- Mike Sula
- Galbi burger, Rice ‘n Bread
Remember Hamburger King? The Wrigleyville greasy spoon that was Korean owned but more Japanese in spirit? Open since 1959, and just next door to the Nisei Lounge, it was a remnant of the neighborhood’s now much reduced Japanese population, and known not just for its 20s-style burger and other American diner classics but for things like teriyaki, bulgogi, the Chinese beef noodle soup yet ca mein, and an odd egg and vegetable scramble with gravy rice known as akutagawa, named for the longtime customer that invented it. (Was it this guy? ).
According to the video embedded below, they chop the short-rib meat fresh daily at Rice ‘n Bread, and though it isn’t as highly seasoned as the straight tteokgalbi I’ve eaten in my day, the texture is really good: coarse, meaty, and substantial. It comes with fries for a very reasonable $5.45, with a $1 upcharge for the kimchi, which mingles with the melted cheese and more than makes up for the mild marinade.
