Dr. Atkins Dream Restaurant

This post is dedicated to my Korean cousin, not sure if she wants me to name names, so I won't.  She helped me(the white chick in the family) to understand the finer points of Korean BBQ, such as what the different side items were, how to use them, and what to expect from the servers.  Some of my favorite memories from Atlanta are when we would get all the cousins together to enjoy hours of KBBQ followed by our favorite asian bakery for dessert.  Ah, memories!  I usually had to be rolled home after the food coma ensued.  So I knew of course, that I would need some Korean BBQ in my life once we moved to LA, and I think we found a great spot!

For those of you who don't know, Korean BBQ is basically large plates of marinated raw meat brought to your table, that you cook on your own stove which is usually located in the middle of your table.  This is accompanied by a plethora of side dishes that tends to change from place to place.  But you can usually count on some type of pickled radish, rice paper, jalapenos and garlic and a salad.  So tasty!  

Which leads me to the restaurant we found.  Located on Wilshire Blvd is the Tahoe Galbi Korean BBQ Restaurant.  Pretty typical of what you would expect from a KBBQ place.  Lots of family style seating, most tables can hold up to 8 people.  Pretty large facility, including private dining areas for reservation.  But we usually just show up and enjoy.  I would suggest going with a group of at least 3-4 people to make the experience fun.  And don't go on a Saturday unless you are ok with a good long wait.  It is PACKED on the weekends.  One good thing?  Valet parking in a secured lot.  Very nice!

There are a ton of meat choices.  From seafood, to your typical pork and beef, to the more exotic tripe and tongue, you can find plenty of options here.  My personal favorite is the bbq pork.  It has a really great flavor to the marinate, and is just the right balance of marbling and meat.  So savory!  The other great thing they do, which my cousin taught us they should ALWAYS do, is regularly change out the grill plate for you.  Makes sense, since most people don't want to cook new meat on greasy caked on old meat that is now stuck to your grill. 

 My only complaint with this place, is that service can be really really slow sometimes.  I understand that it is a large restaurant, and there usually isn't one dedicated waiter for your table.  There is a door bell that rings and flashes your table number on a screen in the servers area.  Whenever you need something you just ring that bell, and they should come right over.  Sometimes you have to ring several times.  But, when the conversation is going strong, and there is plenty of soju on the table this is easy to overlook.  

All in all, a great price for all you can eat BBQ, plenty of meat and seafood choices, and a generally fun atmosphere.  I really enjoy going to Tahoe Galbi, but we usually reserve it for when we have guests in town and want to take them somewhere special.  If you are curious and have never had KBBQ before, be adventurous!  It is truly a delicious experience.  For those of you who know, check out Tahoe Galbi, I think you would be pleasantly surprised.  For those of you know REALLY know your KBBQ, do you have a place to you really enjoy?  I would love to hear your feedback on the local carnivore scene.  

Until next time, Guten Appetit!