Seoul Garden (Los Angeles)

I've eaten in Koreatown in LA dozens if not hundreds of times. One of my favorite places remains Seoul Garden, a hot pot joint specializing in what Koreans call "Genghis Khan" hot pot. Amusing name aside, the food is a refreshing change of pace from the BBQ and tofu pots that dominate the Korean culinary landscape.

After the usual panchan (Korean appetizers), a Mongolian style hot pot is brought to the table and placed on the built-in burner. 

The meat, sliced thin like at most hot pot places, arrives arranged on a large tray. This is a two person portion, which was enough for four. We always order beef, although pork, chicken, and turkey are also available.

Then comes a large tray of vegetables: napa cabbage, green onions, perilla leaves, tofu, enoki mushrooms, fish cake, and agar agar jelly. The dining experience is as follows:

1. Cook the meat and vegetables in the broth at your leisure.
2. When you are finished, the server brings udon to the table, cooks it in the broth, and serves it to you.
3. The server mixed a bowl of rice into the remaining broth, cracks in a raw egg and a bowl of crushed toasted seaweed, and the rice cooks into a thick porridge as you eat your udon. 
4. If you are still hungry after these three courses, order a bowl of spicy noodles to share. 

Because the meal consists largely of sliced vegetables and broth, "Genghis Khan" is actually a really light and refreshing meal if you order judiciously. It's wonderful comfort food; if you haven't tried it yet I highly recommend it!