OB Square

We think it’s possible – theoretically – to eat a meal that’s more unhealthy than the one we had at Tustin’s Korean gastropub, OB Square: In one sitting, three of us consumed garlic and spicy versions of Korean fried chicken, a plate of fried shrimp with garlic sauce, classic Korean sweet and sour fried pork (perfect), and Japanese-style takoyaki balls hidden beneath large bonito flakes and stripes of sweet, tangy sauce. Even though that’s five deep fried dishes, we could have added some more carbs like spicy ramen or squid stone pot rice, or tossed in some sizzling bulgogi, then washed it down with beer, soju, and/or sake.

Given that OB Square is and looks every bit the part of a dimly lit bar where bad decisions (culinary and otherwise) get made, any of those options would have worked. Hell, we were ready to come back again halfway through the meal: the fried chicken wasn’t the best we’ve had locally, but it was crispy and powerfully flavored, and the menu had plenty of other intriguing Korean bar food options.