Sandotori Imjatang 산도토리임자탕

Acorn goes into nearly everything, from the soup to the noodles, japchae and pancakes. Dotori imjatang sets chewy acorn sujebi, hand-torn dough, in a nutty, savory perilla-seed broth. A half plate of acorn jeon and some acorn jelly come first as a tasting, and wrapping the thin pancake around seasoned bean sprouts and shredded radish is the house way to eat it. The jaengban noodles get a sweet-tart dressing and nuts, while the japchae uses dried acorn jelly for a firm bite. Weekend lunch brings a long wait, though the parking lot turns over quickly.