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Seven Star Pocha

Street-food energy at a late-night Koreatown haunt.

Dani Valent

Updated ,first published

Army stew (budae jjigae) with sausages, beans, tofu and kimchi.
1 / 5Army stew (budae jjigae) with sausages, beans, tofu and kimchi.Chris Hopkins
Fried chicken with sweet chilli glaze (left) and creamy onion.
2 / 5Fried chicken with sweet chilli glaze (left) and creamy onion.Chris Hopkins
Outside the Healeys Lane restaurant.
3 / 5Outside the Healeys Lane restaurant.Chris Hopkins
Seafood pancake with ganjang (soy sauce).
4 / 5Seafood pancake with ganjang (soy sauce).Photograph by Chris Hopkins
Inside Seven Star Pocha, open until late in Koreatown.
5 / 5Inside Seven Star Pocha, open until late in Koreatown.Chris Hopkins

Seven Star Pocha, Healeys Lane

Korean$

“Pocha” means outdoor food carts and this eight-year-old mainstay brings street-food energy to its casual, sometimes raucous dining room. If you’re here after 7pm, you’ll probably need to queue, but don’t worry about missing out: the place is open till at least 2am.

Army stew (budae jjigae) is a key dish, set on the table in a huge tureen over a butane burner for you to cook yourself. As the broth starts to burble, ladle the liquid over the noodles on top to soften them, then stir them in with a jam-packed array of sausages, beans, tofu and kimchi.

Other must-try dishes at Seven Star Pocha are the pizza-sized seafood pancake stuffed with calamari, shrimp and mussels, and boneless fried chicken: try a double plate with sweet chilli glaze on one side and creamy onion on the other. This trending combo sees chicken pieces covered in sliced raw onions and smothered in a bechamel-like sauce.

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Dani ValentDani Valent is a food writer and restaurant reviewer.

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