By Michelle Banh

A group of young girls prepare to perform a traditional Korean dance. See something similar at this weekend's Korean Festival. Photo: Flickr.

So your parents are in town for Parents’ Weekend… Even more reason to hit the town! Show them college has made you all cultured and stuff.

Oct. 1

1. Voice your opinion on censorship in Taiwan. At noon today, Taiwanese broadcast journalists Tao and Vicky Lee hope to encourage USC students (and anyone else who wants to join) in a dialogue with the current state of media in the Republic of China (commonly known as Taiwan). Hosted by the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the discussion questions the practice of journalism as censorship has dominated the scene since the time of martial law (1948-1987). The Lees personally felt the silencing hand of censorship when Tao’s news program on TVBS exposed former president of Taiwan Chen Shui-bian’s corruption before the television program could be shut down. So, what do you have to say?

2. Question your social values with some art. Make it to the REDCAT gallery by 6 p.m. to check out their latest exhibit “Not Only Time.” The exhibit, meant to challenge social customs and hegemonic politics, displays the most recent work from Hangzhou-based artist Zhang Peili and Beijing-based artist Zhu Jia. Both artists seem to draw inspiration from historic events like the Cultural Revolution and the Tiananmen Massacre in 1989. While both Peili and Jia were professionally trained in oil painting, the two show new innovations in this exhibit as they experiment with video and photography. Take this opportunity to embark on a journey with the artists as they attempt to understand and reflect on the changes in contemporary China.

Oct. 2

3. Cure last night’s hangover with Thai drunken noodles. Completely kidding about the whole curing your hangover part, but Ayara Thai’s drunken noodles (rice noodles prepared with soy and fish sauce, meat, bean sprouts, chili, and basil – so there’s basically nothing alcoholic about them, sorry!) are seriously something to salivate over. The restaurant itself is definitely off the beaten path, which means free street parking/public lot and no wait! Now what makes this place a great Thai restaurant, as with any other ethnic-specific restaurant, is that it’s run and frequented by Thai people (Ayara is actually a routine stop for Thai Airways flight crews). Other recommendations include the jade curry and a dish known as “When Tigers Cry.”

4. Yoko Ono in concert… Need I say more? So, as many of you may not know – hey,, I didn’t – Yoko Ono, wife of the former John Lennon, is actually a musical artist. Now I’m not making any judgment call, but Ono’s musical style is definitely… unique, to say the least. However, for those of you still interested in Ono’s music, she will be performing at the Orpheum Theatre at 8 p.m. Make sure you purchase tickets ASAP because they’re already selling for anywhere from $57 to $147. But fear not if this ticket price seems to steep, this one is on me. Enjoy!

Oct. 3

5. To end this wonderful weekend, flock to where all the Korean foodies will be. Today will be the last day for the Los Angeles Korean Festival, a celebration of all things beautiful and delicious in Korean culture. On the schedule for today is a UCLA Hanoolim performance (a Korean cultural awareness group), Go! Line Dance, and a 3-on-3 dance battle, among other things. While you soak up some culture, don’t forget to indulge in all the food stands that will be peddling Korean staples like bulgolgi, galbi, kimchee and banchan. You will not want for more today with over 200 food booths, an international market fair, and talent shows with special performances. So head on over to Seoul International Park, I promise you won’t regret it!

By Sophia Kang

Photo: Arnold Gatilau, Flickr

First of all, let me start by confessing that I am not a foodie. I repeat: I am not a foodie! But yet another food craze has become so blatantly obvious that even I took notice. I just hope these Korean tacos are more satisfying than that last frozen yogurt phase.

I’ll start by recounting the brief history (and current success) of Kogi, a humble Korean taco truck, that created an instant hit when it came into the Los Angeles scene in November of last year. Kogi’s product was innovative, Korean-style short ribs nestled in warm miniature corn tortillas. Who woulda thunk it? Since its launch, Kogi has created quite a phenomenon with its multicultural tacos and burritos and has expanded to include other novelties like hot dogs and sliders.

But like anything popular, Kogi has given rise to its own set of comparable competitors, not to mention a new culinary genre of cooking, that even restaurants are adopting. Baja Fresh, a popular Mexican food franchise, is concept-testing very similar Korean barbecue-style tacos and burritos in one of its Irvine locations. Even traditional Mexican restaurants like La Taquiza and Pancho’s are introducing Korean-inspired tacos to their menus as well.

I set out to determine whether these tacos are really worth the attention and money they are getting, I hunted down the original Kogi beef taco and sampled what the competitors had to offer. My evaluations are based solely on Kogi and numerous other Korean-fusion beef tacos. Some of the qualities I took into consideration while judging the taco trucks was service, price, quality of ingredients, heat intensity, and convenience.

Kogi, the one that started it all: 4 stars

I’d heard praise of their supposedly “amazing” tacos before but I didn’t think they could possibly be so delicious that I would wait two hours in line for some. I would not have chased after such a truck out of my own will but this was for journalistic purposes.

My friend and I got to Cloverdale and Wilshire at 6:06 p.m. but saw no sign of the truck. We looked at each other in panic. Where was the infamous line of eager patrons? Nervously, I circled the block twice looking for parking. By the time I returned, there was the truck and already about 10 people in line.

Despite an additional 30 minutes of set-up, the line moved fairly quickly after the cashier took his first customers. My friend and I got our food within 10 minutes

The only dessert option was a tres leches cake, which was good but overly sweet for my taste. And for $4, I don’t think I’d order it again. One taco and dessert came to a total of $6.60.

For the somewhat steeper price, I was surprised Kogi had its customers assemble the tacos to-go themselves. When we finally sat down to eat in my car, I was not pleased with the smell, but the taco made up for its odor with its taste. There was a lot of meat and the salad on top had a sweet Korean-style dressing that had a refreshing, spicy bite to it. Kogi definitely delivered.

But I have to knock Kogi down a star because despite being about the 10^th person in line, I had to wait almost an hour for the food—plus I got ripped off with that $4 cake, which was only about the size of my fist.

Calbi: 4.5 stars

There was no line at Calbi so I got my food in no time. The Korean woman who took my order was prompt and attentive. When I went back for another taco, she said she saw me struggling and offered me a fork.

The total came to $2.20 for one taco. Calbi offers a roughly equal vegetable to meat ratio. The menu didn’t indicate that the beef taco would be spicy, but I’m Korean and I’m glad it was. The heat comes not from the preparation of the meat but from the dressing on top that has a nice spicy kick to it. (Beware! I can tolerate a high heat factor and liked the tingle left in my mouth after I had finished eating, but I can understand that others might find it too spicy.) You need to eat these quickly, before the excess dressing escapes and makes the tortilla soggy.

I went back for another shrimp taco, which I thought was a good option — until I tasted it. Aside from the sauce, the shrimp wasn’t flavored in any other way. And Calbi is stingy with the shrimp… I only got three bits in my taco.

Bool: 4 stars

Bool did not have a schedule of locations on its Web site so I requested that the truck come to USC’s campus in an online guestbook. Bool was very quick to respond and a representative replied that the truck would be on Jefferson and McClintock the following day. What great serviceWhen I arrived, there was already a short line, and no wonder! The aroma surrounding the cart was divine. They must be onto something good, I thought. I waited about five minutes to order and listened to customers who had already eaten talk about how good the food was and how they wished they could eat more if only they had not run out of money.

I ordered a beef taco and a pork pastel because it seemed to be one of Bool’s trademark dishes, both of which came out promptly. The total came to $5.49.

The taco had a mountain of meat piled on top with raw onions and cilantro. The beef tasted like authentic Korean barbecue that one might get at restaurants. I found the taco to be a bit dry, but it went perfectly with the salsa that came with the pastel. (Beware! Bool’s tacos leave you with major onion breath!)

I didn’t know what to expect with the pastel, which is basically a huge fried pocket of meat and cheese. It was delicious. It had a nice crunch but was surprisingly gooey in the center. The pork tasted like sweet pulled pork and struck a nice balance between savory and sweet. The pastel made up for the shortcomings of the taco. (FYI: Bool also offer dessert pastels in apple caramel or chocolate banana.)

Bull Kogi Korean Taco Truck: 4.5 stars

This is the first taco truck I came upon that had music blasting from the speakers, which helps pass the time while waiting in line. Bull Kogi also offers a range of condiments such as lemon wedges, radishes, Sriracha sauce, and such.

The service was rather slow, the cashier was nice and didn’t seem disappointed when I ordered just one taco, unlike some of the other taco trucks.

I ordered the spicy bulkogi taco and the total came to $2 flat. I didn’t expect much but I was quite pleased when I unveiled my neatly packaged taco. It looked very enticing: lettuce, red onions and cabbage, with an additional sprinkling of sesame seeds atop a mound of meat.

Bull Kogi offers good portions but the taco was a bit salty because the vegetables are stir-fried and not prepared as a salad. But where was the spice factor? I did order a spicy bulkogi taco after all. After my first bite I discovered tiny slivers of sliced kimchi, but they were practically nonexistent. Good thing I’d grabbed some Sriracha sauce and radishes.

I also tried a spicy bulkogi bowl on a previous occasion but that wasn’t spicy either. Bull Kogi falsely advertises, so don’t be intimidated by the phrase “spicy” because it really isn’t. The spice, I suppose, is supposed to come from the kimchi but it’s such an insignificant amount, and you can always just eat around it if you prefer.

Pancho’s (in the UV): 4 stars

Pancho’s, a Mexican food vendor in the food court, has also caught onto the new Korean taco trend. While Pancho’s does not operate from a truck, it has added “gogi taco” to its menu for $1.99. I ordered one and the total came to $2.18 including tax. (Note: I only ordered one in order to write this article. Because I am a regular customer the manager let me slide, but the minimum for tacos is two purchases.)

The taco had large chunks of well-cooked, really chewy beef, with a meager amount of kimchi and lettuce on top. It was somewhat greasy but overall quite good and satisfying.

The tacos are so obviously homemade, like an attempt to imitate Kogi’s success. I could easily make this at home, but these have a charm of their own. They’re honest — just meat, kimchi and lettuce. No fancy Korean dressing or radish bits strewn in the salad here. Pancho’s tacos are what I consider a true fusion of Mexican and Korean food.

By Ivana Banh

Harbor Kitchen
1411 S. Garfield Ave
Alhambra, CA 91801
Mon.-Sun., 7 a.m.-1 a.m.

Up late at night and craving real Chinese food? Harbor Kitchen is the place to hit. The spacious, cafe-themed restaurant on the corner of Valley and Garfield boasts not only delicious dishes but also impeccably speedy service. It is recommended to start off with Harbor Kitchen’s signature lemon iced tea – it’s ice cold, perfectly sweetened and includes free refills.

Harbor Kitchen offers many types of appetizers, from pickled chicken feet to fried tofu, but there are two that stand out. The pickled cucumbers are worth trying: slightly sweet, sour, and spicy, with a hint of sesame oil. The second appetizer that is a must is the XO sauce pan-fried turnip cake. Doughy, light squares are covered in a hot, savory XO sauce, a popular seafood-based sauce, and scrambled eggs. Paired with hot sauce, this steamy, satisfying dish is guaranteed to hit the spot.

As for entrees, Harbor Kitchen provides a wide variety, from grilled fish to lamb chops to fried rice and noodles with soup. A popular favorite is the chiu chou chow fun. Thick noodles are pan-fried in a light brown, slightly sweet sauce and garnished with shrimp and small slices of chicken. All the fried dishes are also quite impressive, including the spicy seafood fried rice, which boasts generous pieces of tilapia, shrimp, squid, and scallops.

For those who must have dessert, Harbor Kitchen displays several different sweet dishes, such as black forest cake and egg custard.

Whichever Chinese dish you happen to be craving, Harbor Kitchen is certainly ready to satisfy your taste buds.

BCD Tofu House
869 S. Western Ave #2
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Mon.-Sun., 24 hrs.

No matter what time of day it is, BCD Tofu House on Western and 9th will be serving up blazing hot stone bowls of soon dubu, or soft tofu. For those who haven’t tried the popular dish, Korean soft tofu is fresh, silky tofu served in a blazing red soup in varying degrees of spiciness, cooked with toppings ranging from classic beef or pork to meaty dumplings. A raw egg also comes with the soup to add a richer, creamier flavor. The spicy broth mixed with the tofu goes amazingly well with rice. In fact, you might find yourself needing another bowl of rice – either to placate your burning mouth or simply to accompany the humongous bowl of soup in front of you.

Aside from the many different types of soft tofu, BCD also carries other Korean favorites, from the ubiquitous bibimbap (stone pot rice) to grilled items such as calbi (marinated short ribs) and bulgogi (pork or beef slices with a tangy, sweet and slightly spicy sauce). The most impressive item is BCD’s collection of complimentary small appetizers, including rice noodles, pickled spicy daikon and kimchi, salted bean sprouts, rice cakes, and last but definitely not least, a small fried fish for each person.

The best way to go is to sample the menu by ordering a combination meal that includes both a grilled dish and a hot tofu. Whatever you order is sure to satisfy your appetite, 24 hours a day.

Phoenix Food Boutique
1108 S. Baldwin Ave.
Arcadia, CA 91007
11 a.m.-1 a.m.

For those with a sweet tooth, Phoenix Food Boutique will definitely hit the spot. The highlight of this small, clean, restaurant is the glass bubble that houses about 15 different types of desserts, from freshly baked egg tarts to various flavors of creamy gelatin to coconut flaked mochi balls.

Also on the menu are a number of tong shui – sweet, hot soup flavored with beans, nuts or taro. The tong shui that stands out the most is the forbidden black rice. This perfectly sweetened, thick, dark soup is made by slow-cooking chewy black sticky rice, red beans and cubes of coconut jelly, all drizzled with decadent coconut milk. The forbidden black rice is a strange but tantalizing combination that will leave you hungry for more.

For those who want actual entrees, Phoenix Food Boutique is also sure to please. The Hainan chicken rice is a star on the menu: tender, fresh pieces of steamed chicken paired with perfectly cooked rice and flavored with chicken broth. A small dish of fish sauce packed with ground ginger accompanies the chicken rice. It is a simple but surprisingly delicious dish.

Another item Phoenix is known for is the its fried dim sum platter, which boasts deep-fried pork dumplings, shrimp dumplings, barbecue pork buns, and curried chicken pastries. The deep-fried delicacies come out piping out and ready to be dunked in one of the many sauces Phoenix provides.

Phoenix Food Boutique is sure to be a winner amongst late-night eaters. Every fried rice, noodle, dumpling, dessert, and appetizer dish is not only made fresh but also seasoned to true Asian perfection.

By Jessica Men

Photo: Six Taste

It’s early October, which means that by now, you’ve probably made your way around EVK enough times to make a salad with your eyes closed or made enough late-night Subway runs to have the guy behind the counter greet you by name.

Needless to say, you’re wondering what else can be brought to the table – literally.

USC alumnus Jeffrey Okita and student Alex Tao have discovered the answer to ending dining hall monotony while exploring the tastes of another culture at the same time.

Okita and Tao – two self-proclaimed “everyday guys who love great food” – run Six Taste, a company that hosts culinary tours throughout Little Tokyo, a community rich in history and nestled in the heart of downtown Los Angeles (and only 10 minutes from the USC campus).

The idea for Six Taste came about when Okita’s parents stopped in Philadelphia to visit his sister and decided to entertain a culinary tour.

“After that, they mentioned to me that I should look for food tours in Los Angeles,” said Okita. “That’s when I saw that there was a huge opportunity to start up a food tour company in Los Angeles. Because Los Angeles is really spread out, we often are tourists in our own city.”

And for those L.A. suburban residents who have ever been condescendingly asked why you’re taking pictures of the sights downtown “when you live here anyway” (guilty), this is especially true.

“By the end of our tours, we want our guests to feel comfortable coming back to the area again and again and [exploring] the neighborhood through its food,” said Okita.

Participating restaurants include confectionary shop Fugetsu-Do, restaurant and karaoke bar Oiwake, Japanese ice cream parlor Mikawaya Mochi, Chado Tea Room, contemporary restaurant Spitz, Mitsuru Café, and Yamazaki Bakery.

“The main purpose of each of these stops is to add to the story that is Little Tokyo,” said Okita. “Little Tokyo’s history has seen several changes, and we wanted to feature places that shed it in a different light.”

Six Taste patrons, who can sign up to take the four-stop Epicurious Tour or the longer, seven-stop Gastronaut Tour, can mingle with one another while sampling food from the various establishments.

For the epicurious, there is herbal tea and scones to start, and then a four-course sampling and mochi dessert, all topped off with sweet potato fries and sangria at Spitz. The gastronauts get all that, as well as additional goodies from Yamazaki and Mitsuru Café, along with an eco-friendly Six Taste bag.

Eating, though a main focus of Six Taste, isn’t all there is. At each destination in the tour, patrons also get the opportunity to hear the owners and cooks share stories about the rich history of the location.

“These owners are passionate about what they do and the community in which they live,” said Okita. “Our guests love the fact that the owners are taking time out of their busy day to talk to the group.”

Six Taste has become a rising business since its inception in May 2009, with tours sometimes filling up weeks ahead of time. Each tour signs only eight to 16 individuals. Guides prefer smaller groups to ensure a more intimate experience.
Okita and Tao are planning on eventually branching out of Little Tokyo and spotlighting other cultures.

“We are looking to open up a new tour in a new location in the next month,” said Okita. “We have gotten requests to do tours in Olvera Street, Chinatown, Little Ethiopia, downtown, Beverly Hills, and many more.”

For now, Six Taste runs one tour a day on Saturday and Sunday: the Epicurious at $25 per person and the Gastronaut at $55 per person.

According to Okita, Six Taste tours are just one of many options to explore L.A.’s culinary culture.

“Go out as much as you have time [to] and as much as you can afford,” said Okita. “There are cheap, quality eats all around Los Angeles if you do a little bit of research. Get out into the city and explore!”

Can’t make it all the way to Little Tokyo but dying to try something new? Okita leaves his fellow Trojans with a recommendation and some advice: “Around campus, Bacaro L.A. on Hoover and Union is a great little spot … Don’t be afraid of L.A.’s public transportation!”