A Vegetarian(ish) Guide to LA's Koreatown
**With some possible secret seafood
Hello! And welcome to the first issue of Tap Is Fine, my new weekly newsletter dedicated to highly curated restaurant guides.
I spent the past four years doing loops around the United States (plus a few international cities) as the Restaurant Editor at Food & Wine and I get 2-3 texts or DMs, at minimum, daily, asking me where they should eat in X, Y, Z city. Often times, those texts also come with different caveats like “I can’t eat seafood,” or “it’s a large group,” or “we really want pasta.” Instead of creating lists on the fly for each person, I figured I might as well start a newsletter that puts all of these recommendations in one spot — one with a searchable archive the next time you’re going on a trip somewhere. (Also selfishly, I’d love to be able to send a link instead of having to type the same lists out over and over again.)
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Okay! Now that we have all the housekeeping stuff out of the way, onwards to today’s guide. Los Angeles is home to the largest Koreatown in the United States, and it’s definitely one of the best neighborhoods to eat in. People often associate Ktown with super meaty dishes like K-BBQ, galbi-jjim, and seolleongtang, but there are plenty of really fucking good vegetarian dishes too — if you know where to look.
Surawon Tofu House
I am not sure there is a restaurant I love more in LA than Surawon Tofu House. I am obsessed with the decor (cactus-shaped light fixtures!), the fact that it has a parking lot (!), and the fact the cute aunties that work there will gently scold you for not eating all the banchan they set down at the table. The real star is the sundubu, or spicy tofu stew, that comes out bubbling in what almost looks like mini cauldrons. They make a truly excellent vegetarian version (just make sure to request the vegetarian broth!), with house-made black bean tofu that is soft and luxurious.
Jeon Ju
Jeon Ju specializes in bibimbap and they do it really well. They make my favorite vegetarian dolsot bibimbap (this mean the rice arrives hot, sizzling in a sesame oil-coated stone pot.) They also make a very very good vegetarian japchae if you ask for it!
Hangari Kalguksu
Located walking distance from the Line Hotel, this is one of the best restaurants in Ktown. There is parking (in the evenings it is a very cheap valet, bring cash) and often a line to get in, but it moves crazy fast. The kalguksu, or brothy soup with knife-cut noodles, is the thing to get. This is where the ish in vegetarian-ish comes in. There is no distinctly vegetarian version, but the most basic bowl features an easy to eat anchovy-broth. If seafood broth is a total no-go, the yeolmu bibimguksu, or thin, cold, spicy rice noodles, is a great alternative.
MDK Noodles
Unlike Hangari, they have bowls of kalguksu with vegetarian broth and wonderfully chewy knife-cut noodles. They also make a really great bibimguksu, but Hangari’s remains my personal favorite.
Halgatteok LA
I am mad I never knew about Korean rice cakes (tteok) until I was in my mid-20s because they are one of the best things I’ve ever eaten, especially as a texture fiend. This is a chain from Korea that recently opened in the same plaza as Damo (one of my favorite Ktown coffeeshops — a list for another day). The restaurant is known for their garatteok, which are extremely long and thicc bois (*insert joke here*), but they have smaller rice cakes, too. The idea is that you pick your rice cake style, your base sauce, and then load up on additional toppings like cabbage, green onions, and ramen noodles (sort of Mongolian Barbecue style). Staff recently told me if you make sure to ask for no fish cake, the bowls are vegetarian (though I cannot guarantee the sauces don’t contain secret seafood, but ignorance is bliss?)
Two Hands
At the top of California Market (which deserves its own newsletter) is a set of restaurants, including Two Hands, which makes the best Korean corn dogs, which come dipped in a crispy yeasted batter (not your typical American corn dog batter) and coated with toppings like French fries and crushed Cheetos. Sounds deranged, is absolutely the best. The move is to swap the sausage for a stick of mozzarella cheese, which ends up gooey and melty when you bite into the corn dog.
The Kimbap
The Kimbap cranks through rolls of its namesake dish, so they are always fresh and packed with things like pickled radish and shredded carrot. There’s two vegetarian options here: Mushroom and Avocado (just make sure to order the latter without fishcake.)
The Prince
This absolutely bonkers bar with its red leather boots and strange colonial portraits is the best place to drink in Koreatown (they make an excellent piña colada!). Crucially, it also makes very good fries — something that make a good bar, great. The food menu also has an entire vegetarian section with Korean staples like japchae and kimchi pancakes that hit the spot. No one believes me, but there is also cheap valet parking behind the bar.
Open Market
Part market, part sandwich shop, Open Market is a fun place to pick up lunch (or one of their all day breakfast sandwich, with fried egg and harissa tomato jam — just ask for no sausage.) I am partial to the black sesame latte and the Mariposa sandwich, or grilled “al pastor” style oyster mushrooms, pickled pineapple, and a cilantro salsa matcha on a baguette. They also often sell Loaf Language’s mochi krispie treats, which is one of the best snacks out there.
Cassell’s
Located inside the Hotel Normandie, this diner slash burger spot is on this list for one reason: they make one of the best veggie burgers in the city! It is often overlooked for their beefier offerings like their beloved patty melt, but to me, it’s the star of the menu. The hefty veggie burger stars a housemade patty made with farro and actual vegetables like mushrooms, and zucchini, and zero tech-meat. Best topped with melty cheddar cheese and barbecue sauce.
Mumu Bakery
If you have come to visit LA, I will have most likely taken you here or told you to go. This little bakery and cafe is worth visiting for its croissant taiyaki. I have never seen another place make taiyaki with laminated dough, but it is genuinely brilliant and so good. I am partial to the custard or the mochi filling, but they can also make the taiyaki to order, and have savory options too!
Anko
It is impossible to do any guide to Ktown without including this charming mom & pop-run shaved ice (bingsu) spot. There’s a pretty tight menu of options and I’m deeply partial to the strawberry and mango shaved ice, though there’s also flavors like mocha, black sesame, and Oreo cream cheese. There are a few tables inside, but it can get really crowded at night, so I like to swing by in the afternoon. Highly recommend a bingsu meeting over a coffee meeting.
Oakobing
If Anko is the minimalist shaved ice spot in ktown, Oakobing is its maximalist cousin. The move here is the mountain of mango shaved ice that arrives inside a half of a carved out melon, topped with melon balls, and served with a side of condensed milk for drizzling. My other favorite is the black sesame shaved ice with real goth vibes. A tower of black shaved ice flakes arrives with plenty of ghost-white mochi pieces and condensed milk on the side
Mochinut
Located in a very unassuming strip mall, like most great things in Los Angeles, Mochinut is the best spot to get rings of wonderfully chewy mochi doughnuts, with just the right amount of glaze. The texture is truly incredible and it’s my favorite thing to bring to a dinner or birthday party. And yes, there is parking.
Melo Melo
I have never had anything like Melo Melo before. They make these very cute jars of fresh coconut water jelly, which is basically pannacotta’s lighter, more ethereal cousin. Lightly coconutty in flavor, and often topped with layers of fresh fruit like mango, Melo Melo is the best pre- or post-dinner snack. The glass jars are also very high quality and I like to take them home and reuse them for everything. It’s also located in the same plaza as Hangari Kalguksu, which makes it incredibly convenient.
Taro Yuan
A Taiwanese import, this spot specializes in all things taro. If you like bouncy, chewy things like boba and mochi, this is absolutely the spot for you. There’s bowls of shaved ice topped with large taro pieces , boba-style drinks with tiny taro balls, and also giant bowls of grass jelly (a thing I wish was more common.) Also located on the first floor of MaDang plaza, which has a parking garage attached to it and Taro Yuan will validate your first two hours of parking, which means you have enough time to grab a drink at Taro Yuan and buy all the random cute stationary at Daiso on the same floor!!
That’s all for this week. Happy eating! And please hit the subscribe button if you want to see more guides.
I neeeeed croissant taiyaki!
I needed this!! Thank you.