For atmosphere, it doesn’t get much better than Korea House. It’s in the middle of the sprawling Academy of Oriental Medicine, facing a turtle pond and footbridge. The main draw for the tech-office lunch crowds are cheap, fast lunch specials, which are not the kitchen’s best work, and come with far fewer banchan dishes than dinner does. But it’s a steal, anyway.

The waitstaff tends to be harried and curt, but is much less nasty than it used to be—if you come in well before closing. Otherwise, you’ll be stared at while you finish up. The strongest suit here is Korean barbecue, grilled tabletop (you must specify a grill-equipped table before being seated). Meats from the kitchen come out slathered with too much sweet sauce, but are hard not to like. If you must have sushi, stick to rolls and beware of the nigiri; it’s cut dangerously large, some of it actually still frozen in the center, and the rice is long-grained, loose, and flavorless. (Surprisingly, we’ve had good, buttermilky uni here.) Dolsot bibimbap gets its edges crisped against a sizzling hot stone bowl, and a strong flavor of sesame oil. The squeeze bottle of hot garlic sauce is totally necessary. Duk and mandoo soup is subtle and full of wonderfully chewy rice cakes, even if its dumplings are larger and blander than the better versions in town...then again, those places don’t serve soju.