POT Cafe

Freshly opened in the lobby of the Line Hotel in Koreatown is POT Cafe, the latest venture from chef and restaurateur Roy Choi (and my culinary spirit animal) with pastry chef and Momofuku Milk Bar alum Marian Mar. Situated in a space in the lobby across from the newly opened POT Bar (a collaboration with mixologist Matt Biancaniello), the cafe was inspired by Korean bakeries like Paris Baguette and 85 Degrees.

POT Cafe’s impressive menu covers both sweet and savory bites plus coffee, tea, juice, and booze to drink. For a moment, I thought that I might never want to leave.

Lining POT Cafe’s pastry cases were sweet and savory baked goods inspired by Korean bakeries but, of course, informed by Choi’s various culinary influences. Nearly everything on the menu is under $5– perfect for ordering a few goodies to snack on.

The cafe also bakes up “Super Cakes,” which are homages to grocery store cakes and are available by the slice or in quarter or half sheets. Of course, these are not the grocery store cakes of your childhood; instead, they’ve been elevated with housemade fillings and jazzed up flavor combinations.

On my next visit, I absolutely need a slice of this “Hello Kitty Cake,” a raspberry cake with raspberry jam, lemon mascarpone cream and a housemade “Cool Whip” whipped cream.

This “Army Cake” features a salted caramel buttercream yellow cake, vanilla cream, strawberries and “Cool Whip.”

We began with a Pineapple Lemongrass Ginger juice ($4.00), which was not only refreshing in the 90 degree heat but also held its own against the much pricier trendy juices of which I’m overly fond.

The warm Hurricane Bread and Butter ($2.25) arrived freshly toasted and slathered with butter, garlic and shiso furikake. This captured the flavors of Hawaiian “Hurricane Popcorn”on a wonderfully fluffy roll. 

The Black Sesame Butter Mochi Cake ($3.00) was among the pastries I was most excited to try but was the least successful of our visit. Rather than chewy and pliable, the mochi–topped with black sesame paste and streusel crumbles– was a dense slab. The mochi cake’s flavor was spot on, and the texture may stand up better against the toppings than traditional mochi, but I missed the chew of the soft rice cake.

The best bite of the afternoon was the Strawberries and Cream Bun ($2.50), a fluffy Korean-style dessert bun hollowed out and filled with fresh strawberries, topped with a generous swirl of cream and finished with streusel crumbs. I loved everything about this simple, gorgeous sweet. 

With POT Cafe’s expansive menu, I’ll need to be back very soon to try more of their offerings… especially that Hello Kitty cake.

POT Cafe

www.eatatpot.com

The Line Hotel

3515 Wilshire Blvd.

Los Angeles, CA 90010

(213) 381-3030 

5 Easy Rainy Day Dinners

Since the weather in LA is bright and sunny nearly year round, I savor every crisp, chilly rainy day that we get. At the first indication of even the slightest drizzle, I reach for a fuzzy blanket, some cozy pajamas and begin planning a warm, hearty dinner. Here are my five favorite easy rainy day recipes to get you through the storms forecast through the weekend.

Arugula and White Bean Stew: When you’re in need of a quick but satisfying dinner on a chilly night, it doesn’t get much better than this stew with arugula, white beans, tomatoes and ham. Slices of toasted baguette perfectly cap off of the bowl. (Recipe here.)

Kimchi Fried Rice: This flavorful, spicy kimchi fried rice is divine any day of the week but particularly appealing when temperatures drop. Topping the rice with a fried egg adds an extra dose of comfort, and scallions and furikake make for delicious finishing touches. (Recipe here.)

Souped-Up Ramen: Upgrade your store-bought ramen with fresh ingredients like vegetables, meat, and eggs. Some of my favorite additions include broccoli, corn, spinach, bean sprouts, freshly crushed garlic, and spam. A smidge of butter thickens up the broth and adds extra flavor.

Chili Frank with Rice: Anyone familiar with Hawaiian plate lunches will recognize this bowl– a bed of white rice topped with chili and a hot dog. Super hearty, this dish is a splurge but absolutely worth it and can be made slightly healthier with turkey chili and high grade hot dogs.

Kimchi Quesadilla (or Grilled Cheese): Yes, kimchi again! A generous serving of spicy, crunchy kimchi transforms your trusty quesadilla or grilled cheese recipe from good to great. Sriracha smiley face optional. (Kogi BBQ’s kimchi quesadilla recipe here and kimchi grilled cheese recipe here). 

Next, settle into the couch for some marathon TV watching and enjoy.

Seoul Sausage

After slinging Korean-inspired sausage on the streets of LA and winning season 3 of “The Great Food Truck Race” (and $50,000, to boot), Seoul Sausage founders Chris Oh, Ted Kim and Yong Kim have opened a brick-and-mortar outpost in the Little Osaka/Sawtelle area of LA.

The freshly-opened shop, which sits next to Blockheads Shavery on Mississippi Avenue, still feels a bit naked but has all the necessary elements to get grubbing: food and counter space to eat.

When Justin and I arrived at Seoul Sausage around 7:30PM on a Saturday night, we learned the the hard way that arriving early is key. They were already sold out of a few items and, as we learned while chatting with the staff, have been selling out every night. In fact, for Seoul Sausage’s grand opening, the team prepped enough food for several days but sold out in a matter of hours. LA is serious about its sausage, I suppose.

Seoul Sausage keeps things short ‘n sweet with its menu– two types of sausages, three rice balls and two specials. Chef Chris shared that he plans to experiment with special sausages and rice balls (keep an eye out for a Thanksgiving-themed sausage in the near future) but that the core menu would remain focused on a few items.

After shaking my fists over my poutine-less future and the “Coming Soon” note affixed to the Spam Musubi rice ball, Justin and I placed our order and snagged some counter space with a view of the grilling action. 

We first dug into the Galbi Sausage ($7.00), made with Korean-style short ribs–the KBBQ staple–and topped with kimchi relish and garlic jalapeno aioli. The hearty sausage delivered exactly the distinct galbi flavor I craved, and the flavorful toppings deliciously accented and rounded out each bite.

While it was the galbi sausage that drew me to Seoul Sausage, it was the Spicy Pork Sausage ($7.00) that won my heart. Each snappy bite provided such pure, spicy, porky goodness that it was hard to believe that I was eating a sausage and not seated around a smoking grill in Koreatown. The apple cabbage slaw added a dash of unexpected sweetness that took the dish from good to awesome.

We also ordered a L’il Osaka rice ball ($3.00), a tasty, crunchy homage to Japanese curry, which nailed the hearty flavors of the dish that inspired it.

After Chef Chris heard that this Hawaiian girl was desperate to try the still in-the-works Spam Musubi rice ball, he generously offered to whip me up a taste.

For their Spam Musubi ball, Seoul Sausage combines rice, macaroni, corn, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, nori, sesame seeds, and Japanese mayo, fries the rice ball and then tops it with a lime Tabasco ketchup. The ball cleverly combined many ingredients of a traditional Hawaiian plate lunch (right down to the macaroni), and the amped up ketchup added a delightful heat. When Chris came back around to ask how it was, I had only one recommendation: more Spam!

And so, he made me another rice ball with MOAR SPAM (yes, I love Spam so much that it makes me go into meme-speak). With the additional Spam, each bite proved more savory and salty and, ultimately, even more satisfying. In short, was ono.

Even while sold out of dishes we wanted, Seoul Sausage delivered the goods both in terms of the food and incredibly friendly service. The shop serves up authentic taste in unique, interesting incarnations but doesn’t rely on the novelty of their dishes for success. Rather, it feels like they’re breathing new life into familar flavors while maintaining the heart and soul of the dish.

Next time, though, I’m getting my poutine…

Seoul Sausage
www.seoulsausage.com
www.twitter.com/seoulsausage
11313 Mississippi Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90025

A-Frame

Last week, A-Frame, a collaboration between Roy Choi (Kogi, Chego) and David Reiss (Alibi Room, The Brig), opened shop in Culver City. Like its co-founders’ previous ventures, the restaurant is decidedly unfussy, employing, instead, a “modern picnic” aesthetic with communal tables and baskets of utensils. A-Frame takes its name from its location’s previous incarnation as an IHOP, but the trademark capital A shape is all the modern space shares with its rooty tooty fresh n’ fruity predecessor; the revamped space is both industrial and unfinished and reminds one simultaneously of both the interior of a Hawaiian hut and that of a wicker picnic basket.

To get the night rolling, J and I began with a Mainland ($10), a cocktailian combination of pisco, liliko’i (passion fruit), lime, egg white and cayenne. Decidedly unique, the drink retained just enough of the liliko’i’s sweetness to counter the tang of the lime and kick of the cayenne.

The menu read like a list of my favorite foods and flavors I grew up with in Hawai’i–including tempura, shrimp and Korean BBQ–but classed up with a Roy Choi pedigree. The menu’s items are linked by their comfort food origins and their place in the urban picnic wherein utensils are optional.

Upon scanning the menu, my eyes were immediately drawn to the Hawaiian-style Furikake Blazin’ J’s Kettle Korn with Warm Butter, Chives and Spices ($5). It warmed my heart to learn that Chef Roy and I share a love for “hurricane popcorn,” and this Kogi-devotee was thrilled to sample his take on the Hawaiian snack. The hurricane popcorn stayed true to its roots with its signature butter and furikake flavor but gained a delightful heat from the addition of spices. Be sure, however, to eat this one quickly; the popcorn quickly grew soggy and weighted down as we munched (although this didn’t stop me from packing up the rest of our bowl to-go).

We also snacked on Sweet Potato and Yam Spears with Sea Salt and Kimchi Sour Cream ($6). Although the wedges themselves were unremarkable (neither crispy nor soft), I found myself unconcerned after dipping one in the stellar kimchi sour cream. The full-bodied, smooth sour cream paired surprisingly perfectly with the spice of the kimchi, creating a sauce so addicting that I continued dipping my finger into it long after the sweet potato and yam spears were gone.

For his entree, J ordered the Cracklin’ “Beer Can” Chicken with Century Egg and Salsa Roja and Verde (half order, $10). “Cracklin'” aptly describes the satisfyingly crispy skin that covered this juicy chicken. After happily ignoring every waistline-conscious warning I’ve heard about eating chicken skin, I turned my attention to the tender chicken and the flavorful verde sauce and reveled in the utensils-optional policy.

The star of the meal, however, was undoubtedly the Korean BBQ Lamb Chops with Citrus Gremolata and Salsa Verde ($18). Despite its healthy char, the lamb chops remained tender, and kalbi flavor added another dimension of deliciosity to the dish–especially when dipped in my old friend the salsa verde. Yes, I know deliciosity is not a word; that is simply how good these were.

Unable to pass on dessert, we ordered the Chu Don’t Know Mang Pound Cake Churros with Cinnamon and Malted Chocolate Milk with Ice Cream ($8). With pound cake as their base, the sugary churros took on a uniquely soft and crumbly texture. Just as street churros benefit from a generous dousing of condensed milk, these churros found their creamy partner-in-crime in the glass of rich malted chocolate milk and ice cream.

Based on our Sunday night dinner, one would never have guessed that A-Frame opened only two days prior. Service was friendly, smooth and speedy, and the dishes were strong. As we dined, Chef Roy nervously paced around the restaurant, peering a diners and seemingly trying to gauge their reaction but speaking to no one. Chef, if A-Frame’s opening weekend is any indication everything will be just fine.

A-Frame

12565 W. Washington Boulevard

Culver City, CA 90066

(310) 398-7700

Kalbi Burger

At the 2nd annual Korean BBQ Cook-off, one snaking, weaving line stretched farther than the rest–that of the new burger joint Kalbi Burger. Fittingly, the K-Town restaurant earned the “Crowd Favorite” award at the meaty celebration. Inspired by this and some juicy pictures from Midtown Lunch, I decided to give this latest incarnation of Korean fusion a try.

With its checkered floor and silver tables, Kalbi Burger initially appears to be a quintessential retro throwback diner. The menu of Asian-inspired burgers, hot dogs, fries and salads (we do, after all, live in Los Angeles), however, reveals otherwise.

I opted for the restaurant’s namesake dish the Kalbi Burger ($7.95), a blend of ground chuck and kalbi topped with lettuce, onions, tomatoes, American cheese, Korean vinaigrette and a kalbi aioli sauce. I was pleased by the heft of the burger’s juicy, meaty patty, multiple slices of cheese and fluffy bun, which all came together to make a satisfying bite. Although I enjoyed this classed-up version of a diner burger, I wished that the kalbi flavor was more slightly more prominent and thought that the flavors begged for the addition of a kimchi topping.

J ordered the Seoul Burger combo ($7.95)–an Angus chuck patty with lettuce, onions, American cheese, Thousand Island dressing and sauteed kimchi– with garlic fries. Whereas my burger would have benefited from the addition of kimchi, the pickled veggies seemed out-of-place on J’s, almost an afterthought.

Although the fries were average, the service we received was not. As Kalbi Burger’s owner made the rounds around the restaurant, he looked J’s fry basket and said, “Oh, that’s not enough garlic!” and took it back to the kitchen. He quickly returned with properly garlicky fries and a few tasty dipping sauces for us to sample.

I regularly (i.e. almost weekly) crave both hamburgers and Asian flavors. Kalbi Burger neatly combined the two with satisfying burgers made with hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, a reasonable price point and friendly service.

Kalbi Burger

www.kalbiburger.com

4001 Wilshire Blvd. Unit E

Los Angeles, CA 90010

213-738-7898

Ahn-Joo

Although Korean cuisine has played a key role in the LA food truck scene from the outset, it has always been part of a hyphenate–for example, the Mexican-Korean fusion of Kogi BBQ. With the rollout of Ahn-Joo at the LA Film Festival, however, mobile Korean food is taking center stage.

Helmed by Chef Debbie Lee, one of the finalists of season 1 of The Next Food Network Star, Ahn-Joo serves modern versions of Korean pub food both savory and sweet. After attending a screening at LAFF last week, I visited Chef Debbie at LA Live to taste some Korean pub grub.

Photo courtesy of Giana Mucci

Restraining myself from ordering the whole menu because of the late hour, I settled on sampling two dishes.

We began with the Seoultown Spuds (garlic fried potato wedges, chile sauce drizzle, $5.00) because potato dishes are inevitably my favorite part of banchan, the small side dishes served alongside Korean food. Each bite of the chunky wedges was delightfully crunchy, and the chile sauce drizzle added the perfect kick to the otherwise sweet potatoes. This dish was everything I love about Korean-style potatoes but kicked up a notch.

Our second savory dish was an order of Korean Nachos (fried rice cakes, smoky chile queso, soy braised pork, kimchi salsa, $7.00), which was a perfect fusion of Korean cuisine and snack nachos. While the tender, shredded soy-flavored pork and kimchi were decidedly Asian-inspired, the smoky chile queso did, in fact, remind one of nacho cheese. I only wished that the noodle-shaped rice cakes which formed the base were more like actual tortilla chips to tie the dish together.

Ahn-Joo also serves spicy pickled cucumbers and a housemade kimchi of the day which, on this day, was daikon. Both snack-sized sides had a wonderful spice and crunch in each bite.

Upon finishing our dishes, J and I were asked if we would like to try a dessert. Of course, we would! Shortly thereafter, we received a paper sleeve containing a Grilled Nutella Bhang ($5.00) cut into mini-triangles. The dessert features nutella and seasonal mixed berries sandwiched between pieces of buttery, grilled bread and is finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. This decadent dessert was one of the best sweets I’ve eaten in some time and struck me as an amalgamation of everything I love about dessert grilled cheese sandwiches and French toast.

Although I loved my first trip to Ahn-Joo, there are so many more things to try that I can’t be fully satisfied until I return!

Ahn-Joo will be parked at the LA Film Fest Village at LA Live from 4PM-1AM on weekdays and 2PM-1AM on weekends.

Ahn-Joo

www.twitter.com/AhnJooLA

www.ahnjoo.com

Ma Dang Gook Soo

Although a steaming hot bowl of noodle soup may epitomize comfort food, in LA’s summer months, who needs their meal to make them sweaty when the weather has already seen to that?

Unwilling to abandon delightfully oversized bowls of noodles for months, I recently visited Ma Dang Gook Soo in Koreatown to taste their cold soybean noodles, which were featured in LA Weekly’s list of “Top 10 Asian Noodle Bowls for Under $7.00.”

Inside the quaint Ma Dang Gook Soo, one finds a dozen or so tables and photos of the menu items lining the walls above a tiled roof-like awning. The no-frills interior and size of the restaurant were comfortingly reminiscent of small Asian shops I grew up with in Hawai’i, and I grew eager to try Ma Dang Gook Soo’s food, which those around me seemed to enjoy.

Like the restaurant itself, the menu is rather small. It seems, however, that this allows for the menu to be focused and specialized (most items are either a noodle or soup), which is perhaps what helped to land the restaurant on an LA Weekly “best” list.

Although many items seemed appealing, I had to stay on task: cold soybean noodles!

The meal began with several side dishes, one of which was a wonderfully executed kimchi. Each bite packed the perfect amount of heat and crunch, and I wished the portion was larger…much larger.

As we were munching on the side dishes, the cold soybean noodles ($6.95) arrived in a behemoth bowl.

Garnished with a slice of tomato and shredded cucumber, the soy-based soup was frothy, bubbly and surprisingly cold (in fact, my fridge made my leftovers seem downright warm in comparison). Although the soy flavor was subtle, it created a soup that was heartier than any clear broth and decidedly more gratifying. I enjoyed the chewy, cold noodles to which the frothy soup clung but was somewhat put off by the powdery residue left in my mouth and on my lips after each bite.

We also ordered steamed dumplings ($5.95). The outer layer was moist and soft, and the pork and vegetable stuffing was juicy and bursting with flavor. These were everything that I hope for when I order dumplings.

Although the cold soybean noodle’s powdery aftertaste was not enough to deter me from eating the dish, it may be enough to keep me from ordering it again. After sampling Ma Dang Gook Soo’s tasty dumplings, however, I would love to return to try the dumpling soup.

Ma Dang Gook Soo

869 S. Western Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90005

(213) 487-6008

Nak Won Korean Restaurant

When I first moved to Los Angeles from Hawai’i, I was surprised to learn that much of the Korean food here was a trendy, cook-it-yourself-and-pay-an-exorbitant-amount-of-money-to do-so kind of thing.

Although I had eaten at these sorts of restaurants back home, I am far more accustomed and partial to Korean restaurants where the dishes are prepared for you and are accompanied by 4-5 complimentary side dishes such as potato salad and kimchi–all for around $10 per person. Simple, effort-free and cheap. Was this asking so much?!

Finally, a friend recommended that I try Nak Won.

Located in an unassuming strip mall in Koreatown, Nak Won is open 24 hours a day and serves up tasty, traditional Korean dishes at reasonable prices.

Behold: the side dishes. These dishes include kimchi, bean sprouts and potato salad and are perfect for snacking before your entree arrives. Don’t worry if you gobble them all up; Nak Won’s friendly waitresses will gladly refill your little bowls.

My friend Jen ordered the Dak Dori Tang ($13.99), a dish for which chicken is marinated in hot pepper sauce with vegetables and then simmered in a soup. The chicken had a nice spicy kick, but the bones in each piece of chicken necessitated abandoning our fork and knife in favor of our hands, which left our hands and fingers red. The taste, however, was worth the mess.

J ordered his usual–the kalbi. ($12.99). Whereas some restaurants give only four or five pieces per order, Nak Won piles its platter high with hot, juicy shortribs. Nak Won’s kalbi is second only to that of Ohana BBQ in my book.

I ordered the bulgogi ($10.99), which is served with white and green onions that play nicely off the tender meat. Although the beef’s flavor is just good–not great–it is difficult to argue with the price and amount of food you get (I usually end up getting two meals out of Nak Won’s bulgogi).

So, if you like Korean food but don’t like getting up off your butt, driving to a restaurant and then paying to cook your own food, I recommend Nak Won.

Nak Won Korean Restaurant

1001 S. Vermont Ave.

Los Angeles, CA 90006

(213) 388-8889