Tofu Village, 700 Sandy Plains Road #B-1, Marietta, 3 of 5 stars
Drive to Buford Highway or further north to the Duluth/Suwanee corridor, and you’ll find a world of Korean restaurants. But along the eastern corridor of Cobb County, just off of I-75, there sits Tofu Village, a lonely little outpost of Korean dining sharing space with a liquor and cigar store in a drab strip mall.
But inside the setting resembles a restaurant one might find in rural South Korea. On the fringes are shiny metallic barbecue tables and a flat-screen television is positioned front and center, broadcasting KBS, a Korean TV channel. With no alternative Korean restaurant nearby, it seems that Tofu Village could easily rest on its laurels. But it is pumping out some of the most consistent Korean food in metro Atlanta.
Just as the name suggests, stripped down orders of house-made tofu steamed (yang nyum tofu, $7.99) or lightly seared (tofu gue ee, $7.99) can be ordered as appetizers served with nothing but a low-sodium soy dipping sauce on the side. Of the two, I prefer the thick rectangular version seared in vegetable oil until crispy on the outside. It tantalizes with its slight fermented flavor, resembling a very mild cheese.
The restaurant also impresses with its house-made myeon (noodles). After my dining companion received a serving of ja jang myeon ($9.99), chewy wheat noodles coated in a salty black bean gravy, I didn't hear a peep from him until every last speck of pork and sliver of vegetable in the dish were picked off by the fine points of his chopsticks. Slippery cellophane myeon, translucent in appearance, also come in the kitchen's fiery yukgaejang soup ($11.99). The spicy beef brisket and vegetable soup is smoky from reconstituted shiitakes, and the beef flavor is deepened by a broth prepared by boiling cow bones for 24 hours. It is the best version of yukgaejang I have ever had.
The restaurant's smaller plates of banchan (complimentary seasonal side items customarily served alongside regular orders) are consistently high quality. Cool threads of bean sprout namul (seasoned vegetable dish) flavored lightly with sesame oil and salt pops with crunch. Variations of pickled red pepper cabbage or squares of radish kimchi are fermented to a fun level of sprightliness, causing my mouth to pucker just a bit.
One table at Tofu Village is outfitted for samgyeopsal dining (pork belly, $17.99). A massive cast iron dome coated in a sheen of cooking oil is placed above a recessed gas burner on the table and acts as the centerpiece. Minutes later, long fatty strips of raw pork belly begin to curl and sizzle right before your eyes. Fresh baskets of ssam (lettuce wraps), oily rice wrap sheets and ssam jang (fermented soy bean paste for dipping) are all placed before you and used for wrapping bite-size pieces of the bacon. My only complaint is the three small strips of pork seem to be a meager amount for the lofty price.
Tofu Village may be isolated from other Korean restaurants, or any restaurant in the immediate vicinity for that matter, but it refuses to compromise in quality and authenticity. It remains one of metro Atlanta’s best options for Korean dining.
Tofu Village
Overall Rating: 3 of 5 stars
Food: Traditional Korean fare including barbecue, noodles and a variety of stews.
Service: Attentive, well spoken and knowledgeable
Price Range: $$
Credit Cards: Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
Hours: 11-10 p.m. Mondays – Sundays
Best dishes: Yukgaejang (spicy beef and vegetable soup), Ja jang myeon (black bean noodles), Dolsot Bibimbap (hot bowl rice dish)
Vegetarian selections: A variety of vegetable appetizers, steamed or fried tofu, vegetable-based soups and soy noodles
Children: Yes
Parking: In lot
Reservations: Yes
Wheelchair access: Yes
Smoking: No
Noise level: Low
Patio: Yes
Takeout: Yes
Address, phone: 700 Sandy Plans Road, #B-1, Marietta, 30066, 770-426-7757
Website: www.koreanbbqatl.com
Iron Age
The raucous Duluth restaurant specializes in samgyeopsal where a variety of pork belly marinated in different ways can be ordered and cooked at your table on iron domes. Opt for the $14.99 flat price for all you can eat pork and chadolbaegi — thin strips of sliced brisket.
Address, phone: 2131 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth 678-334-5242
Hours: 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Mondays-Saturdays; 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Sundays
Price Range: $-$$
Website: N/A
Woo Nam Jeong
This relatively new Korean restaurant off of Buford Highway offers traditional Korean dining with some of the best banchan (complimentary side dishes) in town. They also offer a 12-course tasting menu reminiscent of Korean Royal Court cuisine for $69.95 for two people, all made by the hands of the vivacious owner who goes by harmeoni (grandma).
Address, phone: 5953 Buford Highway, Chamblee 678-530-0844
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mondays-Tuesdays and Thursdays-Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturdays; noon-10 p.m. Sundays; Closed Wednesdays.
Price Range: $-$$
Website: N/A
Sodeulnyuk
Privacy is key at this Korean restaurant. Whether meeting one or many friends at Sodeulnyuk, you will be shuttered to private rooms partitioned and outfitted for an onslaught of Korean barbecue. Regular traditional items can also be ordered here, but go with your family or a lot of friends and experience the fun of grilling marinated meats tableside.
Address, phone: 2790 Lawrenceville Suwanee Road, Suite 165, Suwanee 678-394-5190
Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mondays-Sundays
Price Range: $-$$
Website: www.sodeulnyuk.com
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