Dodam – which loosely translates from Korean as “wholesome” or “pure” – is a fitting reflection of the casual restaurant’s thoughtful menu and connection to tradition. Run by a husband-and-wife duo, the East Brunswick Village spot serves house-made noodles, mandu (dumplings) and makgeolli (traditional Korean rice liquor).

At lunchtime, hand-pulled noodles come in a rich, warming beef noodle soup, and the mandu is filled with pork or a combination of cabbage, carrots, chives, mushroom and tofu. Other specialties are the grilled meat platters served sizzling hot with seasonal banchan and ssamjang (spicy dipping sauce) and a choice of meat such as spicy braised pork jowl, doenjang-marinated pork jowl and soy-marinated thick-cut beef ribs.

The drinks list is tight, with the house-fermented makgeolli joined by Korean lager and small-batch soju.