Finally made it to Alley 41 – thought it was very good, if en fuego.
Unlike @vinouspleasure, no one asked us how spicy we wanted anything, and it came out SPICY.
I did ok, friend (who refused my every suggestion to pick a milder second dish) did not do quite as well, but the sweet “grape” soju that tasted like pear juice was used to quell the heat.
We both really liked the fish with cumin, which was dry pot style with a bunch if tasty additions (lotus root, black fungus, bamboo shoot tips, potato).
The beef in chef’s spicy sauce was less of a favorite, just mouth-on-fire spicy (with some peanuts thrown in).
The table of 3 ladies next to us had enough food for 6 or 7, which made me feel a lot better about the amount of food we normally order and consume at these places 
. I really wanted the steamed whole fish they were eating (topped with some spicy sauce, and noodles next to it on the platter) but companion wasn’t feeling it.
The owner was sitting at the table next to us on the other side with a couple of friends, they had the same soupy hot pot as the ladies, another type of whole fish, and a virtuous bowl of shanghai bok choy that no one was actually eating 
Place was 80% full on a weekday, and it’s not cheap, so I hope it bodes well for their longevity.
