Food & Drink

Best Korean Restaurant

KoBa

Korean cuisine is reputed to be the healthiest in the world. Keep telling yourself that as your server at KoBa places slices of fat-rich pork belly on your tabletop grill. Of course, once that pork belly commences to sizzle, you won't care whether you live till tomorrow. Kalbi, marinated beef short ribs, inspires a similar reaction. Dab the meat with hot red-bean paste and then fold it with rice, garlic and onion inside a piece of lettuce. It looks like something Dr. Atkins dreamed up, but the flavor is sensational, a burst of heat and savor. Though the tabletop grill steals the show at KoBa, a variety of traditional Korean dishes are available, and every meal includes banchan, the cold, usually fermented, side dishes that are often as memorable as your entrée. Kimchee is the most famous banchan, but don't let its fearsome reputation and pungent odor dissuade you. The flavor is piquant and spicy and delicious. And remember: Acquiring a taste for kimchee is the first step to a healthier you.