It’s not in a pretty neighborhood, but that is what makes it an oasis.
Banchan a la Carte on Western Avenue
Banchan a la Carte is known for ready-to-go banchan (Korean side dishes) that’s mainly prepared with natural or organic ingredients. They also have pasta and other simple Western and Korean meals to go. Spotted recently: plastic-packed nurungji (scorched rice)!
Korean Name: 반찬 아라까르떼
141 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Phone: (323) 465-2400
My first-generation iPhone frustrates me a lot when it comes to the quality of the photos it takes, particularly when there’s little light. But this one wasn’t bad at all.
BnB Furniture at Dusk
Korean Name: 비엔비가구
Address: 111 N Western Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Phone: (323) 462-1188
Open Monday – Saturday, 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sunday: 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Hair Day has moved from their San Marino location a few blocks south to a new location on the second floor of the Solair building on the north side of Wilshire Boulevard corner Western Avenue. Hair Day signed a 25-year contract with the Solair!
I managed to speak to Jessica Lee, the wedding makeup artist in charge, and she says that the salon is offering $60 worth of beauty products to new customers at the Solair.
A large photo of 2009 Miss Korea- Southern California Hye Rin Kim is prominently displayed in Hair Day’s window — her makeup was done by Jessica, who’s had 20 years’ experience of beautifying women ~
The Salon’s Name in Korean: 머리하는 날 (Mori-hanuhn Nal)
Address: 3785 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, California 90020
Phone Number: 323-730-9123
Remember! Hair Day does everything from makeup and skincare to hair and nails. You may have to be a little more patient if you don’t speak Korean, but there’s at least one stylist who speaks English, and Jessica of course speaks English very well, so you’ll manage. The place is shiny new, clean and posh!
Merry Christmas! Are you a wolf in sheep’s clothing?
You can clearly see HK Supermarket in the window’s reflection! This is Paris Baguette on Western Avenue. Newest promotion: “Are you a lamb? Or are you a wolf? ”
크리스마스에 파리바게뜨 케익을 구입하시면 “램램울쁘모자”를 선물로 드립니다. 기간 2009년12월18일-25일
Purchase a Christmas Cake and Receive a Free “Lamb-Wolf Hat” — December 18 to 25, 2009.
ADDRESS OF PARIS BAGUETTE
125 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Across the street from HK Supermarket
Phone number: (323) 467-0404
Was waiting for the light to change so I could walk across Western Avenue when I spotted this in the window of Paris Baguette behind me.
Coffee and Croissant for A Dollar and 90 Cents!
Isn’t that a great deal? That’ll get you inside. But they do have other goodies like kastera, sweet-potato rolls and sandwiches. They even have Welch’s grape juice!
As you can see in the reflection, HK Super is right across the street. Inside the supermarket, Bosco Cake Salon has a small counter that also sells Western-style pastries like kastera, sweet-potato rolls and soboro. Slightly cheaper, but you do pay for the ambience at PB.
파리바게뜨: 125 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Telephone Number: (323) 467-0404
Staffed in front by bilingual Korean-American teens.
Hours Open: Monday-Saturday 6:30 AM – 9 PM. Sunday 6:30 AM – 8:30 PM
On one side of the Korean supermarket California Market (Gaju Mah-ket)
I found the name interesting because the initials of Hong Kong, HK, also stand for HanKook, which means Korea. California Market’s chief competitor in this area of Koreatown in HK Super just a few blocks north.
The window sign says “Please knock.” When you do, it opens and you can ask for what you want. They sell fried dumplings, king dumplings (hwang-mandu, which could actually be “emperor” dumplings), steamed bread (jjinbbang), kimchi dumplings, pork dumplings, cold dumplings (neng mandu), shrimp dumplings (se-u mandu) and boiled dumplings.
Price seems to be $7 for a dozen. I’ll check next time I’m there. Mmm, you can probably just go inside the supermarket and order while enjoying the air conditioning, and even sit down to eat. You can buy a bag of mandoo (Aisle 7, frozen foods) and fix them up yourself at home.
The phone number shown (213) 385-2174 has been disconnected.
Gaju Address: 450 S Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Pat Bing Su (팥빙수, 팥氷水, patbingsoo) is the most popular summer treat in Korea.
팥 (paht) are red beans, and 빙수 (bingsoo) refers to the shaved ice on which the beans are placed. Milk is drizzled on, and other toppings are added such as ice cream, strawberries, kiwi, bananas, cereal flakes…
Paris Baguette on Western Avenue in Koreatown sells pat-bingsoo for the price of around $4.90. Click on the photo to enlarge!
Address:
125 North Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Across the street from HK Supermarket
Phone number: (323) 467-0404
About two blocks north of Berry Nutty (formerly Snowberry)
What makes this Iceberry different from other Korean frozen-yogurt places like Pinkberry and Yogurberry? It’s a small stand in a car-wash complex! Great idea: while you wait for the 4th & Western Car Wash to do their thing with your vehicle, you can enjoy some frozen yogurt. Problem is, you wouldn’t want to have your car touched at this place. Reports are that the employees steal whatever you may inadvertently left in your car.
But if you’re sure there’d be nothing to steal in your car, and this is the only place you can find that can do a wash (it isn’t — there’s one just a few blocks north on Western), then take the risk and hang out at Iceberry. Aside from frozen yogurt, they’ve got smoothies and pat-bingsu (red beans over shaved ice, a Korean specialty).
Credit cards are accepted, although no Korean place will be happy about your using it for anything under $10…. You can get fro-yo for much less than that. $5 ~
Address: 401 S Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90020
Corner 4th Street. Phone number disconnected: (213) 382-8900
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