Recently, I decided to go to LA on a whim to visit a few friends. I had a mission for the 3 days I was there, which was GTE. That’s Gym, Tan, Eat for those of you guys who are thinking o.O?? I am glad to say that I completed all three, especially the last one. EAT!
When I got there, it was SUPER rainy, so my friend and I decided to make our first food stop at BCD Tofu House.
BCD TOFU HOUSE
- BCD Tofu House Menu
Kimchee, Fried Fish and other small plates
Seafood Soon Tofu - Make sure to crack the raw egg in there!
This was my first time at BCD Tofu House and I thought it was pretty typical of any other Korean restaurant. I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here, but def a great go-to spot on a nice rainy day!
HOT POT HOT POT
Next up, to continue on the theme of rainy days, we decided to go to Hot Pot Hot Pot for dinner. This place is in Monterey Park and is basically the equivalent of Little Fat Sheep for those who are familiar with the chain.
- Hot Pot Hot Pot – The Spread
For three girls, we ordered an order each of…beef, lamb, clam, quail egg, spinach, watercress, napa cabbage, enoki mushroom, soft tofu, and their homemade noodles (which I recommend). Their herbal soup was delicious and so was the spicy side of the broth. By the end of the meal, I was happy and full.
YOJIE
As if we didn’t have enough of hot pot, the next afternoon, we visited Yojie, located in Downtown LA for shabu shabu – basically the Japanese version of hot pot, except their broth is just water + kelp which = no flavor soup. I decided to come here based on one of myfriend’s recommendation. She LOVES the Green Tea Fondue here, so I just had to try it.
Yojie's Decor
Shabu Shabu, LA Style
If you didn’t remember that you’re in LA, if you came into Yojie, you would really remember. They take their Lakers pride very seriously, and I thought it added a nice touch to the overall modern decor.
Lunch Order - 8 oz Samurai - $14
If you’re observant, you might notice that the meats in this picture is two different colors. I noticed this right away when the waiter brought out our food and asked about it. I was assured that the quality was the same, but sadly, after doing a quick taste test, I found that this was not the case. It seemed that the meat that was more red, was noticeably more tender and less chewy than the other. Not wanting to waste food, we ate it anyway, but this was definitely a minus for me. If I didn’t have the chance to compare, I probably wouldn’t have even noticed the lack in quality, but since it was screaming out in front of me…I was unimpressed.
- Ponzu and Goma Sauces | Swish Swish
Green Tea Chocolate Fondue - $9
If I was sad about the shabu meat, this more than made up for my dissatisfaction. Now I know why my friend keeps talking about Yojie, because this dessert is SO good. So I will only come back to Yojie for the Green Tea Chocolate Fondue, and probably not the food.
P.S. if you spend enough money here, you get free parking right across the street, which is pretty awesome since parking can be a hassle downtown.
So that’s it! That’s the first part of my LA Food Tour, next up will be my highlights of the trip, Umami Burger and Chego!
