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Watch: This Is How Philly’s Oldest Korean Restaurant Does Sashimi

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“K-Town” heads to Seorabol, the original Korean spot in Philadelphia

Korean cuisine lends itself well to specialized restaurants that focus on one particular facet, like chimek (crispy fried chicken and beer), bibimbop, or do-it-yourself Korean barbecue. But one establishment in Philadelphia has won a loyal following for offering a bounty of Korean food (and sushi), from a menu with over 130 items. Eater LA editor and host of K-Town Matthew Kang stops by this week to sample a platter of some of the restaurants’ most popular dishes: Korean sashimi, fried flounder, and eel unagi.

Seorabol is located in Olney, a North Philly neighborhood that’s historically functioned as the city’s Koreatown. While doctors’ offices and hair salons in the area still boast signage in both English and Korean, second- and third-generation Koreans in Philadelphia have started moving out of the centralized zone, into other parts of the city and the surrounding suburbs. Seorabol — now run by Chris Cho, the 31-year-old son of the original owner — is a relic of K-Town’s heyday, drawing fans back to the epicenter for a lunch special or late-night meal.

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