Archive for the 'Pub Grub' Category

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Dwit Gol Mok (DGM) – Los Angeles (Koreatown)

Published by Gastronomer on February 1, 2010 in Korean, Koreatown, Los Angeles, Pub Grub and Restaurant Review. 23 Comments

Dwit Gol Mok,* better known as DGM, is literally and figuratively a hidden gem. While its address reads Wilshire Boulevard, the entrance is actually tucked far behind the main drag. The Astronomer and I probably would’ve never found it had our friend Danny not provided us with detailed instructions. “Try to locate parking near Vermont,” he advised. “Then head down Berendo and through the parking lot.” We did what we were told and found ourselves in a dark and unassuming alleyway. There wasn’t an English sign in sight, but we followed the wondrous smells of smoky barbecue and pungent gochujang and made our way through the old wooden building blaring K-pop.

Once inside, we headed up to the second floor to locate Danny and the rest of our party, including the Two Hungry Pandas and the Starry Kitchen duo. Walking through the restaurant, I couldn’t help but notice the artful doodles covering every surface. I was kicking myself for not bringing along my collection of Sharpies to the restaurant. Next time around, I’m totally scribbling ‘Cathy+Vernon 4-Eva’ on the wall, surrounded by lots of little hearts.

The specialties at this two-story graffiti palace are a killer combination of Korean bar food and potent soju. The crowd is young, mostly Korean-speaking, and always seem to be having a rowdy time.

No one in our group was actually Korean, but fortunately Danny grew up on Korean fare and was more than capable navigating the wooden slab menu. DGM offers a 50% discount on all food ordered before 8 PM every day of the week as long as alcohol is ordered as well. We took advantage of this deal to the fullest on our visit. According to Danny, food is only discounted 25% if no booze is ordered.

To start off our meal, we ordered two copper pots of soju, one yogurt and another peach. I was warned to sip slowly because soju tends to hide behind a curtain of sweetness and attack when one least expects.

The marinated pork ribs were the first dish to arrive. The thin strips of meat were coated in a sweet glaze reminiscent of food court Chinese food.

Next, a bubbling pot of budae jigae came to the table. Known as “army base stew,” this dish was invented following the Korean War when Seoul faced a meat shortage. Budae jigae was designed to make use of surplus foods from U.S. Army bases, including prepackaged ramen noodles and ready-to-eat hot dogs. The bulk of the soup’s flavor comes from a heavy heap of spicy Korean red pepper paste—it made me sweat.

The spicy intestine soup with udon noodles packed some heat as well, but was milder than the budae jigae by several notches. The intestines benefited from the roaring fire beneath them and were very tender and supple.

The fried oysters pleased the crowd with their crisp and crunchy breading and briny hot innards.

Nguyen of Starry Kitchen made a special request for cheese corn, which arrived on a sizzling platter. Even though I love both cheese and corn, I wasn’t so sure that they’d meld together well. While the combination was far from offensive, the corn’s saccharine-like quality was overwhelming. A little less sweetness and I would’ve been on board. I did enjoy the delightful sear that the platter imparted on the kernels.

The hamul pajun (seafood pancake) was seriously good. I was taken by the tender and plentiful squid.

I made a special request for rabukkee (spicy dukboki with ramen noodles) because I have an inexplicable affinity for cylindrical rice cakes smothered in hot gochujang. The ramen noodles added a unique and welcome touch to the dish. I find that additional carbs are rarely a bad thing.

Lastly, an order of ton dak (spicy chicken wings), which was served with a side of Thousand Island-dressed cabbage and a bowl of tangy sauce for dipping. The Astronomer was impressed by the wings and their accompanying sauce, which tasted like a blend of of tamarind and Sriracha.

Our party of seven racked up a $93 tab when all was eaten and sipped. Considering our grand spread, the total was a pittance. I’m excited to return to DGM to practice my Korean food pronunciations (currently, they are atrocious) and to introduce a newbie to this hidden find. Joints like DGM are what make living and eating in Los Angeles so awesome.

* Word on the street is that dwit gol mok is Korean for “back alley.” How appropriate.

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Dwit Gol Mok (DGM)
3275 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone: 213-382-8432

Hite Kwang-Jang – Los Angeles (Koreatown)

Published by Gastronomer on November 1, 2009 in Korean, Koreatown, Los Angeles, Pub Grub and Restaurant Review. 15 Comments

Ever since my first taste of Korean fried chicken (yangnyeom dak) a year ago at KyoChon, I’ve been seeking out these snappy-skinned specimens whenever I’m in the vicinity of Koreatown. While chicken normally doesn’t excite me, the Korean treatment—double frying and potent marinades—seems to bring out the very best in these fine feathered friends.

After previously sampling the wares at three of Koreatown’s most popular yangnyeom dak shops—KyoChon, BonChon, and Chicken Day—The Astronomer and I dined at Hite Kwang-Jang. We had heard through the blogger grapevine that it produced a standout version worthy of the title of K-Town’s top spot.

The sports bar-like space was outfitted with big screen televisions and an interesting collection of nutcrackers. Korean is the primary language spoken at this locals-only joint. Fortunately, there was an English menu for chicks who kind of look Korean but can’t speak a lick of it and their Caucasian male friends.

Whereas KyoChon, BonChon, and Chicken Day specialize solely in yangnyeom dak, Hite Kwang-Jang serves a plethora of Korean pub grub. We started off with a complimentary panjeon (vegetable pancake). Served with a scallion and soy dipping sauce, the pancake tasted simple and had crisped and golden edges. A free starter is a cheap and easy way to get in very good with yours truly.

For our official appetizer, we ordered a plate of dukboki ($12.99). The cylindrical rice cakes were dressed in a shiny coat of red pepper paste (gochujang) along with fish cakes, onions, and two hard boiled eggs. The dish was garnished with scallions and sesame seeds. While the interplay between sweet and spicy was fantastic, what I really loved about this dish was the toothy texture of the dukboki. I need to learn how to make this dish ASAP.

The spicy fried chicken ($14.99) arrived next. The lacquered wings were served with a cabbage slaw topped with Thousand Island dressing, pickled daikon cubes, and fried potato wedges that were seared on the outside and velvety within.

What differentiated Hite Kwang-Jang’s yangnyeom dak from other versions I’ve tasted was its hefty coating. At times it felt like I was eating all candied batter and hardly any meat, especially with the drumettes. The wings had a more balanced ratio of chicken to batter. The glaze was initially pleasantly sweet, but after downing a few, it turned out to be too sugary for both The Astronomer and me. In a way, Hite Kwang-Jang’s yangnyeom dak reminded us of General Tso’s chicken. General Tso makes a damn fine chicken, just not the one we wanted this evening. When it comes to yangnyeom dak, we desire a snappy bite and enough heat to set our mouths properly afire.

POWER RANKINGS

KyoChon > Bonchon > Chicken Day > Hite Kwang-Jang.

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Hite Kwang-Jang
3839 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
Phone: 213-384-7999

Apocalypse Now – Ho Chi Minh City

Published by Gastronomer on September 8, 2008 in Banh Mi, Food Porn, Pub Grub and Saigon. 11 Comments

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While I’m pretty familiar with Saigon’s dining scene—street and luxe—when it comes to nightlife, I haven’t the foggiest. In fact, I can count the number of times I frequented a club or bar during my year in Vietnam on one hand. Okay, maybe two. Even though I only go out once every blue moon, I always seem to end up at the same shady, yet strangely fun joint—Apocalypse Now. Unlike the wannabe hipster scenes at clubs Lush and Bounce, Apocalypse Now is refreshingly unpretentious. The crowd here is diverse—we’re talking dirty old men accompanied by transvestites (I told you it was wiener time), ladies of the night and regular folks having a good time. While I wouldn’t say the music selection is rockin’, I would say that the wieners are!

The wiener stand, which is located in the courtyard near the back of the club, is almost always busy because the griller takes his sweet sweet time making sure the skin on each dog is nice and crispy and the buns are perfectly toasted. On a Saturday night, expect to wait upwards of 20 minutes for a wiener. To pass the time, I highly recommend people watching.

Hawkins is muy excited for wiener time to arrive. Truly, who wouldn’t be?

The wieners are served with ketchup and mustard inside a classic Vietnamese banh mi, which is worlds superior to ordinary hot dog buns. While I wouldn’t recommend going out of your way for one of these babies, there’s definitely a time and a place for wieners. Say, after midnight when you’ve had one Tiger too many? This greasy, salty and satisfying creation will soak up the booze nicely. R. Kelly was right, “after the party IS the after party.”

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Apocalypse Now
2D Thi Sach Street
District 1, Ho Chi Minh City

Good Dog Bar – Philadelphia

Published by Gastronomer on July 3, 2007 in Burgers, Philadelphia, Pub Grub and Restaurant Review. 0 Comments

June 17, 2007
Cuisine: American (traditional), Burgers

224 S 15th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102

Phone: 215-985-9600
Website: www.gooddogbar.com/

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Good Dog Burger – half pound house ground sirloin, stuffed with Roquefort, topped with caramelized onions and served on toasted brioche ($10)

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Ever since Craig LaBan released his article about the best burgers in Philadelphia, I’ve been jonesing to try his top pick—Good Dog Burger. What can I say? I am a sucker for lists. LaBan writes:

The burger that inspired the song “Cheeseburger, I Hold,” Good Dog’s signature sandwich triumphs where so many before have tried and failed – stuffing a burger with blue cheese. The meat itself is deliciously seasoned, perfectly cooked, and wisely topped only with a mop of sautéed onions. But bite into the heart, and behold. A river of molten bleu. A powerhouse of tangy savor. Too rich to be an everyday burger. But can you hear the music playing? Order it no more than medium-rare, or risk losing the cheese.

Melina, Tara

For my final dinner in the city with two of my favorite girlfriends, Tara and Melina, we headed to Good Dog Bar to try the famed burger. Curious to see if the hype was warranted, we each ordered one; Tara requested hers prepared medium rare, while Melina and I had ours cooked medium. Our burgers were served with a mountain of shoestring sweet potato fries and a side of flavored aioli.

The Good Dog Burger is a damn fine creation and maybe even a little genius. Okay, a lot genius! The meat was well-seasoned, just like LaBan promised, especially around the lightly charred edge of the meat. Tara appreciated this little touch. The Roquefort oozing out of the center of the patty was deeply flavorful, but not too overwhelming. By the way, my perfectly cooked medium patty still retained a good amount of cheese. The caramelized onions and brioche added a tinge of sweetness to the entire burger, which enhanced the Roquefort’s taste. Tara, Melina, and I unanimously agreed that the Good Dog Burger rocked! The sweet potato fries with the aioli were plentiful and fine accompaniment for the burger.

Mel, me

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Irish Pub – Philadelphia

Published by Gastronomer on October 6, 2006 in Chain / Multiple Locations, Philadelphia, Pub Grub and Restaurant Review. 0 Comments

October 5, 2006
Cuisine: American (Traditional), Bar Food, Irish

2007 Walnut St, At S 20th St
Philadelphia 19103 At S 20th St

Phone: 215-568-5603
Website: www.irishpubphilly.com

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Entree I: Old World Meatloaf Melt – Thick slices of original recipe sirloin served on a Brick Oven Steak Roll with smokehouse bacon, melted FarmHouse Cheddar, and Caramelized Onion Bourginone sauce. Served with our house fries and crisp dill pickle slices.

Entree II: Crab Cake Sandwich – A Maryland style crab cake served on a pub roll served with tartar sauce and Honey Dijon Garden slaw. Served with our house fries and crisp dill pickle slices.

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I love bar food. I really do. I think I adore it because my everyday fare lacks hardcore greasy and salty goodness. As I watched the Cardinals bury the poor Padres during game two of the national league division series, I enjoyed the crab cake sandwich. The Astronomer went for my old favorite, the meatloaf melt.

Both sandwiches were super salty, super greasy and thus, super tasty. First up, the crab cake sandwich. I smeared ketchup on my sandwich rather than tartar sauce because I prefer tangy straight up over tangy and creamy. The sandwich was piled high with lettuce, pickles, and a tomato. The “pub roll” was perfectly moist and held the contents well. A regular hamburger bun would not have been able to hold all the fixins nicely. The pub roll came through like a champ. All of the flavors melded together beautifully and I scarfed it down pretty quickly. The fries were thickly cut and decent. I gave most of them to the carb-seeking Astronomer.

The meatloaf melt is a lot like the Double Double from In and Out and maybe even a little better because it comes with BACON! There really isn’t much to say about this gem except that it’s really delicious and hits the spot like few can. Yah, it’s not all that healthy, but who cares? I’m in a pub and red meat rules (and cheese too)!

The “IP” is a three minute walk from my apartment. I’ll be returning the next time the Astronomer wants to watch some cable-only sports and my greasy spot needs its fill.