March 2, 2009 1

Khan Shabu Shabu (Koreatown)

//// By in 07: Mid-Wilshire

Shabu Shabu is perfect for cold weather when you wanted something healthy tasting as well. Like Seoul Garden Restaurant, Khan Shabu Shabu is another Korean’s Khan style place in Koreatown.

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The interior is more modern and slick than Seoul Garden, they served more Banchan (side dishes) as well.

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Three types of dipping sauce: sesame, daikon in ponzu and chili. We order a giant plate of various vegetables for cooking as well. Love the variety.

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We got Khan Geng Combo – Angus rib eye, Leek, dropwort, napa cabbage, sesame leaf $25.99, and Duck Breast $26.99 (not normally seen in Shabu shabu place). As seen in photo the quantity is a lot less than Seoul Garden but double the price. The meat are very good quality, though the duck flavor seem to get lost.

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You can get a normal broth on one side and a spicy on the other. But since we just wanted a light meal so we had normal for both. At the end of the meal they brought out egg, rice and udon noodles…

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…to make a final porridage out of the broth. They also serve the ever phenomenal frozen yogurt at the end.

I find the space clean, modern and comfortable, but the price/quantity ratio wasn’t as good as Seoul Garden.

Khan Shabu Shabu
210 N Western Ave # 103 Los Angeles, CA 90004

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February 20, 2009 4

Cole’s (Downtown LA)

//// By in 06: Downtown LA

Cole's
Cole'sCole's
We hopped around Downtown with the metro day pass few weekends ago. It was a good chance to try the historic landmark Cole’s for lunch. Like Philippe’s, it has been around for a long time since the early 20th century. Though unlike Philippe’s, Cole’s has been renovated recently – it’s a lot more fancy inside and it has an elaborate drink list. Seems like it caters more to the downtown convert-loft crowd while Philippe’s caters more to family and operates like a cafeteria.

Perhaps it was the superbowl weekend, the place was quite empty, which is a major difference from the battle zone-like ordering counter at Philippe’s. Both Cole’s and Philippe’s claimed to be the Originator of the French Dip sandwich. I’d soon find out whose is the better one.

Cole's
French dip Sandwich with a side of cole slaw.

Beautiful presentation. The sandwich is a lot more pretty looking than Philippe’s, and the dipping sauce was served seperately. Of course it’s more pricey too. However, I have to say Philippe’s win in taste. Philippe’s roast beef is better, more moist and flavorful. Cole’s roast beef were kind of dry and the dipping sauce was kind of too light for my taste. So I declare Philippe’s French dip sandwich to be better (and a lot cheaper too!)

Cole’s
118 E 6th St., Los Angeles, CA

February 20, 2009 Off

Local Restaurant (Silver lake)

//// By in 05: Silver Lake + Echo Park

Local
It almost doesn’t seems like we’re in recession with all the new(-ish) places popping up in the Silver Lake and Echo park area. A small causal place with mostly patio seatings, you order at the counter and they bring the food over to your table. They also have an organic salad bar which you can do take out and dine-in.

LocalLocal
Jon got the Slow Roasted Heritage Pork Sloppy Joe. Huge portion. It’s quite tasty and I got the Belgian Waffle with Apple Raspberry Compote. The waffle was good but there were way too many compote which made the waffle soggy very fast and the sourness of apple raspberry were overwhelming. Should have just order it plain.

They have a different menu for dinner and I’d like to go back to try it next time.

Local
2943 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90026

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February 9, 2009 13

Doe Jon Station (Arcadia)

//// By in 01: San Gabriel

DSCN4624My parents told me about this new-ish place that specialize Chinese breakfast and good beef pancake near where they live. It has an odd name in English: “Doe Jon Station”. I assume “Doe Jon” means “Dou Jiang” (Soy Milk) as its Chinese name is “豆漿大王”, or “The King of Soy Milk” in English. According to their menu, this place is opened by the same family as the famous restaurant of the same name in Taiwan (?) The place looks like all the other good authentic Chinese places in LA: badly decorate, zero ambience, hole in the wall.

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Salty soymilk
For those who aren’t familiar with Chinese breakfast, Soy milk is the stable item. It’s either serves sweet or savory like a soup, depends how you like it. I personally prefer the savory ones, it has pickled cabbage and chopped youtiao inside. Yummy!

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Really good youtiao (Deep Fried Bread sticks) and Sticky Rice Roll! These two items are essential items of a good Chinese breakfast in my opinion, they reminded me of childhood. The Sticky rice roll is the exact kind I like which has fried bread stick and pickled cabbage inside. Both are must get items.

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Sesame pancake with Beef and Northern style scramble tofu soup. My parents highly recommended the beef pancake, the thin slice beef is flavorful and the pancake has great crunchy texture. The tofu soup is however, so-so.

I’m glad to find a place that serves good authentic Chinese breakfast. Their menu also has more stuffs beyond just Chinese breakfast items, like noodle, dumplings, xiao lung bao etc… I’ll give them a try next time I’m there.


豆漿大王 Doe Jon Station
46 W Las Tunas Drive, Arcadia, CA 91006
(626) 821-2088

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February 6, 2009 1

Vietnam Restaurant (San Gabriel)

//// By in 01: San Gabriel

I heard about Bò 7 món (7 courses of Beef) in Vietnamese cuisine and I’ve always wanted to try it. Instead of driving all the way to Little Saigon, I found that Vietnam Restaurants at SGV serves it. This place is owned by the son of the ever popular Golden Deli (my favorite) and its sister restaurant Saigon Flavors (my other favorite).

One order of 7 courses of beef ($13) is enough for 2 people. We had four people in our group so these photos were of two orders.

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1. Beef Dip in Vinegar Broth. The vinegar broth took forever to boil and it’s strong. Perhaps we overcooked it a bit but the beef was a bit tough. As Vietnamese dining experience always goes there’s the DIY plate of vegetables, pickled carrot and cucumber for you to make a wrap with. The circular ‘disc’ is thin rice wrap which you dip in a bowl of hot water to soften. There is also a jar of pineapple fish sauce for garnish.

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2. Beef Salad Flavorful and one of my top favorites (wish the whole dish is mine alone).

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3. Porridage Beef another of my favorite of the seven. It’s very tasty (limey, beefy broth) though not as meaty as I expected.

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A giant mixed plate of the following (don’t know which is which): 4. Charbroiled Beef in Aromatic Lot Leaf 5. Grilled Beef Steak, 6. Sate Beef with Sate Sauce and 7. Baked Ground Beef. I like the giant meat ball and the one wrapped in leaf. These are the meaty, flavorful and heavy items that balance well with the vegetable and garnish.

I wonder if their pho and bun are same quality as GD and SF. Now I’m curious about other Vietnamesee restaurant’s Bò 7 món.


Vietnam Restaurant
340 W Las Tunas Dr. San Gabriel, CA 91776

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