Korean in South Florida

4933 N. University Dr. Lauderhill

954-999-0603

Perhaps the best-known section of University Drive in Lauderhill is South Florida's very own Koreatown, home to a handful of the county's best barbecue restaurants and specialty markets. At the center of it all is Gabose Pocha, a 14-year-old restaurant that's the original landmark. There's more to Korean food than just barbecue, and Gabose owners Susan and Fred Kim aim to show you that with their newest concept. Styled after a traditional Korean pub, it's Susan's interpretation of a Korean pojangmacha, a type of tarp-covered street bar that sprang up after the country's liberation from Japan in 1945. Here you won't find yourself in a makeshift tent, but you will discover that many of the items are sourced straight from Korea, including the metal dishes, cups, even the gas-lit tables where you're seated. Adding to the experience are the servers, who converse softly in Korean; a fish tank housing live sea snails that gurgles near the exposed kitchen; and spunky Korean pop music in the background. Start with the fresh-catch offerings like nakji (Korean octopus), abalone, and sea cucumber. These are sold at market price and delivered from Korea. Follow up with samgyeopsal, or barbecued pork belly, cooked in a steel pan at your table so you can watch fat slowly caramelize to a gooey-sweet gummy sauce. Pair it all with a shot or two of soju. Or try Fred's shrubs, a Korean cocktail made from fermented fruit, vinegar, and Korea's distilled rice liquor.

1 article

Gabose Restaurant

4991 N. University Dr. Lauderhill

954-572-4800

Korean, Critics' Pick, Best Of, Menu

Navigating Gabose's expansive, meandering menu, with its myriad of Korean titles, food photos, and strange-sounding offerings, is only slightly less challenging than pronouncing the place's name. Rather than be intimidated, just read the descriptions, point to the numbers, and await your authentic, delectable, spunky, sparkling fresh, and well-priced Korean cuisine. Tangsuyuk is an accessible entry point, a mound of battered, crunchily fried pork balls in a sweet, tart apple-based sauce. Dolsot bibimbap will surely appeal to those who like eating the crunchy, caramelized rice that sticks to the bottom of the pot when the cook leaves it on the stove for too long. When making bibimbap, that crust is created purposefully by cooking the rice, along with vegetables, chopped beef, and egg, in a scorching-hot stone pot.

6 articles

Izziban Sushi & BBQ

7225 W. Oakland Park Blvd. Lauderhill

954-368-6767

Sushi, Japanese, Korean, Menu, Slideshow

3 articles

Japan Hill/Da Mee Rak

7225 W. Oakland Park Blvd., Sunrise Plantation

954-572-9197

Japanese, Korean, Sushi, Recommended

This Korean-owned Japanese restaurant is an elegant surprise on the inside, and not just because the décor is attractive. Soups can be so-so and appetizers iffy. But sushi, especially white tuna, is reliably good. And the Korean barbecue, grilled right at the table, is tantalizing. Be sure to request the Korean menu and a grill table when you walk in, though, or all you're bound to see is some raw fish.

2 articles

Manna Korean BBQ Restaurant

4966 N. University Dr. Lauderhill

954-748-6088

Korean, Critics' Pick

Korea is not home to one homogenous cultural cuisine but has diverse culinary regions and traditions. Manna in Lauderhill offers Seoul-style cuisine known for its lighter, less pungent flavors. Based off of old family recipes, Young and Tae Kho make the same healthy fare that they make at home. Bulgogi, thinly sliced marinated sirloin is served on a sizzling skillet between sliced onion and a sprinkling of scallions. A wide assortment of banchan, ranging from spicy kimchee and bok choy to savory fish cakes to vegetable pancakes, are offered on the side. Less common is the Japchae, stir-fried vegetables, thinly sliced beef, and dangmyeon (a version of glass noodles made from sweet potatoes) flavored with soy and sesame -- a traditional dish served on holidays. Korean barbecue is available, but alas, you can't cook it yourself at the table; instead, it's prepared by the kitchen. No matter what you chose, though, there's no going wrong. It's old-fashioned home cooking, just like your Korean mama used to make.

Myung Ga Tofu & BBQ Restaurant

1944 Weston Rd. Weston

954-349-7337

Korean, Barbecue, Recommended, Best Of, Menu

Myung Ga Tofu and BBQ Restaurant is a Korean restaurant but not really a Korean barbecue restaurant: no grills built into the tables, no ventilation hoods overhead. What it serves is authentic Korean comfort food, just like mom used to make. The warm, wood-toned space is filled with Korean families passing along fajita-like platters of bulgoki (spicy, thin-shredded pork) and vegetable-filled pancakes the size of Frisbees. Unlike "small plates" restaurants where people share little bites, sharing huge plates seems pretty much a necessity here. Not only are the portion sizes huge but Myung Ga provides a wide array of banchan - small bowls of vegetables like kimchi or sesame-dressed bean sprouts - with each meal. These banchan are meant to be served as accompaniments to each dish, but they also create a lavish spread on each table.

6 articles

U-Know Korean Bistro

290 S. State Road 7 Davie/West Hollywood

954-962-9929

Korean, Best Of, Menu

1 article

Korean in South Florida

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