SAM "Zen Machine" Y.'s Profile

They literally give you like 20 items of ban chan, and the good stuff too. If they just gave me a bowl of rice I would have been happy.

Their good stuff are the grilled fish dishes and the stone pot bibim bap is really spectacular. For those who don't know its the regular bibimbap jazzed up in a hot sizzling stone pot with a runny egg on top that is cooking inside the pot. All the rice along the side of the pot are cooking fast so it gives a crunchy texture to the bibimbap which I really love. It also makes you blow on every bite.

I went here twice. First time I had a rice dish and it was blah. I figured maybe I ordered the wrong thing. I went again and had soup. It was also blah. I have a rule. If I try a place twice and don't like it, then it must not be good. But I live by my rule, I will try anything twice!

This place is trying to bring new life and a new color to an old minimall in Koreatown. All the usual spots are still there, Young Dong, Mapo, etc. This place is pretty new but is venturing into the world of 24 Hour Korean eateries and this place my be my new favorite.

Though it is small, it's not trying to make uncleanliness be the new quaint. It is clean, well lit, and all new. Not only do they have a wide variety of Korean foods from old classics to the new favorites, but also coffees, smoothies, and cigarettes.

They have a wide variety of soups and broths, more than other spots but also they have the Korean fried chicken that people seem to love.

When I went there, the lady was so very nice. They did something I'm not used to, first they asked me if I wanted water, and if I wanted cold water or hot water. I love that!

Secondly no matter what you order, they give you small bowls to share whatever you are eating with your partner. That's something only someone who's eaten in Ktown their whole life would realize was missing, and then put into their own restaurant. Like "oh if I made a restaurant in Ktown it would be like this and this." Well it seems like that's what they did.

Nothing here will probably be the best you've ever had but they have all the stuff you like so if you're in the mood for multiple things like porride or soup or fried chicken or fried rice, well here you go for the finicky eater.

I have been sick for the past...forever it seems actually. So one of my personal training clients told me about this place. There was free parking in the back which is very important in LA due to the lack of parking.

The place was quiet, played classical music, very clean. Also all the food came in trays with your own individual side dishes that you didn't have to share with people. And they all came in these super small dishes. Cute right?

They had a whole series of jook, AKA Asian style porridge to choose from. The best one of course being abalone. It was delicious, and they give you a lot. Really 2 people could eat one bowl, and they bring you a smaller bowl with a ladle so you can share, and to cool the porridge down. That makes the prices that much...cuter.

I asked for a to go box, and guess what they did? They brought me their own tupper ware box so it stays warmer longer. Not that Styrofoam crap. Can you believe that? Cute right?

I almost want to give this place a 1 star because it's too cute and I'm not a cute kind of guy. Cute is a hee ~ hee ~ kind of thing, where as I am a ha! ha! kind of guy. But when your sick like I am, any easily digestible food is a godsend. Solid foods are not so cute right now.

:P

Contrary to what a lot of you thought, this is not an arts and crafts place. It serves food.

I like this place for the same reason some of my Asian friends hate this place. Cuz there ain't no Asians working here.

So no Asians, and it's not an arts and crafts store. Are we clear?

Also they don't make anything until you order it. It has an upgraded taste of a 99 cent Chinese express. Meaning tastes cleaner and lighter, and the portions are a lot better. And they bring it to your table.  So in the world of Chinese express type places, this is like gourmet!

I would come back but mainly because of the cool atmosphere than the taste of the food. It was packed but the food was just so so. But the service and motif was very cool.

Last time I came here I found a little fly in my soup but luckily they didn't charge me extra for it.

Really good jjam ppong. I will need to go back to try the jja jang mein jjam ppong combo.

I was sick and I came here to get some broth and good thing they take credit card. It was so good it melted all my boogs! You know what I mean?

What can you say about any bar that doesn't make it sound like any other bar? Not much it seems. Usually what separates one bar from another is how awful it is. Well this place was not awful, even the bouncers were more pleasant than usual. Which doesn't mean they are pleasant, but more pleasant than other bouncers. And when I go out with my friends we always run into bouncers at least once every 30 mins so I can appreciate that.

The bartenders were pretty cool too, though the guy seemed to make the stiffer drinks, the girls were much better to look at.

With the crowd, its your typical SaMo crowd, which could mean anything. From yahoos to yokels to lolligagers and the sort.

Parking was pretty easy too, lots of street and meter parking.

You four star reviewers need to get some balls! This place is either 1 star or 5. And it definitely ain't 1 star. The sausages I had here...were like my mouth going to heaven and hearing the angels singing then coming back to let my brain know about it.

It's simple. Sausage, bread, a few sides. If Pink's were for teens, this place is for adults.

I don't get it. Based on recent comments, what's so sexual about a good old fashioned sausage fest!

People keep it clean!