Hot pot and Korean put together sounds yummy and different. Usually when I think of hot pot, I think of Japanese. But this is Korean!! This restaurant is called Junkabok by Mokkoji located in Rowling Heights, CA. For those of you who do not know, Mokkoji is a restaurant that provides a shabu shabu experience. It is a DIY, do-it-yourself, hot pot experience where you boil your meats and vegetables in a boiling pot full of your desired broth. It’s been out for a while and is known for its seasonable meats and ingredients. So when I heard of Junkabok, I had to see what the Korean version would be like! 

First, I started out with some ginger ale jasmine tea. Wow, the name already sounds intriguing and different; impossible to pass up. It tasted pretty good! It had that mixture of jasmine tea with the hint of ginger that isn’t too overpowering in flavor. I liked it! 

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Korean restaurant without complimentary sides to start out and to complement your meal with. All restaurants I know always serve various Korean sides in small plates. It’s always anticipating to see what sides each restaurant has to offer! 

Here are some yummy Korean sides: 

I spy some salad, kimchi, pickled bean sprouts, cucumbers.. my favorite is the dried, small fishes near the back! These were so yummy!  Very salty but only due to the condensed, strong flavors packed into that small fish. Wow. So good. 

pork, kimchi and cheese rice. Can’t go wrong without kimchi rice! I believe that Koreans know how to effectively add cheese into their entrees! Never too much nor too little. Always the right kind of cheese too! 

Oh thank you sir for stirring up my pot for me! It sounds so simple, but always look like artwork the way their hands dance around with the spoons! The rice was very, very good! I liked it so much that I continuously tried to stuff myself with it even after being so full. 

pork and intestine stew. They’re known for their stews here, which I guess is the Korean-style hot pot. Everything in there is already cooked. Their popular dish is pork and potato stew, but if you know me well, I almost always opt for intestine whenever I can! The stew itself is nicely flavored and well balanced with a strong tomato flavor. There are tomatoes hiding in there too!! The pork bones were big but the meat fell off easily. 

This was a very nice Korean experience that felt hot pot-like. I loved eating the pork and intestines from the stew as if it were like hot pot. The broth was delicious to drink throughout the meal. Personally for me, I enjoyed combining the strong, salty fish sides with the more mild tomato broth. 

If you guys like Mokkoji, give this place a try! It’s different in a good way 🙂