King Katsu Land - Korean, Daly City

2085 Gellert Blvd, Suite 6, Daly City CA 94015
(650) 333-7729

Parking: shopping center parking lot
Hours: Daily 11am-9pm
https://www.kingkatsuland.com/

Last Visited: October 27, 2025

Food: 4 stars
Atmosphere: 2-3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

It's been a while since I have written a post, so what better way to make a comeback than to share about a katsu bigger than the size of most people's faces!  King Katsu Land probably has the most extensive katsu menu that I've encountered - from katsu made with pork to chicken to fish to filled with cheese and even served with sweet potato mousse, you have plenty of katsu options to choose from here!

My friend, Yong, informed me that King Katsu Land's chef was brought from New York to bring this Korean Style, wide, and thin cutlet, available in regular or spicy, and served with a rich demi-glace sauce, to the Bay Area.

While the restaurant is simple in decor with bright orange chairs, gray tables and floors, and little on the walls, the katsu is definitely worth checking out.  We arrived at lunch time and after ordering, we were given a plate of pickles, pickled daikon, and kimchi diced turnip.  

- King Katsu (regular or spicy) - The katsu is fried until golden brown and the the seasoned panko is incredibly light and crispy.  The thin pork cutlet is tender and juicy.  Served with a scoop of rice, a scoop of thinly sliced cabbage with a sesame dressing, and a scoop of what seems to be a hybrid of potato salad and macaroni salad (a very comforting and delicious mix), you are sure to be filled up.  This katsu can easily be shared by two people if you're a small eater or if you've got a big appetite, you might just barely finish this.  The gravy dish is filled with a rich demi-glace that complements the katsu well and isn't overly salty.  I chose a regular katsu and had no regrets.  Delicious.  $19.95

If you want to try their challenge, they offer the Legendary Challenger - finish their Super Size King Katsu and double portion of rice in 30 min, and you get the dish, valued at $38.95, for free. And if you're not feeling like katsu, you can still have noodles or regular fried chicken.  

Check out King Katsu Land - while I've only been once, other friends who have visited repeatedly assure me that the quality is consistent and worth returning.  If you're a Japanese katsu lover, you're sure to enjoy this Korean version too. 

Bonchon Chicken - Korean, South San Francisco

Westborough Blvd, South San Francisco CA 94080
Parking: crowded shopping center parking lot
http://www.bonchon.com/
Hours: 12pm -2:30pm, 5pm - 9pm

Last Visited: October 22, 2014

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

While Bonchon Chicken is a chain restaurant, the amount of hype for it in the Peninsula warrants a review. Recently opened at Westborough Square, this place is packed on a weeknight evening during this soft grand opening.  If you want to watch a game, there are a ton of screens - at least one on each wall, and more than that on some walls.  A minimal amount of bar seating is also available.

- Chicken Combo - Combos come with pickled radish as a side.  Depending on the combo size you select, you may be given additional sides - you can choose from coleslaw, kimchi coleslaw, kimchi, french fries, or steamed rice.  The chicken is offered with your choice of Soy Garlic (soy sauce and garlic mix) or Hot sauce (made with red chili peppers).  We got half and half so we could try both - I didn't have a preference between them though. The skin is crispy, even for the big pieces of chicken, and you'll appreciate the crunch.  Even with the sauce, it's still crispy, but you won't be able to get additional sauce - it's brushed onto the chicken, so after frying, it's a dry addition.  The chicken is juicy on the inside, but most of the flavoring is on the skin, so this is an area of improvement - I would love to see the flavor infused into the chicken.  See comments about sides below.  Small (6 wings, 3 drums) $12.95, Medium (10 wings, 5 drums) $21.95, Large (15 wings, 8 drums) $29.95, Extra Large (20 wings, 10 drums) $36.95

Wings, strips, or drums of various sizes can also be ordered on their own.

Sides - Depending on the size of chicken you order, you will have a choice of sides.  Pickled radish comes with all of the chicken.  Additional choices include french fries, coleslaw, kimchee coleslaw, kimchee, and steamed rice.  I found the pickled radish to be refreshing, but aged - not as tender as it could have been if the radish had been younger.  The fries are crispy and good.  The kimchee coleslaw could be a lot spicier - it's basically coleslaw with a mild kick.

- Bibimbob  - Steamed rice served with assorted vegetables and Korean pepper sauce in a sizzling hot pot - choice of bulgogi, seafood, or spicy chicken.  Compared to other places serving this, I found the dish to be a bit on the smaller side and rather unremarkable.  It will pass if you want to have it, but it's not a wow experience.  $13.95

Aside from chicken, you'll also find other Asian appetizers including edamame, octopus dumplings, potstickers, and seafood pancake on the menu.

Service is ok - they're friendly and check on you, but there is room for improvement - like filling your water glass in a more timely way.  There were many take out orders the evening of my visit and that seemed to keep servers busy as the main counter became a very busy place.

Bonchon is worth checking out to try something different, but stick to the chicken - a better version of the other items can be found at places that specialize in Korean and other Asian cuisine.

HRD Coffee Shop - Cafe/Korean, San Francisco

521 #A 3rd Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 543-2355
Parking: street parking
Hours: Mon - Fri: 8:30am - 3pm, Sat: 8:30am - 2pm

Last Visited: December 8, 2012

Food: 2 to 3 stars ( could have been 4 stars - see details below)
Atmosphere: 2 to 3 stars
Service: 4 stars
Price: $ to $$

I first heard about HRD while watching Guy Fieri's television show - Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.  HRD is known for serving breakfast and lunch with a blend of both American and Korean flare.  Their tagline is: Good Eats. Nice Peeps. Grab a Seat. 

A couple of the items featured on the show were the Kim Chee burrito and the Sloppy JoJo.  These sounded quite yummy, but when I saw the menu for myself, there were just too many choices.  And if Korean food isn't your thing, no worries - they have sandwiches and burgers on the menu too.  For those that are adventurous, there are items like Japanese Curry Kimchee Loco Moco and Spicy Chicken Pineapple too. 

When we walked up to the storefront, one of the owners and one of the employees were out front getting ready to take a break, and I give them four stars for service primarily for their greeting and then for their service once inside.  The guys were super friendly, warm, and welcoming.  By far, they gave the friendliest greeting I have ever received or a close second.  They definitely lived up to their tagline. 

Walk inside and it reminds you of a diner.  There is seating facing the outside window and some tables in the back.  The decor is super simple, but clean.

- Korean Pork Chop special - This isn't a regular menu item (at least not anymore).  Two slabs of pork are marinated and cooked on the grill.  The juicy meat is then topped with a fried egg and served with broccoli and white rice.  The flavor of the pork was slightly sweet and salty.  The cut is medium in thickness and each bite of meat was delightful.  While the broccoli is plain, it works fine with the pork.  The unfortunate part of the dish was the white rice.  While abundant, it wasn't cooked through.  I decided not to waste it and took it home - as I put it in the box, one could hear it dropping in to the to go box like raindrops.  The meat is delicious though and the fried egg is a nice touch.   $7.75

- Kim Chee Fried Rice with Fried Egg - Rice is cooked with shredded pork (think of carnitas), green onions, and kim chee.  The dish is topped with a fried egg and more green onions.  The flavor is well-seasoned.  They make their own kim chee after all.  The rice soaks up all of the kim chee juices and the hot sauce that tops the fried egg gives it extra spice.  Once you break the egg, the yolk runs all over the rice, adding yet another flavor and texture to the dish.  I really enjoyed this dish, but again, the rice was not completely cooked through.  Since the dish was comprised of a lot of sauce, the rice managed to be a little softer, but still not quite enough.  $7.75

Both of the dishes would have been a solid four stars if the rice had been cooked through.  I'm fairly particular about my rice however - it's such a basic ingredient and foundational in both of these dishes that if it's not cooked through, there is no way to rescue it, so for that reason, I gave them a two to three star food rating.  I still have faith that they can make a great dish with some more attention to detail since their flavor profiles are so good. 

During this visit, I also heard that they're opening up another shop in the North Beach area.  All the best to HRD - if their service is any indication of how they'll do in the new space, they'll be great. 

Tov Tofu - Korean, Santa Rosa

1169 Yulupa Ave, Santa Rosa Ca 95405(707) 566-9469
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: Tues-Sun 11:30am - 2:30pm, 5pm-9pm, Closed Mondays

Last Visited: August 13, 2011

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Service: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$$

Shirley had suggested I try Tov Tofu and specifically, she noted that the seafood pancake was a must have item.  With that, it was a no brainer when Alice said we should check it out.  We arrived this warm evening and were a bit surprised that there didn't seem to be a cooling system of any type in place.  I'm not sure if there is central air conditioning or if they own a fan, but the doors were wide open and as a result, the flies had joined us.  This made the atmosphere slightly less appetizing, but we stayed nonetheless.

The decorations are fairly simple.  There is a lot of newer style wood paneling and burgundy vinyl chairs.  The large windows bring in good light.I noticed a Bible verse on the wall in Korean.  Located in the Whole Foods shopping center, it's a convenient spot with lots of easy parking.  The waiter was very friendly and happy to answer questions, but seemed to disappear for long periods of time since he was the only one that seemed to be serving this evening. 

We received seven small plates including side dishes such as kimchee, preseved tofu strips, pickled cucumber, preserved beans, seaweed, and other items.  These side dishes are known as banchan and I always find them fun since nobody seems to make them the same way. 

- Glass Noodles with Sauteed Vegetables - Glass noodles are stir-fried with beef, carrots, spinach, and soy sauce.  This was a well flavored dish and colorful too, but I still feel it was priced a tad too high.  $8.50

- Seafood and Green Onion Pancake - Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the green onion gives this savory pancake a good contrast in texture and flavor in combination with the seafood inside.  I think grated potato is what is creating the crispy texture.   It comes with a soy sauce based dipping sauce.  This is definitely unique and an enjoyable and filling treat. Very good.  $13.50

- BBQ Beef and Vegetable Bibimbab - Rice is cooked and topped with with barbecued beef, kimchi, egg, and vegetables (spinach, mushrooms, carrots, daikon radish, and bean sprouts in sizzling stoneware.  This was very colorful and tastedfine, but fairly average in the world of bibimbab.  If you haven't had it before, think of a very hot in temperature rice dish.  When mixed thoroughly with the spicy red sauce, it will warm your insides.  $13.50

While the food is authentic and has good flavor, I found the dishes to be a little on the small side or rather, that the prices were higher than what I would expect to pay considering the portions we received.  The glass noodle dish was probably the most expensive when it comes to value.  Tov Tofu is nice for a change of pace in Sonoma County and offers a flavorful selection, but the service and pricing have opportunities for improvement.  Small adjustments to these would draw a larger following of both regulars and visitors.

Bear Korean, Cotati

8577 Gravenstein Hwy, Cotati CA 94931
(707) 794-9828
Parking: in shopping center parking lot
Hours: Tues - Sun: 12pm to 9pm
http://www.koreandining.com

Last Visited: May 25, 2007

Food: 3 to 4 stars
Service: 3 stars
Atmosphere: 3 stars
Price: $$ to $$

I first went to Bear Korean when it opened around 2000. People talked about the small plates (panchan) offered, the Korean bul go gi, and how nice it was to have a new cuisine to try in Sonoma County. Since then, I haven’t seen any other Korean restaurants stick around nearly as long.

The walls recently got a new coat of paint. Now it’s a bright rusty orange color. The restroom has some fluorescent green paint on the cabinetry. I’m not sure what happened to their previously muted color scheme, but they have undergone some new decorating even though the ownership remains the same. The photography once on the walls is now replaced with more typical Asian paintings of mountains and hillsides. Yellow silk flowers hang from a basket that hangs on the wall.

The door to the kitchen in the rear is blocked off by curtains although you can still catch a glimpse of the cooking taking place. The tables are wood laminate and the chairs are covered by green cushions. Upon arrival, we were told to sit anywhere. Several of the tables had not been cleared, but most were available. We were asked if we wanted anything to drink, and then left to the menu.

Once you have ordered, the panchan comes out. Panchan varies depending on lunch or dinner. For my recent dinner visit, we received small plates of: marinated daikon (spicy), kim chee (marinated spicy cabbage), potato salad with apples, spicy marinated tofu, marinated cucumbers, mung bean sprouts with sesame oil, spicy shredded turnip, glass noodles (jap chae), and spinach. Depending on what’s in season, you may find some of these dishes a little different. During the spinach scare, the spinach plate no longer appeared. Kim chee is a staple, and the potato salad seems to be a regular also.

The bul go gi has always been the primary dish here, but I once saw hot steaming dumplings and had to try that out.

- Chin Man Du - Originally priced at $6.95 (at least on the most recent menu), the menu has now been marked up and shows a designation of small (4 dumplings) and large (8 dumplings). These little dumplings are filled with pork and vegetable, along with glass noodle, and steamed over a cabbage leaf. They are brought out in a bamboo steamer. The dumplings are tiny, but they taste good. They’re not like those you find in San Francisco, but okay flavor and okay for Cotati. $3.50 small, $5.95 large

- Bul Go Gi – Also known as Korean Style beef, beef is sliced thinly, marinated, and sautéed with onions and some mushrooms. The presence of the vegetables is hardly visible since you get a heaping mound of beef. It’s good stuff, though to an Asian palate that is not familiar with this style of beef, it may seem overcooked. The marinade used tends to be slightly sweet tasting. Good. $13.95

- Tofu Bi Bim Bap – The rice with assorted mixture section is separated into hot and cold. Primarily, the same ingredients are used in these, but there is a very slight variation in meat. The tofu bi bim bap came with a bottle of hot sauce for us to stir in, and the tofu, carrots, spinach, bean sprouts, zucchini, and other items topped rice and all was presented in a little stainless wok. A fried egg is placed on top of the dish contents. Since the vegetables and tofu were cold, the dish quickly became cold too. Very simple combination, but great. It’s a bit pricey for what you’re getting, so opt for a hot bi bim bap for more interesting presentation. $9.95

- Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap – The dol sot version is similar to that above, but it comes in a stone pot. The pot is extremely hot, and this one also had beef. The combination of flavors is accentuated by the heat, and the heat also causes the hot sauce to distribute its flavor more evenly. The fried egg is great too. I like to break up the egg and stir it into the rice and vegetables until everything is coated. Terrific. $10.95

- Jap Chae – Jap chae is glass noodles that have been pan fried with vegetables. The sauce is light in texture, but each noodle is coated with a soy sauce/sesame oil based sauce. The vegetables tend to be spinach, carrots, bean sprouts, and zucchini. Great. $10.95

- Rice – The rice comes in a small stainless steel bowl with a cover. It’s a cute container, but it’s a bit pricy for the amount of rice you are getting. $1.75

During a visit several years ago, there was one woman on staff who explained to us that she was helping out the family. Unfortunately, she ended up spending most of our meal standing over our table stirring the Bi Bim Bap as she talked to us, which left us with a sense of lack of privacy. However, my 2007 visits have been fairly quiet. I have heard that owner sometimes comes and introduces himself – but this hasn’t happened to us yet, although I did see him chatting with a table nearby.

For a recent lunch visit, I received a smaller amount of panchan – kim chee, mung bean sprouts, potato salad, japchae, and one other item.

- Korean Style Beef Lunch Special – See the description for bul go gi above. On a square white plate, one corner is covered with bul go gi. Adjacent to that is a corner containing a large scoop of rice. Two fried dumplings, goon man du, cover one of the remaining corners, and a salad comprised of lettuce and a slightly sour dressing fill the other corner. In the center of the plate is a small little plate for dipping sauce. The lunch special is a bargain, but the quality of the salad was fair. Some of the lettuce was fresh, some had been refrigerated to the point that the lettuce looked translucent, and some of it had rested. The dressing was a bit too sour for my tastes, considering it was a creamy dressing. The goon man du didn’t have as crispy an outer layer as I had hoped either because the dumpling had been fried much earlier or the oil wasn’t as fresh, but the meat was good. I still think it’s a good value and would be even better if everything was up to par. $6.95

It’s hard to find another Korean restaurant in Sonoma County, and I think Bear Korean is a good place to check out. Try the Bul Go Gi, Dol Sot Bi Bim Bap, and the Jap Chae to have a taste of authentic dishes.