Surawon Tofu House

Bubbling, red-tinged bowls of comforting tofu soup are now commonplace across Los Angeles, but this Koreatown eatery inside a former Mexican restaurant (look up at the cactus chandeliers) takes an unusually artisan approach to its soondubu. All the tofu at Surawon is made in-house (a relative rarity), and for a slight upcharge, there’s also a unique black soybean variety that lends a complex, almost nutty aftertaste to the soup’s typically neutral soy foundation. The same attention to detail makes for delicious takes on Korean standards, including the sizzling platters of barbecue chicken and generously portioned fried mackerel. Sure, Surawon might lack the late-night hours of other soondubu specialists, but when the main attraction is this fresh and delicious, we wouldn’t head anywhere else  during regular business hours.