Some of my favorite restaurants are the ones that appear stuck in time. You know what I’m talking about: drop-tile ceiling with troffer lights, dark-patterned carpet, wood panel walls. The ’70’s office vibe. I’ve never had a bad meal in one of these restaurants, and I hypothesize that it has something to do with a stark resistance to change, to the fads of time and food, to fixing what ain’t broken.

Asiana Garden, one of the few Korean restaurants in Memphis, embodies every bit of this trope. I grabbed a table beside the takeout counter, decorated with an eclectic mix of Southern and Korean knickknacks. I sat beneath a CCTV that served the dual purpose of spinning sentimental K-ballads from its speakers. The laminated photos of japchae and bibimbap on the adjacent wall taunted me as much as they appetized.

This modest haunt on Mt. Moriah Road has been around for a long time, and with it, its lunch menu. It’s a straightforward list that allows you two major choices: bowl style ($7.49) or box style ($9.39). It’s a marginal difference, but that extra two bucks gets you a whole gang of accoutrements, still under $10. Go for the gold here — go for the box.

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You’ll also choose a protein of choice: bulgogi beef, pork or chicken. In my orthodox tradition, I went with the beef. The meal comes in a compartmentalized bento-style box, known as dosirak in Korean. In it, a variety of banchan — side dishes —accompany your chosen meat: steamed jasmine rice, kimchi cucumbers, fermented mung bean sprouts, a pair of fried dumplings, soy and vinegar dipping sauce and a small salad. On the side, a hearty cup of miyeok-guk — Korean seaweed and tofu soup.

On the rare occasion I eat from a sectioned vessel such as this, I am taken back to the days of school lunches and my childhood fear of different foods touching. Nowadays, I’d consider myself a cross-pollinator when it comes to my sides. Fears are meant to be overcome, and this ain’t no cafeteria chicken à la king.

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Really though, this is a make-your-own-adventure type of jam. Allow me to suggest spooning some of that chili-dusted dipping sauce over your rice to add a little extra tangy heat under your bulgogi. Use the rest to augment the crispy, umami-rich pork and chive dumplings. Toss some of your beef into the salad with some briny kimchi cukes to make things a little interesting. Rinse off your palate with that hearty goblet of soup. Repeat with a new combo. There’s no rules, and no one’s watching.

You’ll leave Asiana Garden feeling good about yourself. Their lunch box is filling in a good way — it covers all the major food groups, just like mom would worry about. Though it’s gone up a few dollars in the last few years, it’s still a solid variety for under $10, so you’re really running all your bases.

For me, the comfort of a meal well-had often comes from the tried and true, the uncompromising, the so-called stick in the mud. Tides change and food trends come and go, but some things are irreplaceable. I tip my hat to the old souls, like Asiana Garden, who remind me that a thrifty meal that sticks to your bones is never too far away from home.