Gyu-Kaku

A haiku for Gyu-Kaku

melting in my mouth

bite-sized Japanese morsels

meat on a budget

A harmonious blend of East meets West, Gyu-Kaku is a Japanese influenced Korean BBQ restaurant for happy hour lovers and bang-for-your-buck seekers alike.  During DineLA, I sampled appetizers, meats, vegetables and a dessert for a mere $25.  Factor in the $3 I spent on a peach saketini, and you’ve got yourself a wolf in geisha’s clothing.  Slowly cooking the meat and roasting marshmallows on the table grill was the perfect distraction to catch up with friends and hide our cell phones.  Nothing on the menu particularly stood out as extraordinary; however, I felt fully satisfied with my wallet and my belly as I headed back home to read The Wind Up Bird Chronicles by Haruki Murakami with leftover miso soup.  Perhaps it was not the tantalizing experience I was hoping for, but it made for the perfect setting for a group of friends on a budget looking for a fun night out.

Dinner ($25)

STARTERS

Gyu-Kaku Salad

Miso Soup

Edamame Soy Beans

Steamed Rice

VEGETABLE

Spinach Garlic

BBQ Items (Selected 4)

Bistro Hanger Steak Miso

New York Steak in Garlic Sauce

Angus Beef Ribs

Shrimp Garlic

DESSERT

S'mores

Ramenya

After years of eating nana's chicken noodle soup, I've come to realize it is truly is the best cure to a common cold.  The warm tingly feeling you get as you slurp down tender noodles soaked in a flavorful broth makes you forget for just a moment that your body is throbbing with pain.  Now that I don't live with my parents, nana's chicken noodle soup is  as hard to come by as a free dinner.  Luckily, I have Ramenya in West Los Angeles to treat even the worst of ailments.

Ramenya offers several varieties of ramen soup, but my all-time favorite is the aji ramen.  Its packed with garlic and onion, which is the perfect remedy for your weak immune system.  The ramen is cooked al dente, which is preferable to the usual soggy noodles found in other establishments.  As a bonus, the hostess with serve you a fresh batch of ice-tea at no charge.  It's not exactly a free meal, but for $10, its practically a steal.

There are several ramen shops in the area, but this one ranks supreme.  I especially like the little to no wait time and tons of available parking spaces.  For all of you that keep kosher or halal, Ramenya is the only restaurant in Little Osaka that uses a chicken-based broth instead of pork.  Given all of the benefits, this is exactly what I need in my moments of weakness!