When the server does bring that cast-iron skillet over, it’s hard not to contemplate one of those McDonald’s hot-coffee lawsuits. It’s also not the kind of place you go for a long, leisurely meal - the banchan is waiting for you when you get to your table, and the galbi isn’t far behind. The galbi is massive and meant to be shared while hot, so Sun Nong Dan is definitely best when you’re eating with a group. But not ordering the galbi jjim is like going to Gotham and skipping a tour of Wayne Manor. Sure, if you’re here alone, there are other things you could order - their oxtail soup (sulung tang) is good, and the short rib soup (oo guh ji galbi tang) is rich, spicy, and filling. If that sounds stressful, don’t worry: Just get the galbi jjim with cheese. At Sun Nong Dan, you sign in, hang out in the parking lot until they call your name, then tell a server your order before being led to your table. In fact, you’ll likely order it before you even sit down. Yes, it’s deserving of all the attention. But there’s only one dish people line up for: Galbi jjim, a massive cauldron of braised short ribs in a spicy galbi sauce. They have 25 things on the menu, and they’re all pretty good. It’s kind of like Sun Nong Dan, the strip mall Korean spot on 6th St. Heath Ledger was only on screen for about 30 minutes in The Dark Knight, but there’s a reason he won an Oscar - he completely stole the show.

Korean restaurant town cheesy ribs