One fable, coming up

Once upon a time, there were two Korean brothers: kind, noble Heungbu and wicked Nolbu. When their parents died, Nolbu cheated Heungbu out of his inheritance, but since this is a fairy tale, Heungbu wound up fabulously rich while Nolbu was punished for his trickery.

Keep these brothers in mind when you go to Seo Rae Gwan on Wilshire Boulevard in Koreatown. Then you’ll understand the difference between Heungbu bosam and Nolbu bosam. They’re the same dish -- pork with various condiments that you combine in a wrap. But good-guy Heungbu’s version is lavish and large, the priciest dish on the menu ($26.99), while bad-guy Nolbu’s is comparatively modest ($13.99 to $19.99).

Either way, the centerpiece of bosam is boiled pork belly, cut into thin slices and served at room temperature. Around this are grouped tender nappa cabbage leaves and large circles of Asian radish, cut so thin they’re translucent. You’ll use both as wrappers. Other components are strips of spicy, sweet radish kimchi mixed with chopped oysters, and little dishes of pickled jalapenos and salted baby shrimp. The blend of textures and flavors is enticing: soft pork; crisp, sweet radish; pungent shrimp and spicy jalapenos. It’s colorful too.

Order the Heungbu version and it arrives on an enormous platter: It’s a great dish to set in the center of the table and share with friends. Nolbu’s bosam is composed of the same ingredients, and comes in medium and small versions, but even the small one is enough for four.

Seo used to be a Japanese restaurant called Furosato. About a year ago, the Korean owners decided to move Furosato next door and expand by opening a Korean restaurant. Although the space changed nationalities, the owners kept the restaurant’s old look -- warm with golden wood and bamboo. The tables are blond wood, and the high-backed chairs give a sense of privacy without the isolated feeling of booths. It’s a large restaurant and often crowded because the food is reasonably priced, and Koreans like the variety of banchan (side dishes).

Although the predictable barbecued meat and other dishes are on the menu, bosam, which is hard to find elsewhere in Koreatown, is the dish to order. You see it on almost every table, both at dinner and at lunchtime. Many diners take advantage of the drinks add-on option: pay $3 more when ordering Heungbu bosam and you’re entitled to two bottles of soju, a Korean sweet potato liquor. For $10 more, you get a small bottle of Crown Royal whiskey. There’s no drink bonus with a Nolbu order.

In addition to bosam, several other menu items stand out. The noodle dish jangban gukso makes a strikingly beautiful plate. Its fine green noodles are described on the menu as being made from acorn, but a Korean friend who’s well-versed in the cuisine says they are actually made from arrowroot. They’re arranged on a platter with shredded carrot, Asian pear, cucumber, red and green cabbage, lettuce and fragrant sesame leaves. The waitress pours on a sweet-sour dressing and tosses everything together. It’s lovely and light, a noodle salad.

Monkfish couldn’t be more dramatic than in Seo Rae Gwan’s agu jhim. The braised fish is presented on a bed of long, slim bean sprouts that at first glance look like pasta and is served with a red chile sauce that contains shrimp, sliced zucchini, Korean greens and garlic. There is also a separate dipping sauce composed of soy sauce, grated radish, green onion, vinegar, wasabi and sugar.

I love the glistening, mahogany-colored sauce that coats black cod in eundagu jorim. It’s sweet, but balanced with red chile and garlic. Pale egg strands are draped over the fish, and thick circles of radish, cooked in the sauce until golden brown, line the plate.

There’s much more to try, such as ahl chigae, a soup-stew that combines tofu and a great variety of vegetables, including enoki mushrooms, zucchini, bean sprouts, Korean greens such as sukkat and mianri and green and red chiles. Delicious, and very spicy, it also contains cod roe in little dollops about the size of spaetzle.

The herbal tea that comes with meals is made from Cassia tora (sickle pod) seeds, which are reputed to be good for the eyes. The short drink list includes Korean wines that relate well to spicy, strong flavors. Fruity San Sa Chun, which has a rice-wine base, is tart-sweet and sherry-like in color. There is one sake from Chung Ha, the company that introduced the concept of drinking cold sake to Korea.

The usual dessert at night is simply orange wedges. Sharp, sweet and juicy, they’re the perfect finishing touch to Heungbu bosam’s rich, intricate parade of flavors.

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Seo Rae Gwan

Location: 3881 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, (213) 380-0400

Price: Lunch specials, which include soup, rice and side dishes, are $5.99 to $8.99. Other dishes range from $5.99 (steamed dumplings) to $26.99 (Heungbu bosam).

Best dishes: Heungbu or Nolbu bosam, jangban gukso (noodles), eundagu jorim (black cod), agu jhim (monkfish), ahl chigae (vegetable stew with cod roe).

Details: Open 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sunday. Beer, wine and some liquor. Parking lot behind the restaurant (enter on St. Andrews Place). Major credit cards.