Reunited and it feels SOO GOOD!

Broke in college, I spent my lunch and dinners at the dorms or made a simple (ahem inexpensive) fake-spam fried rice at the apartment. All the meanwhile, I saved up money for occasional splurges at a local korean food stand called Gushi's near my college campus. It was some of the best bulgogi and japchae I had until some of my best girlfriends went shopping one day.

Ham Ji Park
So tell me how 3 girls with no daytime classes shopping in Los Angeles winds up in korea town where they find a gem sandwiched next to the best bingsoo shop and another japanese grill store? Impressingly so, these three little piggies put away a good portion of self-grilled, skillet beef, pork, ribs and stew. The girls came back raving about this place and in particular, the pork neck stew. Curious about this wonderland, I was on-board for the next ride.

Trying not to break my friend's heart, I admitted to my friend the stew was "not all that" (let's bring the 00 slang back!) However, when I woke up the next morning, I had pork neck on my brain. Odd--thought I was not a fan? Apparently it took a while to get deliciousness into my bloodstream since I have been hooked on fake korean food this whole time. I proceeded to text my friend to tell her I was crazy about the stew and was ready to go back.

Situation: From that text on, Hamjipark became our favorite reunion place. I now take all my special people here.

Food: It's not your champion-eating buffet style kbbq so there is no pressure to eat massive amounts. The key ingredient here is the quality of meat, either self-cooked or prepared by the kitchen. They have all the typical appetizers minus the rice or turnip paper. There are 5 types of meat, with my favorite being the marinated sirloin beef. With tongs to cook, you can control the doneness of the meat. Pair it with the sesame-salt-pepper dip they provide you, a bite of lettuce and you are having one of the simplest and best kbbq meals EVAR (misspelling intended).

Next must-have is the pork neck stew which is absolutely fabulous. It is hearty and savory with a lot of deep but non-overwhelming flavors. The stew has a dark red color but is not spicy at all. It's thick but not creamy nor pureed, which reflects the depth of flavor. The pork is stewed so tenderly, it easily falls off the bones. Even better, the potatoes are so soft yet wholesome until you sink your teeth into the stew-absorbed vegetable.

If you rather not cook, try the pork spare ribs. Meaty and smoky. It also comes really fast and does not require you to sit at one of the grill tables, which can be a bit of a wait around dinner time.

Verdict: Always a good meal and a good time. The family style atmosphere and the cheery pass of tongs or beer makes Hamjipark a fun interactive dinner. The meat does not disappoint and there is something for everybody, even the non-grillers. The staff is friendly, especially towards UCLA students. My favorite waiter, whom I have seen gone through at least 3 hair cuts, still asks if I graduated college. Keeping true to the gold and blue, he still manages to give me a college discount or free soup refill every encounter. Oh-yay-er!

Haaaaaaaam-Jiiiiiiiiiiiii-PARK!

3407 W 6th St
Los Angeles, CA 90020