Category Archives: Korean Food

Seongbukdong – Great Galbijjim!

25 Thursday Jul 2013

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The phone rang. “Hello,…”. “…, do you want to try that place with the beef ribs and mackerel?” “You mean Seongbukdong?”

It was Wednesday morning, and I had just finished my morning cereal when my friend suggested trying this place known for the Galbijjim (steamed beef short ribs) and Braised Mackerel. Why not, life is short, and one should enjoy whenever possible.

Almost a mandatory stop whenever I go to Koreatown, I made my way over to the Koreatown Galleria Market to get some Gimbap, seaweed snacks, Persian cucumbers before heading over to the restaurant. Since Cake House was just right across the market, I got some ham and cheese croissants, corn muffin and some vegetable rolls for snacking later on.

The restaurant sat in a small strip mall, and I would have drove right past it if I had not seen a photo of the store front prior. Fortunately, there were quite a few parking spaces left in this tiny lot when I pulled up.

There were some empty tables when I walk in, and I wasted no time in ordering. “Steamed beef short ribs and braised mackerel, please”, I said to the waitress. She pointed to some photos from some newspaper clippings posted on the wall next to my table to confirm the order. “Yes”, I reassured her of my orders.

The Beef short ribs arrived – a little anxious that it might not meet my expectations. Incroyable! (Incredible, I mean) Not only was the beef unequivocally succulent, luscious, and remarkably tender, but one could even taste the essence of the meat itself because of its freshness and quality. Though the sweetness of the sauce is slightly more than I would have preferred, I still managed to devour most of the meat in the small pot, leaving my companion scrounging the left over bones for more meat.

mackerelWith its oiliness and strong “fishy” taste, the mackerel itself is already an extraordinary flavorful fish. The addition of the kimchee, peppers and radishes to the Brasied Mackerel enhanced that richness of the fish without overpowering it. At some restaurants, the texture of the cooked mackerel could be a bit tough at times, but the mackerel here still managed to retain some moistness. It would have been even more satisfying if there were more than just the three small pieces of mackerel in that pot.

I was not entirely full after the meal, perhaps that would leave me wanting to come back again sooner for more.

Seongbukdong: 3303 W. 6th St. Los Angeles, CA 90020  Phone: 213-738-8977

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Jun Won – Bold Flavors

15 Monday Jul 2013

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Destination: Eun Daegu Jorim (Braised Black Cod). Rumor has it that Jun Won offers one of the best of this beloved dish of mine, surely I cannot bypass this temptation to try.

If I had not done my research and looked up a photo of the restaurant, it would have be easy to miss the place, since the sign is only in Korean. Rarely had I encountered so much available parking spaces for a Korean restaurant in that area, I was thankfully relieved not to have to deal with valet.

The place is small, intimate and felt very welcoming and homey. The waiting staff were exceptionally jovial. Famished from having played for over 2 1/2 hours of badminton, I hurriedly ordered the two dishes I came here for: Spicy Pork with Kimchee, Brasied Black Cod.

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After a few bites of the pork with kimchee, I realized that I  have just found my all time 2nd favorite Korean dish after the Braised Black Cod. The flavors of this pork dish were outrageously deep, robust, pungent. The Kimchee was nothing less than remarkable – reminiscent somehow of a full bodied, well-aged wine. One could almost taste the amount of time that the fermentation took to achieve such an unparalleled depth of richness in flavor.

Almost every table had ordered the braised cod. I would say that the dish had met my expectation. Actually, the black cod itself is such a succulent, luscious fish that it would be difficult to mess it up. The velvety, buttery texture of the fish, went well with the mildly piquant, savory sauce – wish there were more than just the three pieces on the plate.

While the presentation of both of the dishes looked similar, piles of nondescript goodness under an abundance of green onions and covered with a dark orangey, brownish sauce, the tastes were distinct from each other.

A small bowl of cold seaweed soup was suddenly presented in front of me. While I had plenty of warm seaweed soup before, this was the first time having a cold one. The faintly vinegary coolness of the broth along with heaps of soft silky seaweed was incredibly refreshing after the aggressive, bold flavors – it was like that of a sea breeze on a humid, muggy afternoon.

Beyond stuffed, after finishing off the outstanding assortment of banchan, and everything else from the plates, with two bowls of rice,  I was ready for my next conquest.

Jun Won: 3100 W. 8th St. Ste 101, Los Angeles, CA 90005  Phone: 213-383-8833

Kobawoo – Always good

02 Tuesday Jul 2013

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I was looking for a pork dish that I had tried at another Korean restaurant that had gone out of business, so I searched the handy internet trying to locate a place that might serve that particular dish. After much efforts, it was to no avail. I did, however, found another dish that sounded somewhat remotely similar, so I decided to give that a try.

Located inside a small strip mall at the corner of Vermont and 7th, Kobawoo was easy to find. There is valet parking for about $1.50 or so, though not too expensive, but if one gets there early enough before the restaurant opens for lunch, sometimes the valet people are not there yet.

The specialty here is Bossam –  steamed pork belly slices that are served with fermented shrimp paste, pickled jalapeños peppers, marinated radishes, and can be wrapped either with the slightly pinkish pickled radish or napa cabbage leaves. The meat, fatty, rich and moist, is cooked to a perfect state of tenderness. Though the pork is not especially flavorful by itself, when wrapped and devoured with all the pungent accompaniments, it transforms into a symphony of spicy, salty, vinegary, and crunchy goodness, and becomes surprisingly and pleasurably addicting.

As good as the bossam is, my favorite here is the Eun dae gu jorim, a braised black cod with daikon. There are about four fillets of fish with big rounds of white radishes. The price for this dish is probably the lowest compared to others in town. The fish has a distinct delicate flavor, and is exceptionally tender and flaky. The daikon can be a tad salty after having soaked up the sauce.

The Kalbi (marinated short ribs) and Bulgogi (marinated beef) are grilled in the kitchen and brought out to the table. For this restaurant, I actually prefer the Kalbi over the bulgogi of which I found to be uncommonly sweet.

Jangban Guksu is a huge platter of  buckwheat noodles with assorted shredded vegetables such as cucumber, lettuce, carrots, onions, red bell peppers. After all the ingredients were mixed together with the reddish sauce, the result is a crisp, refreshing mix of zestiness and chewiness that I would happily slurped down with a cup of tea.

Banchan (small side sides) here is usually limited to about four assortments, but always looked and tasted fresh. There would be a little button at the table to push for service when needed, and the waiters would always respond right away. I really appreciate the attention to details at this restaurant, there would always be a fresh and different pot of miniature orchid on each table every time I go. The beautifully crafted heavy dark wooden tables and benches evoke in me almost a sense of regalness, a sense of tradition, and quality.

Kobawoo House: 698 S. Vermont Ave. Ste 109, Los Angeles, CA 90005  Phone: 213-389-7300

Genwa Korean BBQ- Best of All Worlds

23 Sunday Jun 2013

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Back in the carefree days of my senior year in college, my friend and I would venture out to Koreatown at least once or twice a week to have a barbeque dinner at The Corner Place. She would always ordered the Galbi (marinated beef short ribs), while I persisted with my Bulgogi (marinated beef). We had such a wonderful time wrapping the meat with the lettuce, adding the different varieties of bachan (side dishes) to the wraps and devouring everything in sight. One might have thought we were starving art students.

The only complaint I had those days was that once we came outside, got into the car, I could smell the smoke and sweat on my T-shirt and on my hair, pretty much all over. As I arrived home, I had to make the difficult decision of whether or not to wash my hair even though it was not my normal hair washing day.

Fast-forward to present day at Genwa. Imagine my relief and joy when I realized that I will no longer have to suffer neither the inhalation of the smoke, nor the lingering odor, when I do decide to have a good Korean barbeque – actually, I meant to say the best Korean bbq.

The modern interior with the contemporary wooden furnishings is quite atypical of Korean barbeque restaurants in LA. There is a full bar along one side of the restaurant. The service was impeccable, the attentive young waiters patiently answered all my questions about the menu, and later even asked if we wanted any refills when the dishes became empty. I was impressed.

The twenty or so tiny dishes of bachan were spread around the “smokeless grill”. I was excited and ready to try each and everyone of them. Luckily there were only two of us at the table; I could not imagine a big party sharing such tiny portions of the side dishes despite the abundance of varieties.

We ordered the Prime Galbi (marinated prime short ribs) and the Vegetable Bibim-Bap (mixed rice with vegetables). There are set courses that one can order for 2 to 5 people that come with a House salad, and choices of items which might include Soon Tofu, or Japchae (a clear noodle stir fried w/vegetables and beef), or Kimchee Jigae (kimchee stew), and varieties of different meat.

The prices are not cheap, but the quality of the meat is superb. The prime short rib slices were definitely well-marbled, and the texture could not have been more tender, it absolutely melted  in my mouth. For someone like me who don’t consume much beef anymore, I certainly did not hold back with this meal. I also adored these thinly sliced radishes that one can wrap the meat in, it seemed to help in balancing the fattiness of the beef.

The Bibimbap was served in a sizzling stone pot mixed at the table . The flavors and consistencies are similar to most of ones I tried else where. It was not as impressive as the meat dish.

Genwa Korean BBQ: 5115 Wilshire Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90036   Phone: 323-549-0760

Koreatown Galleria Market- Fun Shopping

14 Friday Jun 2013

Posted by in Bakery, Food, Korean Food, Lifestyle, Markets

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It might seem extreme that sometimes I would end up going anywhere from three to five different markets in one day just to get everything I want for that day. Since I live within 5 miles from the major supermarkets, as well as smaller or specialty markets such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Sprouts, Market World,  it is not too difficult for me to visit a few of them in one trip.  Actually, I must confess that the real reason for visiting the different markets is that I truly enjoy looking at all the delectable food items, and I get excited trying new food products.

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Aside from usual markets that I go to almost daily, I would make it a point to visit the Koreatown Galleria Market whenever I am in that area for a meal. The freshness of the fruits and vegetables is one of the major reason why it is so appealing for me. The prices in the produce department seem very reasonable and even low at times, compared to some of the Chinese markets. The Persian and the pickling varieties of the cucumbers are always on sale and always firm and fresh. The Asian pears in boxes look huge and blemish free. The apples are good but the prices fluctuate quite a bit. I like the fact that the market feels really clean, airy and organized.

seaweedgimbap

Being that my son loves to add these seasoned dried seaweeds to his food, there are plenty of sizes and varieties to choose from here. There is a wide selection of banchan here that one can purchase in whatever amount desired since it is self served. The Gimbap here somehow taste better than some of the other ones I tried elsewhere.

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Another propelling factor to go to the Galleria Market is that the Cake House, a Korean bakery, is located right across the market. The pastries and breads, though not as spectacular as some of other places that I frequent, are definitely not lacking in varieties, which makes it more fun to pick and choose from.

As a side note, there is an Eyewear shop on the second floor that I find to have the best and latest styles of frames and sunglasses for those who use them. Even though I don’t wear glasses, I find the vast selection of trendy styles to be inspiring to look at.

Koreatown Galleria: 3250 W. Olympic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90006  Phone: (323) 733-6000

Soban, so good

31 Friday May 2013

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sobanFor anyone who knows me well, Korean food is my favorite cuisine. My first encounter with Korean food was back when I was in college. I became friends with a few Korean students, and tried Korean cooking for the very first time. I was really blown away, and happily overwhelmed with the pungent, and complex taste of the food. The best tasting Korean dishes I have ever tried were definitely at one of my friend’s home. Her mother was so welcoming, so happy and proud that I was gobbling up all her cooking as if it was the best food in the world, of which it really was. With immense pride and joy on her face, she would serve me plates and plates of different homemade kimchees, as well as tender strips of marinated meat that I could not get enough of. I have long since lost touch with my friend Jeannie Yoon, I  have hope that one day I will run into her in Koreantown where I do frequent often.

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Back to the present, one of my favorite Korean dish these days is braised black cod(Eun Daegu Jorim). There is nothing that I do not like about this dish. The fish is delicate but flavorful, with just the right seasonings to bring out the fish taste, but not overpowering it. I have tried this dish at Kobawoo, Jun Won, Mapo Kkak Du Gi, and all of them are good. But it is at Soban, that I found the taste of this dish to be of perfect balance.

The black cod at Soban was cooked not just with radishes, but with the addition of rectangular pieces of tofu and thin slices of squash. The taste was more subtle and not as strong(which I prefer) as the other places. The other dish I tried at Soban was Galbijjim. It was the first time trying this particular way of eating beef ribs at a Korean restaurant. The meat was simmered slowly in a pot with different ingredients. The beef was tender, and again the flavor was quite delicate. I liked the red dates and chestnuts inside the pot, but I thought that they can be cooked longer so that the texture may become softer.

A side note, I must say that I prefer to go to restaurants that do not require valet parking, and this restaurant does offer limited parking in the back, and on the streets.

Thoughts and Questions for the Day:  I notice that Korean people usually go mainly to Korean restaurants; I especially don’t see too many Koreans in Chinese restaurants. Why? Is it because Korean food is so tasty already that there is no special desire for other cuisines?

Soban: 4001 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90019  Phone: (323) 936-9106