I love to Bi Bim Bop out, you know?

One of the dining rules of thumb I most trusted when I attended university in San Diego was near universal: the more utilitarian a Mexican eatery looked, the more authentic the food was likely to be. Experience tells me that the same holds true for Korean restaurants, too.

At least that’s the case with House of Seoul , a smallish Korean diner in Airway Heights. Set just off Highway 2, at the far end of one of the most unassuming strip malls imaginable, House of Seoul serves up a scrumptuous bowl of Bi Bim Bop (shown in the near bowl) and Kai Bi (the grilled beef ribs at the top of the picture). Washed them, and an order of Yaki Mandy (fried won tons), down with a couple of Singhas — and still had enough money left over to fill my gas tank.

And with the way gas prices are rising, that’s saying something