In the same shopping center in which an H-Mart will debut next year, Daeho Kalbijjin and Beef Soup is now open and serving its namesake cheesy-topped beef stew and other Korean dishes. Located at 2580 South Decatur Boulevard, at the corner of Decatur Boulevard and Sahara Avenue, the popular Bay Area restaurant and recurring entry on the Eater SF 38 brings with it a menu of traditional Korean favorites in a bright and modern restaurant.
The 2,789-square-foot space is roomy and bright, just right for hosting gatherings in with groups can crowd around a hot bowl of kalbijjin. The stew comes to the table sizzling, with tender short rib, toothsome root vegetables, and chewy rice cakes swirling in a sauce that is joyously sweet, salty, and a little spicy. A server flambees the heap of cheese that sits on top, until it melts and blend with the rest of the stew. The dish originated some time in the 14th to 18th century, according to the restaurant’s website, and for more than 400 years, it was served only to kings and royal families of the Joseon Dynasty. Today, it is more commonly enjoyed in Korean families during celebrations.
Daeho also serves a chilled naeng myun noodle dish. The ice cold dish is refreshing with bouncy buckwheat noodles, cool cucumber, crisp slices of pear, and a spicy flavorful sauce. Other popular dishes are the suyuk beef soup in milky-white ox bone broth and a bibimbap prepared in a hot stone bowl so that the rice gets crispy at the bottom. It all comes with house-made kimchi and other bowls of banchan side dishes.
Daeho Kalbijjin and Beef Soup is open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays. It’s open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. It will host a grand opening on Wednesday, May 10.