Founder of BCD Tofu House-Hee Sook Lee
There’s this phenomenom that’s been around for some time that I don’t quite understand…. and that’s the spicy Korean tofu stew known as Sundubu Jjigae. I’ve tried it, again and again, but I just can’t seem to get into it… and I usually like most things that have to do with food. Unlike me, however, there are a TON of people out there who love this spicy red stew bubbling over with silken cubes of tofu, garlic, spices, and whichever meats, seafood or veggies you prefer to add to it.
One of the most popular Jjigae joints, BCD Tofu House, was founded right here in LA by Hee Sook Lee in 1996 off of Vermont and 2nd Street in Koreatown. Lee first learned how to cook while growing up and watching her mother. She actually borrowed the recipe for this infamous stew from relatives back in Korea and just tweaked the traditional dish to suit Western tastes. Non-Korean Angelenos were somewhat baffled by the stew at first, but soon came back for more. Unable to turn away customers from a much needed meal, Lee decided to make the restaurant open 24 hours so that travelers could come and have a hearty meal at any time. Her business motto, printed on each menu, is “to serve with clean hands, to serve with a warm heart, and to serve the best.” That welcoming message has worked, since the Tofu Houses (located across Southern California, Seattle, Japan, and Korea) are always packed at any hour.
Sundubu Jiigae (Spicy Korean Tofu Stew)
When my cousin took me here, I was fascinated by all the people and sounds whirling around me. As we sat at our table, all these tiny dishes (banchan) were staring back at me and then that steamy tummy filling soup came out. Actually, by the time the jjigae came, I was already full from the side dishes! I can appreciate BCD for it’s great, lively atmosphere, authentic Korean cooking, and late night availability, and perhaps one day I’ll acquire a taste for it, but for now, I’ll just have to leave it to the rest of the world to enjoy.
Korean BBQ on the other hand….. now that’s something I can 2itch about.
As the editor of 2itch.com, I get to find all the places across the nation that are open up way past my bedtime. I'm a wanderer by nature, so finding late night grub, coin-operated racquetball, and slushies in the middle of the night has been a lot of fun for me. And I'm sure there's a lot of other wanderers out there who would find this information useful... so enjoy and drop me a line when you find some cool 24 hour places of your own. Read more from this author