Midtown Lunch

I’m going to give this place the benefit of the doubt and presume that their terrible name is completely unintentional.  After all Gangnam is a district in Korea, and there’s no use of the word “style” or any stupid music references in this otherwise modern but understated spot.

I’m also going to put aside the slightly higher-than-they-should-be prices, because it is on Melrose near La Brea and finding good Korean food outside of Koreatown is already an exercise in futility.  If paying a little extra is what it takes to get good soondubu west of Western, I’ll take it.  And make no mistake about it, this place serves up some good soondubu.

The first clue that we were in for a treat was the banchan.  You get 12 at Gang Nam Tofu, and they were all surprisingly fresh and pretty great. Hands down better than most cheap lunch spots in K-Town.   I’ve heard rumors that they do a whole fish banchan (ala BCD) but we forget to ask and they didn’t offer.  Getting refills was a bit of a chore too, but don’t be afraid to ask.  If banchan is important to you, you’ll be really happy at this place.

The soondubu (spicy tofu stew) is available on its own for just under $10.  They do all the different versions (meat, seafood, just tofu), or you can get it as a combo with grilled meat.  The small bowl that comes with the combo is jam packed with not just with excellent tofu, but meat and seafood as well, plus the requisite raw egg that you should crack into the pot as soon as it hits the table.

The combos are all over $15, making them a bit out of the ML price range (and a few bucks more than you usually find in K-Town during lunch.) Order the meat separately and it’s even more than the combo alone.  But it is Melrose, and something’s gotta give.  The spicy pork was very good.

Want to share a bunch of things with a group of people?  The pan fried mandoo are excellent.

And the jap chae was way better than average.

All in all a great Korean lunch.  And not great for Melrose.  Just great.

Gang Nam Tofu, 6909 Melrose Ave. 323-965-8638