Café Han River

Café Han River is one of the few Korean takeout spots in Boston, and that's just part of its appeal. Located on Beacon Street just inside Brookline, this eatery offers a choice alternative to Chinese food.

Everything we tried at the Café Han River was piquant without being overly spicy. The tastiest selections are the beef bul-go-ki ($6.95), grilled thin slices of beef marinated in soy sauce, honey, garlic, scallions, and sesame oil; the kim-bop ($5.25), seasoned Korean rice hand-rolled with beef, crab meat, radish, carrot, and egg; and the bi-bim-bop ($6.50), individually cooked and seasoned portions of beef, bean sprouts, carrots, spinach, eggplant, and zucchini, served with a nuclear hot-pepper sauce on the side.

Most dishes come with white or brown rice and kim chee, the spicy-hot fermented cabbage served with almost every Korean meal. The soups ($1.95-$3) are also spicy, and make a great starter or snack.

Café Han River, located at 1009 Beacon Street, in Brookline, is open Monday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Delivery is available after 4 p.m. for a $2 charge; call 739-6221.

-- Theresa Regli