Mapo Galbi

Mapo Galbi’s signature dish has made this no-frills ajumma-run restaurant a beloved favorite among Korean food lovers for years. Meant to be eaten in groups of two or four, this bubbling red family-style dish full of chicken, rice cakes, perilla leaves and other vegetables can be spiced to your liking and modded out with cheese, udon noodles and extra vegetables. Make sure to save room for the fried rice, which your server will make at the end with the last of the skillet’s leftovers. There’s technically bulgogi and marinated pork belly on the menu, but I’ve never seen anyone order it here—stick to the dak galbi.