Katana: Haute Summer Grilling Over Sunset Blvd

As a kid - even up through college - summer seemed to last forever.  Two months felt like an eternity to do with as you please - and by the time September rolled around, you were for the most part ready to head back to school, to see your friends, to tackle the excitement of a new year and what it might bring. 

Now, with a full-time job and year round responsibilities -  summer seems to pass with the blink of an eye.  We are blessed in Southern California that the Fall and Winter don't really get that bad...(another reason I will probably never leave) - the weather is pretty much great all the time (relatively to say, Toronto) with the exception of February and June. But those summer months, where the sun seems to shine even brighter, and the air seems to be denser with promise of carefree adventure - are still incredibly precious.  It's the time of year where you want to be outdoors, as much as you can - for me, that does NOT mean roughing it on bare bones campgrounds, but more like grabbing good food, with great company, al fresco.

So I was excited when I was invited to check out Katana, a robatayaki/sushi hotspot featuring outdoor dining on its patio overlooking Sunset Blvd. 

The place feels like a hidden gem, located on the second floor with a barely visible sign that's easy to miss while driving down Sunset - the biggest landmark being its neighbor, The Comedy Store.  You pull into the narrow entrance of the garage and take a questionably vintage elevator ride - that opens up to a serene, chic space that feels like a different world from the stereotypical Hollywood vibe on the street below.

The interiors are modern Asian fusion, lush, dark, cavernous, ornate - with two large, open kitchens - one for robata service, the other for sushi - side by side.  But we were there for the patio - a gorgeous space with dark, long rattan couches and a flowering fountain.

Mims and I kicked off the sultry summer evening with a round of cocktails: Ginger Lychee Mojito ($14) Barcardi Rum, Fresh Mint, Lychee, Ginger, and fresh lime juice. Kimono Dragon ($14) Oxley Gin, Aperol, grapefruit juice, fresh lemon sour, muddled lemon, and basil

Before our food arrived, we were treated to a tour of the kitchens and got to meet the chefs - checking out the open-flame, charcoal-fired grills and impressive glass case of skewers of every kind of meat imaginable.  They use a special kind of charcoal here called binchotan, imported from Japan. It's a white charcoal that does not release smoke or unpleasant odors as it burns, letting the flavors of the ingredients shine through instead.

Back on the patio, we started with the sushi side of the house - a beautiful presentation of sashimi that made us feel like we were on vacation. 

Flowers make everything better: edible gorgeousness.

I usually don't love tuna tartare, but this one was super fresh and I loved the addition of briny caviar, and the counterbalancing crunch of wonton 'scoopers', with mayonnaise and sesame oil as well as soy sauce.

One of the first skewers to arrive was also one of our favorites: Chilean Sea Bass ($5.25): super tender, juicy with a lovely sweetness balanced by a delicious robata char. Skewers are served with three dipping sauces: soy mustard, ginger and ponzu.

Then, because I have a penchant for the unusual, there were Quail Eggs ($3), Chicken Liver ($3) and Chicken Cartilage ($2.75).  The quail eggs got a little too rubbery on the outside, and the chicken cartilage was as to be expected tough and chewy - not ones I might get again - but I enjoyed the rich, flavorful chicken liver skewers.

The more classic Wagyu beef ($20) skewers were tender, juicy, flavor-packed and another favorite.  We also tried the Chicken Meatballs ($3.75) - a nice price point for those who just want small bites to go with their drinks, Izakaya style.

The showstopper though was hands-down the Wagyu beef + lobster skewers with UNI TRUFFLE BUTTER ($26).  During the kitchen tour the chef seemed especially proud of this one, and I was sold as soon as I heard the magic words Uni and Truffle.

Here's a shot of the grilled skewer.  SO delicious. Definitely the one to order if you're at a client dinner powered by an expense account.

Those on a budget should not miss the Lamb Chop Marinated in Soy Garlic ($6) this might have been one of the best bites of lamb I'd had in the city this year.  Sorry for the dark pic as we were having such a great time eating and catching up, that we didn't notice that our meal was heading into like the third hour until the light started changing on us.

All in all, a fantastic time and great spot to 'choose your own adventure' especially during summer - whether it's after work drink and small bites, or for a splurgey client meal over an iconic stretch of Hollywood literally and figuratively elevated above the fray.

Note: On the weeknight that we went, it had a very relaxed, serene vibe until closer to 10pm when the patio got more crowded, and noticeably louder.  We heard on Saturdays the patio gets more packed, with more of the Hollywood crowd, so plan your visit according to whatever you're more into.

 
*Disclaimer: This meal was hosted.

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Katana

8439 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Ph:323.650.8585

Parking: Valet in structure below restaurant (entry on Sunset)

Website: innovativedining.com/restaurants/katana

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The Coop Part Two: Memorial Day BBQ Brunch

Chefs Marcel Vigneron and Haru Kishi threw a brunch so good it felt like sin, this past Easter Sunday.  So when they announced that they were doing a second holiday brunch - Memorial Day weekend - under their emerging pop-up brand "The Coop", I was excited to see (1) what they would come up with to reinterpret that classic, all-American barbecue, and (2) if they plan to 'own' holiday pop-up brunches.  Especially since we ran into each other at a recent UCLA Science and Food lecture (the chefs were also spotted at Nathan Myhrvold's talk, where he spoke specifically about modernist bbq techniques) - I wondered if they would take any inspiration from those.

Another reason I was looking forward to the event?  It was to be held again at the so-gorgeous-it-can-reduce-you-to-tears Gonpachi space. 

Gonpachi the restaurant has folded, but the space, with its authentic, imported Japanese architecture and interiors, and lush greenery surrounding a serene koi pond, that on the whole make me think "zen temple meets tea house meets spa resort" is too amazing to let go to waste - I'm really hoping that either Chefs Vigneron and Kishi, obviously fans of the space, would take it over permanently at some point, or some other high caliber chef would come in and revive it, keeping the space exactly as is but infusing it with compelling fare that will draw diners and enough profit to sustain it.  (I was so excited about this second The Coop event, with incredible guilt I reserved with the blog email in hopes it would up my odds of getting in, given how packed it was last time as well!) 

Now that I've said my piece about the space - onto The Coop experience.  This was again to be a 5-course brunch ($42 per person this time), again with cocktails by Devon Espinosa. I don't know at what point it become de rigeur for me, but now I physically cannot have brunch without a cocktail. So my friend JK and I were both drawn to the Kentucky Punch Bourbon ($12) buffalo trace, lime juice, cucumber, mint - which turned out to be light, refreshing and was a perfect accompaniment to an indulgent meal of meats and other deliciousness to come. Just to try a different drink though I had Spiked Picnic Tea ($12) for my order, made with grey goose, passion fruit tea, lemon juice, strawberries.  I wasn't a fan of this one as it was simultaneously too sweet and too bitter - and I generally don't love pink drinks and hadn't expected this one to be one. Wish I had just gone for the Kentucky Punch Bourbon as well - at least JK shared a sip so I could taste it!

When it came to food, The Coop kicked off with a simply named 1st Course: PB&J and Compressed Watermelon Wedge, but what arrived was a clearly inventive plate.  The picnic food became, in Marcel & Haru's hands, an open-faced brioche toast topped with spherified pomegranate and blueberry puree, and peanut butter crumbs that we're guessing was flash frozen and then ground up.  The textures were a delightful surprise and skillfully executed as to be perfect for the first course - I especially loved that the peanut butter, usually a heavy goop, is so light and airy yet packed with distinct flavor, and that the spherication was a refreshing, clean, crisp burst of fruit and tartness versus the familiar sugary sticky mess, all counterbalanced by the squares of toast, cut at just the right size and thickness to serve as canvas and foil for the other elements. The chefs definitely know how to announce their arrival. 

On the other end of the plate: Compressed Watermelon Wedge - these beauties were instantly addictive - they were compressed with cherry blossom infused vodka and lemon puree (so we were advised by our server).  We thought we tasted fleur de sel too, there was something crunchy on top that went perfect with the juicy slices.  Loved these too - that's 2 for 2 just in the first course! 

Onward went the march into 2nd Course: Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich, cole slaw, Hawaiian roll - there was no visible modernist wizardry here, but it was a simply freaking awesome chicken sandwich that we wanted 10 more of, immediately.  It was just so juicy and flavorful, with perfectly even breading all around, and an extra juicy crunch of cole slaw between subtly sweet Hawaiian roll buns.  So good. The Hawaii reference on a holiday meant to pay tribute to American soldiers, held in a Japanese space - could be seen as tongue-in-cheek, or equally, a respectful bridging of two formerly opposing sides, across time, with soul-healing food and its power to connect. Or it could just be that the rolls went really well taste-wise with the chicken (yeah I've been told I have a tendency to overthink everything :P)

3rd course: Binchotan Baby Back Ribs, Chorizo Baked Beans these ribs were perfectly portioned, fall off the bone tender and beautifully charred.  Binchotan it turns out is Japanese white coal made from oak, and doesn't release smoke or odours, making it a good choice for yakitori chicken.  Which the chefs used to cook the pork ribs.  Interestingly the plate came with a wedge of lemon - but I don't think we ever figured out if that was for the beans or the ribs.  I put it on my ribs and the citrus added a nice layer of tart juicy-ness. 

Then came the course inspired by Nathan Myhrvold's lecture: 4th course: "Slow and Low" Beef Brisket, Kentucky BBQ Sauce, Smoked Potato Salad chef Haru was kind enough to stop by our table to introduce this dish and explained that, inspired by Myhrvold's insights into best way to barbecue meats for maximum tenderness and retaining juices - they cooked this brisket slowly and with low heat - over, in fact, three days! To me the tender texture kind of reminded me of oxtail. Paired with the Kentucky *bourbon* barbecue sauce, it was perfection - I don't think either of us looked up til there was nothing left to lick off our plates.

Chef Haru also brought out the Smoked Potato Salad which was possibly the most dramatic presentation of the meal - the salad came with a glass cover filled with smoke, like the mysterious haze inside a movie gypsy's crystal ball, which only slowly reveals the contents below once the smoke dissipates.  And we loved and enjoyed every morsel of this salad too - with its fingerling potatoes, freshest tasting peas and ribbons of onion sprinkled with delicate leaves of green and shallots.  Interesting that they went smokeless with the meat, and instead used the smoke in the salad.

And for the sweet finish: 5th course: Corn Bread, Maple Cloud, Bacon Ice Cream, Candied Pecan this was a nice, simple, not groundbreaking but well executed dessert set.  Everything was just the right portion: I loved the little bite-sized cornbread with the maple marshmallowy dollops on top, and the candied pecans were perfect with the subtly flavored bacon ice cream.  Again I loved their attention to detail: the serving dish for the corn bread was shaped like an ear of corn!

All in all, score another coup for The Coop.

Thank you chefs for another amazing, and very memorable, holiday brunch!  Can't wait til the next one (July 4th perhaps?!)


 
On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 6.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100% (whenever they have their next pop up!)
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The Coop BBQ Brunch at Gonpachi
Saturday & Sunday, May 27th 2012
134 N. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90211 

Twitter: @marcelvigneron 
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Lucques Rib Fest 2011 - Chowdown on the Patio at High Noon

It was the morning after Ms Sassy's Fabulous Birthday Dinner on the patio at Craft, when I thought I couldn't possibly stuff any more deliciousness into my now ground-hugging muffin top, that Ms Sassy and I met up once again in the name of good food - to burst through the doors of Lucques like a bunch of cowgirls in defiance of the law (well, laws...of gravity and waning metabolisms).

Lucques was having their annual Rib Fest (4 meat courses, 5 sides, 1 dessert, $55pp), which seemed the perfect reason for a mid-summer chowdown, despite our culinary debauchery just hours ago.  Afterall, Rib Fest only comes around once a year. And it falls on the day after Ms. Sassy's birthday so that I could treat her back, for the fantastic fete she hosted the night before.

The thing we learned immediately about Rib Fest is that Lucques does not mess around with their meat extravaganza - in mere minutes after being seated in the properly dressed, hay-strewn back patio, our food started arriving.  Makes sense since there is only one menu offered, that everything is ready to go and there's no lag time with decision making and prep.  The entire staff was game for the themed event and seemed to get into character with their western shirts, cowboy hats & boots, and I thought I even spotted a string tie at one point. 

Everything pretty much arrived at once, but the center piece of course was the mountain of animals corralled onto one plate. It was a representative roundup of Saint Louis-Style Pork Ribs, Braised Beef Back Ribs and Spiced Lamb Spare Ribs, which our server told us had been slow-cooked for hours. And it showed - the ribs were all soaked through with flavor to the bone, and when meat and teeth made contact, the meat fell away like the slow-drawer.  My favorite of the ribs was of course the lamb - not many places, at least that I'm aware of, does lamb at an 'all-american' style bbq!  There was so much meat we each took ribs home in boxes.

The fourth protein was Too-Hot-to-Handle Chicken Wings, which were basically buffalo wings but with a nice crisped skin.  These were aptly named - the heat was too much for me and I could only manage a few bites.

The sides were for the most part mainly staples you would expect to find at any barbecue, including cole slaw, baked beans, buttered corn on the cob, and long cooked collard greens.  These were market 
fresh, but I was a little disappointed that they didn't get the Suzanne Goin treatment I looked forward to - of being elevated with her interpretation or mixing with unexpected ingredients for new flavor profiles, while allowing the natural, clean tastes of the ingredients to shine through.


The last two sides were what really stood out and blew me away: Grilled Cornbread (the better half of the Grilled Cornbread & Wonder Bread plate), and Watermelon and Lime Salad.  The cornbread didn't have any added ingredients or contrived fanciness to it - it was simple, rustic, comforting, the way cornbread should be served - but the grilling added a nice pungent smokiness and crunch that worked perfectly with the fluffy cornmeal interior and took it to a whole different level.  A little over a week later, and I can still taste and crave it.

The Watermelon and Lime Salad was the second standout among the sides - the ingredients were kept simple and clean, but worked perfectly together: juicy watermelon chunks were tossed with lime, red onion and herbs to form an instantly addictive, refreshing summer salad.

For a sweet finish: Peach and Blackberry Cobbler with Vanilla Ice Cream.  This was a great counterbalance to the savory feast, with market fresh berries plopped among a light spread of cakey crust, topped by a cool scoop of vanilla ice cream.

We left satiated and contented.  All in all, a solid meal for those who don't want to get down and dirty with their own barbecue grill, and want to enjoy their carnivorous feast in a civilized, upscale yet not stuffy environment. 

Would I come back next year? I was glad we got to try it, but for my money - especially since I am not a huge barbecue fan (don't get me wrong, I love my meats fresh and sizzling off the grill, but I don't often crave it - with the exception of korean bbq) and almost always prefer the unexpected versus classics, and especially since it's at Lucques - I would rather put my money towards Lucques Sunday Suppers (3 courses, $45pp) where I could experience the more creative and inspired dishes coming out of the chef's kitchen. 

That said, it was still a great bbq meal and glad I got to play a part in extending Ms. Sassy's bday weekend festivities!

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 5.5 bites
Presentation - 5 bites
Originality - 5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 5.5 bites
Price - $$$$ (4 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 70% 

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Lucques
8474 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA
Ph: 323.655.6277

Website: lucques.com
Twitter: twitter.com/lucquesla
Look for reservations: Opentable.com/Lucques
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Willoughby Road: Inspired Southern / Fusion Thoroughfare

Part of the charm of food truck culture, at least for me, is that it makes every day kinda like waking up on Christmas morning as a kid - what will the day bring?  Has Santa delivered against my wishlist?  Will I receive that completely unexpected gift, that is beyond anything I could have thought to ask for?  Checking Twitter to see what culinary delights the day has brought to my 'hood is a little like that - going downstairs to see what's arrived under the tree. 

Today, I got that unexpected gift - its name is Willoughby Road.

Whenever I'm looking for quick, inexpensive food on a weeknight after work, or on a weekend when I wake up starving and/or don't feel like cooking - I've developed the habit of checking which purveyor of gourmet-on-wheels is in my neighborhood via Twitter.com/foodtruckssfv.  I love that on any given day, I can get anything from  Japanese to Brazilian to everything-bacon to creative fusion to artisanal desserts, and you can even make multi-course meals by mixing and matching from truck to truck - but you don't know until usually days before if not the day of, what will come your way.

Willoughby Road had been recommended by "3starbackpacker" a while back, and their slogan "southern cuisine redefined" definitely piqued my interest - but it was always just out of reach, on days that I was valley-bound.  So I nearly jumped up in my car today when I saw that it is in my neighborhood, finally, and headed over immediately!

Though its entire menu of mainly bbq items sounded appealing, I asked Jeshua, chef and co-owner - what he would recommend if I could only get two items.  And yes, both for me. 

His first recommendation was a new item on the menu: Fried Grit Cake ($6) - this lit a series of fireworks on my tongue and in my brain!  Basically, incredibly creamy garlic cheddar cornmeal is crusted and fried, then smoked corn whiskey sausage gravy is poured over it, then the whole thing is topped with apple slaw that has been marinated in malt vinegar and sprinkled with herbs.

Jeshua said he came up with this while dining at his friend Ilan Hall's restaurant, The Gorbals, and while thinking about a way to do southern inspired poutine that doesn't involve cheese fries, which are difficult to do on a truck.

Jeshua has worked in the kitchens of notable chefs including Ludo, and the pride he takes in pushing the envelope really shows. Grits are a simple food that is easy to just relish to a canvas to make other ingredients shine, but Jeshua found a way to bring its simple beauty center stage, while kicking it up a few notches with the creative combination of savory, sweet, spicy, tart!  And I consider it a balanced meal with its inclusion of protein, fruit, dairy, (can I consider herbs veggie?!) and of course grain.  The incredible interplays of textures and flavors, and skillful control of consistency and temperature easily made this the best side dish I've ever had from a truck!  If not for the rapid outgrowing of my jeans, the Fried Grit Cake would have compelled me to make a second trip to Willoughby Road for dinner.

The second recommended dish was Smoked Fried Ribs ($10) which comes with a choice of two sides, from Thai Slaw, Mac & Cheese to Pork & Beans.  This was fall-off-the-bone tender pork ribs, flash fried to form a light, nice crisp shell over rich layers of delicious meat and fat.  I would have liked the flavor to be infused more evenly through the meat, but I did like the light crust over the meat.  The Mac & Cheese was creamy, but in my opinion could have used richer flavor perhaps by using a more pungent cheese or combination of cheeses.  The Thai  Slaw, I expected to taste like the slaw from LudoTruck, but ended up being a little bland.

The portion sizes of each of the two dishes were hearty - I could have just had either one as a meal on its own, and did end up saving some of the ribs for dinner.

Other items on the menu that I look forward to checking out are the Fried Chicken of course, and pulled pork sandwich.

All in all, because of the amazing Fried Grit Cake, which I haven't seen anywhere else with this type of execution - I can't wait to take Willoughby Road to Taste Bud Utopia again! 

Will be eagerly checking Twitter for the next time it ventures into my area (and perhaps will even venture out myself to chase it)!  Thanks 3starbackpacker for the rec!

Update April 2011:

So excited one night after work when I saw that Willoughby Road is again on the road, this time in Glasell Park for late night dining, outside Verdugo Bar.  I was probably the only one in jeans and a sweatshirt, there just for the food - no interest in the bar. 

Though I had no idea if Jeshua would have the amazing Fried Grit Cake that night, I made the trek out from the SFV on pure faith - but knowing that I would probably love whatever they had on the menu anyway.

So I was a little sad when they didn't have the Fried Grit Cake on the menu that night - apparently people didn't know what it was and so hadn't been ordering it (come on, people, it is insanely good - please please ask Jeshua for it so he will keep it on the menu!!)  But Jeshua recommended the Pork Belly Sliders instead. Everything Jeshua makes is packed with flavor, and the sliders are no exception - he uses hoisin sauce with the most incredible, perfectly juicy/fatty pork belly skillfully fried to a crisp but light shell.  An instant favorite that I plan to order again next time Willoughby Road is within range!


On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 5.5 bites
Originality - 6 bites
Ambience - 5.5 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $ (1 bite mark)
Probability of return visit - 95%______________________________________________________________________

Willoughby Road
All around Los Angeles - check Twitter for latest location
Ph: 760.784.5301     

Website: willoughbyroad.com/
Follow on Twitter: twitter.com/willoughbyroad

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Dong Il Jang - Full Service DIY BBQ / Taste of Nostalgia in Koreatown

There's nothing like a hot grill with sizzling cuts of meats - served indoors on a cold, rainy day like we've been having with freakish frequency lately.  In particular, I love a great Korean BBQ - and of the tens of dozens of BBQ restaurants in Koreatown, Dong Il Jang is possibly the best of them - for the uber traditional dining experience as well as the specialty dishes (like kimchi fried rice cooked on the grill at your table).

Though the outside of the restaurant is non-descript, from the moment you step into the place, you feel transported into another time and space.  The decor is an amalgamation of traditional Korean and traditional Japanese mixed with a 70s feel- with an eclectic mix of faux leather diner style booths and waitress uniforms, antiques from both cultures on display, and a tatami room complete with shoji doors for private dining towards the back.

For the most part, dishes at Dong Il Jang are pretty much served family style - unless you get the rice (e.g. bibimbap) or noodle bowls, or the slightly out of context Japanese offerings.

After kicking off our meal with complementary bowls of delicious broth, we started in on our order of Pa Jun - seafood pancake made with egg, dough, green onions, calamari and jalapenos adding a nice kick.  Delish, though it contained just a little too much dough.

For our meats, we ordered Dong Il Jang's signature Roast Gui - gorgeously marbled slices of prime rib (minimum two orders per table) - which is the only dish on the menu that includes Kimchi Fried Rice, to be prepared at your table after you are done with grilling the meats (more on the rice dish shortly!).  We also ordered pre-marinated Kalbi (beef short ribs). 
Of course, the meats came with an array of side dishes.  Side dishes are a critical part of any Korean bbq meal - there to add flavor and texture variety to complement the carnage.  At Dong Il Jang, the selection of 'banchan' (side dishes) included:  kimchi, potato salad, glass noodle salad, marinated broccoli, radish/carrot salad, and lettuce leaves with kimchi vinaigrette.  We were not overly impressed by DIJ's banchan offerings - other places would offer more variety including rice wrapper sheets 'dduk bo ssam' (for rolling up pieces of meat), 'mook' (a semi-transparent jello-like cubes that are subtle in taste on their own, but topped by a spicy-salty mix of kimchee, soy sauce and sesame), and dried anchovies.  My fav out of those on offer was the lettuce with kimchi vinaigrette - for the combo of fresh / crunchy with slightly spicy / tart.  But the meat - the meat was amazing, simple, clean and perfectly sliced for even grilling.

As I mentioned earlier, the waitresses were all in old school uniforms, and offered incredibly attentive service.  Although part of the fun of Korean BBQ is the DIY aspect, and bonding with your fellow diners through working together to manage the cooking of the food - I enjoyed the full service treatment at Dong ll Jang as well.  Once the grill was heated up to the right temperature, it was buttered down in preparation for the meats.  Our waitress expertly placed the first batch with impressive speed and precision, along with a cross section of onion that Foodie Mentor referred to as a 'landing pad' for your meats - so that if any look to be overcooking, but none in your party are ready to consume the pieces, you can give it reprieve from the grill (but maintaining its temperature) by 'resting' it on the onion for a while.  Simple but clever device!  In between service, you can of course turn over the meats yourself (or if you wish, even decline service and just let them know you want to just cook all the meats for yourself) - though if you seem to be struggling, the waitress will immediately come by to help out to ensure your meal is perfectly cooked.  The meats were beautiful to see and eat - and we were provided with a simple dipping sauce made of oil, salt and pepper, as well as a mountain of shredded green onions that are perfectly designed to complement the meats - providing a nice contrast of fresh, crisp/crunchy, airy and light flavor with the heavy, slightly greasy and more filling meats.

And for the grand finale - after all the awesome meat flavors have spread over the grilling pan, rice, kimchi, chili-garlic paste, scallions, cucumbers and additional pieces of beef are added to the pan and pretty much stir-fried by our waitress right in front of us at our table to make the irresistibly fragrant Kimchi Fried Rice.   This was possibly the best Kimchi Fried Rice I have had all year!

For a party of 4, our total came out to about $35 each with tax and tip included, which is fantastic given the quality and quantity of food served.  There are of course places that are much cheaper, as well as AYCE Korean BBQ places like Manna - but Dong Il Jang really stands apart from the crowd in terms of quality of its food and dining experience.  You won't find the latest Korean pop / dance music being pumped through here - Dong Il Jang is all about serving quality food in a comfortable setting.

All in all, I would recommend Dong Il Jang as a foodie friendly place, or for anyone looking to have an authentic, nostalgic and relatively upscale night of korean bbq in K-town.

On a 7 point scale:
Flavor - 6 bites
Presentation - 6 bites
Originality - 5.5 bites
Ambience - 6 stars
Service - 6 stars
Overall experience - 6 bites
Price - $$$ (3 bite marks)
Probability of return visit - 100%

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Dong Il Jang
3455 West 8th Street Los Angeles, CA 90005
Ph: 213.383.5757
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