You've probably eaten scads of bulgogi (Korean barbecued beef), but not like that at Gwang Yang Korean BBQ in Koreatown.
Here, the taste isn't dominated by soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and garlic, as at most Korean restaurants. The meat is American Kobe beef and deserves to shine, rather than be dominated by strong seasonings.
For Gangnam style, the marinade is just garlic and Korean pear and apple juice. For L.A. style, those ingredients are made sweeter with Korean black cane sugar.
The meat is marinated only after an order is placed rather than prepared in advance. A light, sweet herbal sauce comes with it for dipping.
The charcoal is special too--it's black oak charcoal from Korea, which burns quietly for hours (above). The vents work so well you dine in quiet, smokeless comfort.
The banchan are as refined as the meat. Traditional kimchi is well flavored, but not over-the-top spicy. A watery white kimchi (above) isn't spicy at all. Its purpose is to refresh your palate as you eat.
What I thought were strands of white radish were actually potato, lightly cooked and cool. Thick cucumber slices heavily coated with red sauce were more sweet than hot. Steamed eggs, radish stem kimchi and sweet, slightly spicy marinated beef were other banchan the day I was there.
Two salads come with the barbecue. This combination of bean sprouts and green onions is spicier than you would expect. Hot red sauce hides under the surface.
This salad will cool you down with a creamy vinaigrette.
Gangnam style and LA Style bulgogi are $28.99, with a minimum of two orders. You should add at least one more dish, American Kobe yukhwoe, which is Korean style beef tartare (above).
This too is seasoned differently from other Korean restaurants, replacing sesame oil and raw egg with pine nuts and a chile sauce that is sweet and slightly spicy. It's served with cucumber and strands of Korean pear.
Start with the tartare, then move on to bulgogi, which comes with rice--try the mixed rice, colored by grains of Korean black rice--as well as with the salads and banchan.
Gwang Yang Korean BBQ, 3435 Wilshire Blvd., #123, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (213) 385-5600.
Recent Comments