From: park@casbah.acns.nwu.edu (Yongsup Park)
Subject: Re: best oriental restaurant
Organization: Northwestern University, Evanston Illinois.
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 07:52:26 GMT

In article <92225.092101U30644@uicvm.uic.edu> <U30644@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
>In article <1992Aug10.151421.19030@ils.nwu.edu>, tsui@ils.nwu.edu says:

>>As for Korean restaurants, I've found GIN GO GAE on Lincoln (5600 north area)
>>to be the best I've had in the area.  The place is somewhat of a
>>hole-in-the-wall type place, but the food is consistently good.  The
>>accompiniments (vegies,kim chee, etc...) are well prepared and they don't
>>skimp
>>on the portions.  My favorite dish is the HOT KOREAN PANCAKES.  Its Korean
>>pancakes stirfried with veggies and kim chee.

>First of all, this is NOT meant to be a flame, so PLEASE don't take it that
>way.  It's just meant to be an honest assessment of the restaurant mentioned
>above.

Well, as a native Korean, I know a thing or two about Korean restaurants
in Chicago area.  While most of them are on Lawrence street, the quality
and services are greatly varying.  Fist, if you want some formal dining,
the best place is Yeong-Bin-Gwan on Western(less than 2 min south of
Howard).  This place is well decorated and the service is good and formal.
You can try Jung-Sik(a formal dining of ancient King) which is a bit 
overpriced but probably available only at this place.  The next place
I can recommned in terms of service is Shilla which is located on Lincoln,
a little north of Brynmawr. I personally don't like the foods at this place
but as a lunch, Kal-Bi-Tang(beef soup) is pretty good.  And I can also 
recommend Bando on Lawrence, a little east of Western, but I've never had
anything other than Jun-Gol(a kind of chowder).  Ban-Do-Jun-Gol is probably
your good bet.   These 3 places are general(and a bit upscale) restaurant I
go when I have a guest to treat.   For everyday meal, the 24hour place 
Han-Gook-Gwan is good enough.  They serve reasonably priced foods and
service is accordingly reasonable.

One food I really recommend to try for non-Koreans is called Kal-Bi.
It is marinated rib+beef roasted on your table. Two of my former roommates
(Chinese and Israeli) really liked it when I treated them when they left.
The most famous place is Boo-Il-Kal-Bi.  They specialize on this type of
beef.  It's on Brynmawr about 3 min west of Lincoln.  This place was best
but it recently met a couple of good competetors. One of them is
Seo-Hae-Gwan on Lawrence a little west of L Station.  This place is not 
specializing Kal-Bi only but they are good.   The other place is called
San-Soo-Gap-San on Western a little north of Foster.
If you don't order appteizer, Kal-Bi cost less than $30 for 2 ppl and
they serve many many side dishes and bowls of rice as well as a little hot
vegetible soup.  Except the meat itself, all the additional side dishes
including rice are free.   When the meat is ready, ask watress how to eat t
he them.  You need to combine several things(e.g, bean paste, lettus(sp?)
etc) to really enjoy the taste of this type roasted beef.

Good luck !
-- 
----
Yongsup Park                 / park@casbah.acns.nwu.edu / Why do I insist on
Physics and Astronomy Dept. / park@anmsd3.msd.anl.gov  / AT&T ?  Because they 
Northwestern University    / B40180@ANLCV1.BITNET     / hire physicists.
Newsgroups: chi.eats