There is something to be said about breaking bread with a table full of friends. We laugh a little longer. We check our texts a little less frequently. We relish a different kind of Facetime.
One dish that comes to mind during those times is kalbijjim. Sometimes referred to as galbijjim, this simmering stew of braised beef short ribs has a whole history behind it. It was a feast fit for the kings of the Joseon dynasty of Korea for roughly 500 years, and remains a meal largely enjoyed by Korean families during holidays and celebrations today.
Prepared just right, kalbijjim is dynamite in a dish. And one restaurant doing it especially well is San Francisco export Daeho Kalbijjim & Beef Soup.
The restaurant originally opened in the Bay Area’s historic Japantown in 2019, but has since expanded to Vegas and three other outposts. People take their Daeho quite seriously over there. It’s regularly an hours-long wait in San Francisco, and with Daeho’s Vegas location sitting right next to the soon-to-open H-Mart, it’ll likely follow suit.
The interior of the local space is modern and sleek, if not a little sexy with the right dining partner. There’s also plenty of seating for larger groups, which you’re going to want to bring for the full experience.
The smallest plates at Daeho could still feed two people, but if you’re alone, opt for the hot stone bibimbap with kalbi grilled barbecue beef ribs ($26). You can swap out that protein for spicy calamari or vegetables, but the beef at Daeho is prime grade, slip-off-the-bone level good. Paired with Daeho’s side of bibimbap sauce, it’s a tangy, acidic kick to the taste buds. Other great solo meals include the kalbi tang beef rib soups, the incredibly hearty Suyuk beef bone soup, and the Naengmyeon cold noodles that are chilled in beef broth.
All that said, there’s a reason Daeho prides itself on being the “King of Kalbijjim,” and it isn’t because of its soup game. A regular portion of braised beef rib kalbijjim ($80) feeds up to three people, but the large ($90) feeds four with plenty left over.
Daeho’s spice level runs from zero to level three, but judging by the bibimbap sauce, these chefs aren’t kidding around with the heat. The real game-changer here is the optional cheese, which gets melted onto the kalbijjim with a blowtorch right at the table. Combined with this bubbling cauldron of bone-in beef and veggies simmered in a sweet and savory broth, it’s a mouthful of heaven.
Palates start to hum sometime around the third or fourth blissful bite. You can hear the murmurs of joy at the table, the contentment and the camaraderie. The cheese pull is as dramatic as it is satisfying, the beef is richly marinated by the base sauce, and the potatoes and carrots are boiled down to perfection. This is stew on steroids, and it’s becoming more clear why kalbijjim is a family affair.
Food has a way of bringing people together. And in sharing it, we share a little piece of ourselves, too. Restaurants like Daeho remind us to keep doing that, even if it’s just one meal at a time.
DAEHO KALBIJJIM & BEEF SOUP 2580 S. Decatur Blvd. #5A, 725-255-7888, daehokalbijjim.com. Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 4:30-11 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. & 4:30-11 p.m.
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