G Wiv wrote:San Soo Gab San has redecorated, no more private booths. Personally, I prefer the new open look, I found the old set up a wee bit claustrophobic.

i don't really know what the private booths were like... but post-remodel, we sat at a regular table where the table was split in half by a big wooden divider. i couldn't see the people next to us unless i leaned back and looked over. it felt pretty private to me...

I just posted a similar note on Best Things...
I wanted something relatively healthy for lunch today so I stopped at TTOWA The bulgogi was bursting with flavor and the smell had me drooling all the way back to the office. They replaced the rice with veggies as requested, but they put some purple rice in a container separately, along with what I assume is kimchee, bean sprouts, "potato salad," and something else I haven't opened yet because it's leaked out of the container into the little bag it's wrapped in—this will be a dinner adventure. I couldn't even finish the beef because the portion is freakin' huge, so this $11 lunch will certainly stretch for 2 or 3 meals.

This place is also really adorable. Finally I found something I like at Korean restaurants. Mr. Pie will be delivered here soon!

TTOWA?

TTOWA Dumpling House
5844 W Dempster St
(between Mansfield Ave & Marmora Ave)
Morton Grove, IL 60053
(847) 967-0066

Oops! Sorry, I thought TTOWA was mentioned upthread. I was also doing some heavy cutting & pasting. My mistake! Thanks mchodera.

Dong-Ah is a small Korean grocery in Lincolnwood that also sells some prepared Korean food. Their fried chicken wings (sticky with honey and hot peppers) are awesome!

Dong-Ah
3933 W. Touhy Ave.
Lincolnwood, IL 60712

If you order fried mandu and bul gogi you can't go wrong. It will come with all the little side dishes and white rice that your can mix together. The fried mandu is an appetizer like a meat puff.

There is also chop chae and bi bimp bop. These could appeal too but if you are not a little more adventurous you might not like them. These are the things beginners usually start with and branch out from there.

I wasn't wild about bi bim bop at Toreore in Niles (on Waukegan, I think that's the name).

As for TTOWA, what made the rice purple?

I believe that a handful of "forbidden" or black rice is added to the pot, staining the rice purple. There is also a dish called Ogokpop which translates roughly to "five-grain rice" which contains sorghum, millet, black rice and fermented dried black beans.