LATE ONE NIGHT IN November 2008, I stood outside Le Cercle, a club on Western Avenue in LA’s Koreatown. Next to me was a man I’d never met before, eating a burrito that smelled like heaven. I was 22 and imperiously drunk, and when I asked for a bite, he was too startled to say no. It turned out one bite was not enough, so I dragged my girlfriends to the taco truck parked in the Sizzler lot across the street. There we met the truck’s owner—a man we later learned was named Roy Choi. He was taking his new Kogi BBQ truck on its first weekend tour of Los Angeles.
Gone now: Le Cercle, my 20s, sharing food with strangers, the Sizzler. Here to stay: Korean tacos, the exuberance of youth, and the wonder of discovery in Koreatown, where change is rapid, exciting, heartbreaking, and constant.
Koreatown received official recognition from Los Angeles County in 1980, thanks in large part to the efforts of Hi Duk Lee. Lee was an entrepreneur and community leader who established the neighbourhood as a “Second Seoul” for the wave of Koreans who moved to LA after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which lifted the restrictive quota system based on national origin. Lee opened a cluster of businesses around Olympic Boulevard and Normandie Avenue in the 1970s—including VIP Palace, one of the first Korean restaurants in town. He had it built in a traditional architectural style, with imported blue tiles. The restaurant became a neighbourhood staple, a buffet my parents used to frequent before my siblings and I came along. It’s where Pulitzer Prize–winning food critic Jonathan Gold—who made the fortunes of many Korean restaurateurs before his death in 2018— got his introduction to our heat-packed cuisine.
この記事は Travel+Leisure India の April 2022 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Travel+Leisure India の April 2022 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Retro: Timeless & Trending
As AI dominates the tech world, Nikhil Chawla introduces devices and apps that evoke nostalgia with their retro charm and timeless appeal.
Celebrating Timeless Austin
Austin is a melting pot of culture and style, and a personification of the great American lifestyle,
A Legacy of Art and Activism
Mallika Sarabhai reflects on her rich heritage as she discusses her unique approach to blending tradition with modernity, the power of arts in activism and her commitment to bringing about social change, in this conversation with Dipali Patwa.
Second Course
Noma chef René Redezpi found fame with ingredient-focused fine dining. His new TV show goes even further.
The Safari Sanctuary
Aamaghati Wildlife Resort, Ranthambore’s latest opening, offers the finest facilities and accommodation in the district and has the park embedded deep inside its soul.
THE ETERNAL FLAVOURS of our TIMELESS CLASSICS
India's most-loved restaurants have all stood the test of time, especially in an era when food ventures open with vast market research and modern aesthetics but fail to make a lasting impression. This is what makes our favourites timeless.
LATE CHECK OUT WITH Ayushmann Churrana
A film with a social message, a deeply inspiring couplet, a music tour that lets him explore his alter ego of sorts—what makes Ayushmann Khurrana the right fit in everything he chooses to do?
Luxury Legacy
Meet Tikka Shatrujit Singh, the visionary who paved the way for luxury brands to thrive in India. One of the most iconic figures in India's fashion and luxury industry, the former head representative of LVMH in Asia tells Samreen Tungekar about his journey, what today's consumer wants, and how Indian tourism can turn the world on its head.
Global Glamour
Attention shopaholics, we've got you covered! From Copenhagen to Cape Town, Marrakech to Melbourne, here are 20 cities across the world where you can indulge in retail therapy. Follow our guide to get your hands on traditional, bespoke, sustainable, slow fashion, and innovative, kitschy must-haves.
ARTISTIC INGENUITY MEETS ARCHITECTURAL SPLENDOUR
Architect Simran Boparai's skilled designs blend modernity with heritage, while striving for spatial excellence.