Han Do Korean Tofu

 

18

193

Andrew C.

Oakland, CA

Update 4/11/2008:
2nd visit. Not as impressed.

The banchan were excellent as they were last time. 8-9 dishes with sprouts, cabbage kimchee, radish kimchee, soybeans, spicy tofu, etc. A few change ups from last time, but they all tasted fresh. Munching on these got me excited for the main dish . . . maybe too excited?!?

Got the Combination Soon Dubu Chigae (beef + seafood soft tofu stew). It had lots of tofu and mushrooms and not much beef or seafood. Taste was pretty bland too. Disappointing.

The complimentary pajun (green onion pancake) was rubbery this time around. This stuff is usually best served hot out of the pan where the outside is crisply fried and the inside light and moist. It tasted like it had been sitting around for awhile.

The beverage oddities continued. This time they had no soju so the waitress says "Maekju?" (beer in Korean). I say OK. She goes in the back and comes out with a 12 oz. can of Bud. OK, when in Fremont, apparently you take what you can get . . .

Lowering my rating from 4 to 3 stars after this visit.

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Traffic on 880N is awful around this area (Fremont Blvd, Warm Springs, Dixon Landing) with that overpass construction removing a lane in both directions, so I stopped and had some dol sot bi bim bap on the way home from work to let things clear out a bit.

Came with 8 plates of banchan and a complimentary pajun (green onion pancake)! Yum! The banchan were all fresh and tasty. Cabbage kimchee, sprouts, spicy tofu cubes, seaweed salad, marinated dried anchovies, pickled radish. You get the idea.

The bibimbap came out steaming hot. I was sweating from the radiating heat just mixing in my hot sauce, let alone eating it! Lots of veggies, good bit of chopped bulgogi meat, and a perfectly lightly fried egg that dripped yolk everywhere while i delightedly mixed up my bowl with a few spoonfuls of gochujang (red pepper paste). Threw in some kimchee and extra sprouts for good measure and soon I was sweating from the spiciness in addition to the heat from the bowl. Yum!

One oddity. They have soju, but no beer, but I love soju, though, so it was all good. The waitress was a little surprised when I asked for it after being denied on my beer request "You know soju?" and even more surprised when I revealed I know soju because I am Korean. "You Korean, really?" I guess she doesn't see many with ponytails and goatees, but I digress . . .

Tasty food, very good prices . . . my dol sot bi bim bap was less than $10. you don't see that too often . . . it was cheaper than the bottle of soju!! friendly service and when I got back to the Freeway (by the most circuitous route imaginable. WTH was my GPS thinking?!?) the traffic was going the speed limit! Yay!!

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Elite '08

12

49

Sisi Z.

Cambridge, MA

Tucked away in the rather desolate Warm Springs Galleria Shopping Center, this small Korean restaurant is a true bang for your buck.  It's clean, with nice waitresses, and from what we could tell, an undiscovered hole in the wall.  We had dinner there last night, and it only cost $20 (before tip) for 3 people!

Their menu selection isn't the largest, but if you're craving for some bibimbop or Korean tofu, you won't be disappointed.  My parents and I ordered the $9.99 Kimchi bibimbop (in the stone pot of course) and $8.99 combo tofu pot, and it was enough to stuff all of us with leftovers to spare.  The bibimbop actually comes with a tofu stew (pretty much the same portion as the entree), and the combo tofu came with a pancake appetizer and bowl of rice as well.  You get 8 tasty banchan (side dishes), which you can get refilled.  The bibimbop was good, and I loved the tofu.  We asked for medium heat but it wasn't very spicy, so next time I'll go for spicy.  You also need to ask for the chili sauce that typically comes with bbb.  Their rice was delicious, as they mix two different kinds and it has an unique purplish tint.

We went for dinner, but they also have lunch buffet everyday for under $8.  I hear it's pretty good, so I hope I get to check it out some time.

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