tough the short ribs were. But when we decided to stop by this place, we realized it was right next door and hoped for better and, luckily, had a much better meal!
We came around 12:30 and only a few tables were taken so we sat right away. A younger, non-Korean guy helped us and he was kind except when we ordered, I pointed to the "maeun cheese galbijim" on the sign posted on the wall, then he said the short rib on the menu is better . . I didn't have a chance to see the price difference - a $30 increase - and I wasn't sure what the difference was with meat since the name looked the same, but we went ahead and ordered it. So the only real negative I have is the communication and ordering process, because with that big of a price difference it would have been nice to know why it was "better".
Anyways, we also ordered a kimchi pancake that arrived first along with the banchan. Banchan was great - the favorites being the kimchi, cucumbers, adn fishcakes! And they have a kick which was nice!
The pancake was delicious - it came out fluffy yet so crispy on the edges and it was a good size to share. They had a sauce for it specifically but it was a bit too salty to use more of.
Then came the short ribs covered in cheese and torched at the table. it's a big plate and we definitely had leftovers. I went for the short rib first and immediately noticed how tender and soft the meat was! It fell right off the bone but fair warning - there's a thick skin underneath that can get tough so you have to tear away the meat from the membrane, once you get through that you're free to indulge!
And the sauce was so good, thick, rich, flavorful, it was amazing. We were using up that sauce with the rice like no other. The bowl comes with soft potatoes and carrots and perfectly cooked onions. There is also thick tteokboki spread throughout!
Overall, a solid spot we would be happy to return to.