Koreatown: Eight Korean BBQ

 

Ah, Koreatown, home of so many Korean BBQ spots that I don’t know if even the local chamber of commerce knows how many place there are in the area packed with more restaurants than anywhere else in Los Angeles. Even so, I was surprised I had never heard of Eight Korean BBQ which has been around for seven years!

 

 

They’re best known for their “eight flavors of pork belly” which is conveniently combo A. This includes the original pork belly (non-flavored) along with wine, black sesame, garlic, herb, curry, miso and red pepper paste.

I loved that there was always two piles of kimchi and kimchi bean sprouts on the grill. Not only did you have warm kimchi but it provided a space to rest cooked meat that you don’t necessarily want in your overcrowded bowl/plate.

 

Besides the usual suspects of banchan on the table including a lovely steamed egg, there was a seafood soup. The light broth was great and I loved the crab in this. Do try it in the beginning of the meal rather than the end as some of the seafood may overcook. Though our attentive server always made sure nothing burned at our table.

 

My favorites of the flavored pork belly was the curry! I also liked the miso and red pepper paste. The herb and wine were nice as well. We also tried their beef brisket as an extra dish.

 

At the end of the meal, the seafood pot is replaced with a kimchi fried rice they cook at the table. Eight is known for adding mozzarella with the rice. It makes a very filling meal and reminded me of a good casserole!

Next time I’d like to try combo B which has a nice selection of different cuts of pork including their other specialty, the “flower pork belly” which is pork belly cut to resemble a flower. It looked a bit like a chrysanthemum flower to me. Or perhaps combo C which is a mix of pork and beef. And for the last combo D, you better bring 6 friends with you! It’s a lot of food! As it was, we had leftovers from our small combo A. I say you make yourself more kimchi fried rice and don’t forget to add mozzarella!

 

Eight Korean BBQ

863 S Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90005  —  (213) 365-1750

 

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