The Brooklyn Papers / Greg Mango

Tools

Print this story

Facebook this

Tweet this

Digg this

Del.icio.us

Email to a friend

Your name

Your email address

Recipients’ email addresses (Up to ten, separated by commas.)

There’s only one disadvantage to eating in a Korean restaurant: afterwards, everyone can tell where you’ve dined. While grilling your own meat at the table is a wonderful way to enjoy the cuisine, those fumes can stick with you long after the check’s been paid. Shul Kim (pictured on right), the owner of Williamsburg’s Dokebi (means "devil" or "ghost" in Korean), has found a way for you to remain sweet-smelling. At each table, he’s installed grills specially designed to suck the smoke out of the air.

"They really work," says Shul.

Shul and his chefs "Mr. Park" and "Mrs. Kim" (both have worked in Manhattan’s 36 Bar & BBQ and Seoul Garden) developed the menu. Entrees focus on high-quality provisions such as Angus beef, not inferior ingredients with lots of sides, the way some other Korean restaurants serve their meals, says Shul.

"People have criticized me for not including side dishes in the price of the entrees," he says, "but I’d rather not scrimp on the mains just to load diners up on extras. And my prices are about 20 percent cheaper because of it." Kimchi (spicy pickled cabbage) and other "ban chan" (side dishes) are available a la carte.

In the modern, brick-walled, 100-seat dining room, which opened in November, patrons can enjoy the grilled selection, or other Asian specialties such as "shabu-shabu" (raw meat and vegetables cooked at the table in hot broth) and "bibim bob" (rice mixed with vegetables and beef).

To end the meal, there are 12 gelatos, including red bean, ginger, fig and cinnamon, and three fruit sorbets.

Dokebi (199 Grand St. between Bedford and Driggs avenues in Williamsburg) accepts American Express, MasterCard and Visa. Entrees: $8-$20. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily. For reservations, call (718) 782-1424.

-Tina Barry

©2006 Community Newspaper Group