Dining out on Buford Hwy: So Kong Dong Tofu House
Winter arrived this week and I had a friend in from D.C. who was dying to hit Buford Hwy. I wanted to try someplace new, so I dug out the OLD Best Dish List (from 2011) to find So Kong Dong Tofu House. All of Buford Highway great finds are in strip malls, and this is no different, located inside the perimeter and tucked into a corner.
This Korean place is short on creature comforts and ceremony. They will get you in and out of the restaurant in short order (and ask you to give up your table for other diners when you've completed your meal). Don't let this bother you - you're coming for the food, not for a leisurely meal!
I was here for the kimchi and pork tofu soup; after only one visit, this menu is DEFINITELY worth exploring.
To start, the banchan (small Korean side dishes) is FABULOUS! The picture below also shows the biminbap, but the other six small dishes are part of the banchan.The fried mackerel (?) comes unadorned and may not look appealing, but it's worth breaking apart with your hands or chopsticks and getting to the amazing meat! DELISH!I also loved the Jap Chase which is a stir-fried noodle. Even the broccoli dish had kick and flavor.However, the main event was the real star of the meal. LOVED the soup. The server brings it out to you on a wheeled cart and it comes bubbling in its own little cauldron visually screaming "FLAVOR!!!"Mmmmm. I ordered mine "spicy" which the waitress promised wouldn't be too hot. It was perfect!
My friend ordered the biminbap which was solid, but not as fabulous as the one at Woo Nam Jeong Stone Bowl House. I like a more crispy rice at the bottom!Still, if you're looking for new BH dining spots, you need to try this place! Next time I'll be ordering one of their pancakes and maybe the ribs.
Can't wait!