Gogi Q1

[Dashonn Moulton]

Ireally do hope, from a very selfish perspective as well as a more worthy one I admit, that there do continue to be gogi in the West of Japan that, maybe myself and John could possibly catch, admire and release.

The first round consisted of spicy pork belly, lemon pepper chicken, and bulgogi (thinly sliced marinated beef), along with some orders of steamed eggs and fried rice. Our table grill was already nice and hot by the time that the meats got brought out from the kitchen; we went ahead and dropped all three items right on there to get things going.

I was actually kind of surprised how much I liked the lemon pepper chicken. The marinade definitely did the job, infusing that lemon flavor in there, and the added black pepper giving it a bit of a kick. The flavors really did come through after the grilling process. The spicy pork belly always seems to be a reliable staple, with that marinade also packing quite a punch. We also ended up leaving the thin slices of the bulgogi on the grill a little longer to let the sugar in the marinade caramelize a bit, adding some slight crispiness to the meat.

Flipping between the two menu pages that outlined 26 different protein options to choose from made the decision initially pretty tough. But there is a solid array of flavor options, from sweet to savory to spicy, on each of the protein types. I also thought that the quality of the meats was pretty good too, with sizeable portions provided for each order.

A hostess seated us at booth/table on a weekend evening on which they seemed to be doing a brisk business. The dining area is modestly sized, and the menu is not massive either. Small plates feature familiar Asian-food items like shrimp tempura, edamame and fried chicken dumplings. We also spotted items like squid and seaweed salads as well as four kinds of wings. I was intrigued, though, by the Korean corn dog ($4.25). It comes with a choice of fillings, and I picked sausage as my innards.

The Spouse ordered from the Hot Plates section, choosing the beef bulgogi ($21.99). This classic Korean dish consists of thinly sliced ribeye beef marinated in their house sauce. Other Hot Plate items include chicken teriyaki, spicy squid and japchae, a clear-noodle stir-fry that is prepared with a choice of beef, shrimp or tofu.

Our server started us off with a selection of four small appetizers, which are presumably included with all meals. The small stainless steel bowls contained Korean potatoes in teriyaki sauce, kimchi (pickled cabbage), pickled radishes and bean sprouts. We grazed on these for a while, and we both liked them all, although The Spouse and I ranked them differently. I preferred the sprouts most, followed by the kimchi, the potatoes and the radishes. The white radish chunks appeared as if they might have a sharp flavor, but they were actually quite mild and flavorful.

I liked my bibimbap bowl pretty well. It was served in an oven-hot stone bowl on a wooden platter. The small shrimp bites were indeed spicy, and I appreciated the mini groupings of vegetables, which included mushrooms, shredded carrots and more bean sprouts.

The Spouse and I agreed that the beef bulgogi won best-entre honors for the evening. Topped with a vegetable blend similar to my own, this dish was likewise piping hot and served on a combo of stone and wooden dishware. The beef slices were absolutely delicious, both solo and when accompanied by the side of white rice. It was also an abundant portion, which The Spouse divvied up into leftovers.

The bulgogi (bul means fire) was sauteed with strips of red and green peppers and onions and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. The meat had that wonderful umamic taste of soy mixed with ginger and garlic.

The interior is spacious and I felt comfortable dining inside. In between rows of booths in the middle of the room a stream of steam rises with lighting that makes it appear as flickering flames. Must be quite an effect in the evenings.

Literally, a HOLE IN THE WALL in Van Nuys, California! I was invited to dinner and just went along for the ride. And it was a fun ride! We arrived at AYCE GOGI Korean BBQ a little after 5pm and it was already crowded.

Then as you pass through the second set of doors you enter a large dining room. The host desk is just inside. There are booths along the two side walls and long tables in the center. Even with the industrial fans overhead, the room was thick with smoke from the grills. We were told there was a 20 minute wait, so we decided to hang out, and then they seated us at the center of a long table after only 5 minutes.

There was a salad, dishes with an assortment of appetizers and sauces placed on the table and waiting for us when we sat down. They took our drink order and left us to look at the menu (a single sheet in a plastic standee and a beer & wine list):

On the Menu: All you can eat! Green salad, alfafa sprout appetizers, glass noodles, dumpling soup, beef bulgogi, spicy pork, beef kalbi, garlic beef, apple pork, pork ribs, lemon pepper chicken, steamed rice and a coke.

I took some good pictures, but then the food started coming fast and furious! So, I had to focus on the food cooking on the grill while trying to eat the food on my plate, while having a conversation with my dinner companion, so the picture taking stopped.

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