Jinsol Gukbap

In Koreatown, there are dozens of casual, somewhat homey Korean restaurants serving traditional comfort foods like naengmyeon, bibimbap and galbi platters, but Jinsol Gukbap (two locations in Koreatown, plus others in Rowland Heights and Buena Park) also offers the city’s best version of gukbap, a slightly cloudy pork belly noodle soup that’s seasoned to taste and served alongside radish kimchi, cabbage kimchi, chives and a tiny bowl of onion, jalapeno and doenjang (fermented soybean paste). Their other dishes, however, are just as skilfully executed, particularly the kimchi stew, spicy naengmyeon and family-style jjimdak, or braised chicken with vegetables. In years past, I would have also recommended the leek pancake, but I’ve found the consistency to have faltered as of late—so skip that as an appetizer in favor of the soondae. If you’re looking for a cozy, nourishing bowl of soup or just an all-around excellent Korean restaurant that doesn’t revolve around barbecue, this is the place to be.