Yuk Dae Jang
Korean restaurant · Koreatown ·
Spicy beef soup, pork belly, and comfort eats in a relaxed eatery
Spicy beef soup, pork belly, and comfort eats in a relaxed eatery
"There are more than 220 YukDaeJang stores in Korea, with five in Southern California and just one in the SGV. Especially during the pandemic, I feel like I should eat mostly at tiny family-owned or independent shops, but there’s a reliability to this place that makes me happy. That means galbi jjim (beef short ribs), bossam (pork belly), and the namesake of yukgaejang (spicy shredded brisket stew in an ox bone broth) with toothsome ahjumma-made pasta that I can count on. When that ox bone flavor hits you, you realize that this place is all about the juice. With a small outdoor seating tent, this is a reliable spot to gather with your pod - when you’re done, pop over to Bopomofo Cafe for a refreshing boba from YouTube star Phil Wang." - dakota kim
"This popular Seoul restaurant chain has already established itself in Korea with over 200 branches and several in the greater Los Angeles area, including in Koreatown. The first San Diego outpost sits off Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, quickly establishing itself as a local favorite with returning customers making up more than half the clientele since it opened last year. The restaurant specializes in yukgaejang, a Korean stew made with shredded beef brisket and vegetables in a spicy bone broth with ramen or thick noodles. Also on the menu is the wildly popular bossam, boiled pork belly marinated in the house-made secret sauce for 24 hours that sells out so often that the kitchen makes two to three batches a day. On warm days, cool down with the brisket cold soup with buckwheat noodles." - Helen I. Hwang
"It’s hard not to feel an indecisive pull when driving up to this plaza with some of San Gabriel’s best Korean and Chinese restaurants, including a Bonchon fried chicken and the famous Hui Tou Xiang Noodles. But stay focused and head for Yuk Dae Jang. An outdoor tent lets you sit outside to sweat it out and savor the cold, sweet broth in the hot weather. A Korean chain from the motherland, this place’s specialty - yukgaejang - has an influence on its naengmyeon. Instead of brisket slices, this naengmyeon is topped with long, shredded strands of beef that resemble pulled pork. Mu radish is sliced extra-thin and spicy here, and the ice is plentiful in the broth." - dakota kim
"Yukgaejang is a spicy, rich Korean soup made with brisket, mushrooms, bean sprouts, and scallions in bone broth, and it’s been perfected at this small, no-frills spot. The menu is limited (printed on a single laminated sheet with pictures), featuring just a few variations of yukgaejang (original, with noodles, or with tofu), as well as handmade steamed pork dumplings, pork belly with a side of kimchi, and cold buckwheat noodle soup. "
"There are more than 220 Yuk Dae Jang stores in Korea, with five in Southern California and just one in the SGV. Especially during the pandemic, I feel like I should eat mostly at tiny family-owned or independent shops, but there’s a reliability to this place that makes me happy. That means galbi jjim (beef short ribs), bossam (pork belly), and the namesake of yukgaejang (spicy shredded brisket stew in an ox bone broth) with toothsome ahjumma-made pasta that I can count on. When that ox bone flavor hits you, you realize that this place is all about the juice. With a small outdoor seating tent, this is a reliable spot to gather with your pod - when you’re done, pop over to Bopomofo Cafe for a refreshing boba from YouTube star Phil Wang. photo credit: Andrea D'Agosto" - Dakota Kim
