Original Ka Chi (Kenshington market)

Sundubu Jjigae

Silken tofu stew delivered bubbling in a stone pot, the broth richly spiced with gochugaru and finished with egg — the city's standard-setter for this dish

Dolsot Bibimbap

Mixed rice and vegetables served in a searing stone bowl that crisps the bottom layer into a crackly nurungji crust — order the stone pot version, not the regular bowl

Doenjang Jjigae

Fermented soybean paste stew with zucchini and tofu, humble and deeply savory in the way only a well-maintained doenjang base can be

Kimchi Jjigae

Slow-cooked kimchi stew with pork, the fermented funk mellowed into something rich and warming — best when the kimchi is well-aged

Japchae

Glass noodles stir-fried with vegetables and beef, a reliable version of a Korean classic that holds up as a side or light main