Yangban (Los Angeles, CA) [2]

Yangban Restaurant
712 S Santa Fe Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
213-866-1987
www.yangbanla.com
Wed 08/28/2024, 07:45p-09:30p





I unexpectedly found myself alone in Downtown recently, and decided that it might be time to give Yangban another whirl. Opened in early 2022 by the duo of Katianna Hong and John Hong, the spot started life as a Korean-American "deli" of sorts, but eventually transformed into a more "traditional" restaurant last autumn, so I wanted to see how things have progressed since the switch-up.


Pictured above is the latest menu, along with the beverage selection, which includes a newly-instituted cocktail list crafted by Vay Su (who's currently involved with the Double Dragon pop-up with Shawn Lickliter). Click for larger versions.


Avocado Tempura [$9.00] | caesar vinaigrette, gochujang, myulchi, kkakduki, parmesan
Dinner started off with a trio of snacks, and this first one really fit the bill, marrying the creaminess of delicately-fried avocado with a funky, gochujang-fueled heat and a lingering saltiness from the Parmigiano.


Black Sesame Cucumber [$18.00] | black sesame tequila, cucumber, pineapple, chili, citrus
Given my love of sesame, this was a must-try, and didn't let me down. I was a huge fan of the back-and-forth between the freshness of the cucumber and the unmistakable sweet-nuttiness of chamkkae, as well as the burn that came in on the mid-palate and lingered alongside even more sesame, all while the rim provided a salty finish. My favorite cocktail of the night.


Golden Heirloom Tomato Toast [$16.00] | santa barbara uni, brown butter, makgeolli, golden sauce
A tongue of cool, briny sea urchin made good sense with the bright, juicy nature of the tomatoes, all while that golden sauce helped bind the bite together. My objection was with the bread, which I found overly crusty, making this rather difficult to eat cleanly.


Shrimp Cocktail Ssam [$10.00] | poached and chilled, bibb lettuce, perilla leaf, cucumber, kimchi cocktail sauce
A lone shrimp came out properly chilled, showing off a substantial bite as well as a gentle brine. However, the hero here was really that cocktail sauce, which had this wonderfully funky, floral, pungent quality that really sang when taken with the shrimp and those light, minty greens.


Summer Milk Punch [$18.00] | soju, gin, peach, green tea, spices, grapefruit, lemon, clarified milk and yogurt
The clarified milk punch is something that I'm seeing more and more on cocktail lists these days, and I'm all for it. What struck me first was the drink's unusually thick head, which soon transitioned to a bevy of fruity, flowery, and nearly candied flavors, offset by a very palpable astringency.


Green Tea Leaf Salad [$24.00] | gem lettuce, green cabbage, buchu, seasoned spinach, cucumber, tomato, snap peas, edamame, herbs, seeds and nuts, nokcha-lemon vinaigrette
I don't usually order salads at restaurants, but this sounded interesting enough, and turned out to be one of the better ones I've had in a while. It offered up a plethora of disparate textures and tastes that really came together well, and I was especially a fan of the dish's pervasive nuttiness, and how that interacted with all the bitter, tart, and savory things going on.


Smoked Tomato [$18.00] | tequila, soju, smoked tomato, citrus, ginger, lemongrass, lime leaves, basil, chili, perilla
This next cocktail did a bang-up job combining the signature tang of tomato with complementary vegetal, earthy, spicy, and smoky elements, with the whole thing accented by a salty, herbaceous rim.


Coal Seared Shima Aji Crudo [$28.00] | toasted nori tartar sauce, ember oil, sweet soy escabeche, meyer lemon
Striped jack is one of my preferred neta for sushi, so it was nice to see it done up in a different manner tonight. The fish ate firm and meaty, and I liked the countering zing of the herbs, but the star of the show for me was clearly that tartar sauce, which had your classic creaminess and pickle-y tartness, but with the wonderfully grassy, smoky depth of toasted seaweed. A really neat take on crudo.


Congee Pot Pie [$29.00] | roasted chicken stock, ginger, short grain rice, white pepper
As a general rule, I'm a sucker for pot pies, so this was of course another item I just had to try. It was a definite winner, and arguably my favorite dish of the night. The crux here really was the interplay between spicy ginger and the sheer pepperiness present, overlaid on top of a homey, comforting, savory chicken stock-powered base. At the same time, the flaky pastry crust was on point, and I liked how the greens lightened things up. This was reminiscent of the frozen pot pies of my childhood, but far more sophisticated. I'd had the lobster pot pie on my last visit, and despite the lack of that protein tonight, this version might've been even more enjoyable.


Soy & Ginger [$18.00] | yangban makgeolli, whiskey, soy milk, ginger, honey, barley tea
This was my second favorite cocktail of the five I tried. Think thick on the palate, with a delightfully spicy-sweet ginger-honey combo that played swimmingly with familiar flavors of soy.


Fermented Black Bean Mole [$28.00] | fried meiji tofu, red watercress, gochujang
Yangban's take on mole was loaded with sweet, nutty, funky flavors, and backed by a creeping heat. It worked hand-in-hand with the crisp, lightly-fried, mildly-flavored tofu, while the zippy watercress really completed the equation.


Barley Old Fashioned [$18.00] | japanese whisky, rye whiskey, dark barley, coconut water, tea bitters
My final cocktail was definitely the most potent of the lot. The aromatics here were great--very-tea like--while on the palate, I found the drink sharp and boozy, really emphasizing the character of the Japanese whisky over the rye.


Sujeonggwa Carrot Cake [$16.00] | golden pineapple, crystallized ginger, pinenuts, cinnamon, cream cheese, and olive oil frosting
I'm typically a fan of carrot cake, and quite enjoyed this riff on the classic dessert. What hit me right up front was how creamy and substantial the olive oil-boosted frosting was, and how that meshed with all the sugary, ginger-y, and cinnamon-y flavors present. It all recalled the traditional cake, but taken up a notch. Do note that this, along with the avocado tempura above, ended up being comped by GM Jaye Kim (n/naka, Republique), probably because I ordered so much for a single person.


Just like last time, a Mammos (맘모스) nurungji candy arrived with the bill.

Food-wise, things seem to be progressing quite nicely here, as I largely enjoyed the new additions to the menu, while the revamped cocktail program was much appreciated as well. I can definitely imagine this place becoming a go-to spot of mine in the Arts District. However, I am still curious about what Yangban's final form will be, since I'd like to see the Hongs implement a proper tasting menu at some point (maybe in a "restaurant-within-a-restaurant" format), so I guess we'll have to wait and see if that ever happens.