Overview
We spent a total of 4 days and 3 nights in Los Angeles, CA. We visited for a friend’s wedding - but spent extra time in the city to explore the food scene and went to Universal Studios!
Transportation
Car Rental via Turo
It was our first time trying Turo - the carshare app. The experience went very smooth - we Uber’ed from LAX to the car dealership to pick up our car. We had unlimited mileage on the vehicle during our stay and simply dropped off our car during departure.
The variety of cars available was nice and the price options were surprisingly cheaper than going with traditional car rental brands (Enterprise, Hertz, etc.). We will definitely be leveraging Turo for future trips!
West Hollywood / Koreatown LA
Ktown Crab House
923 S Vermont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90006
I’ve been seeing the raw marinated crabs all over my TikTok feed so I was eager to try this while in LA. We arrived around 5:30-6:00 PM and there was no wait. Great service and small restaurant with unique seafood entrees to try.
What we recommend:
- Raw Marinated Crabs - this is a MUST.
- Marinated Crab Rice Bowl - This tasted very similar to the raw marinated crab (minus all the work)
- Sea Urchin Rice - Very fresh Uni!
Sun Nong Dun
3470 W 6th St Ste 7 Los Angeles, CA 90020
Easily my new favorite Korean restaurant (had some of the best Korean food we’ve ever ate). Everything we ordered turned out amazing!
What we recommend:
- Galbijjim - Braised short ribs with rice cakes, sauce, and cheesy torched topping. MUST MUST MUST!
- Seok Uh Sulung Tang (Ox Bone Soup) - I’ve had this soup before at other restaurants but this was the best one I’ve had so far! Very rich and flavorful!
Sugarfish
101 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Affordable, high quality sushi restaurant. Great spot for lunch with friends!
What we recommend:
- Hokkaido Sea Scallops Nigiri
- Tuna Nigiri -
- Salmon Sashimi
- Sweet Shrimp Nigiri
Chinatown Los Angeles
Howlin' Rays
727 N Broadway #/128, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Best Nashville chicken spot I’ve tried (and we have several options in Dallas that I’m comparing it to)! Full of flavor, juicy and made fresh!
What we recommend:
- Luis Style Sando - their classic Nashville chicken sandwich (we ordered with medium-plus spice and it definitely had a kick to it!)
- Shake Fries - You can’t order a sandwich without fries :)
Won Kok Dim Sum Takeout
210 Alpine St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Funny story… we parked in the lot next to Won Kok. Noticed how long the lines were to order Dim Sum and decided this was where we were going to get our first lunch in LA. Worth the wait!
What we recommend:
- Har Gow - Steamed prawn rice dumplings
- Chicken Shu Mai - Never can go wrong with Shu Mai
Orange County (OC)
Brodard Restaurant
16105 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
This experience completely changed my perspective on Nem Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Cured Pork). The fresh herbs, flavorful Nem… and the amazing crunchy egg roll bits! And the sauce that comes with the rolls was nothing like I’ve ever tried before. It’s an absolute must try in OC!
What we recommend:
- Nem Nuong Spring Rolls
Vox Kitchen
16161 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Vietnamese Modern Fusion restaurant with many great options for large groups of friends. We tried a variety of dishes and most were great!
What we recommend:
- House Garlic Noodles with Prawns - My personal fav!
- Spicy Shrimp Wontons
- Saltado Shaken Fries
Oc and Lau
10130 Garden Grove Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92843
This place has been on my list of places to try in LA and it did not disappoint! Must try a variety of snail dishes to get the full experience!
What we recommend:
- Ốc Len Xào Dừa / Escargot in Coconut Milk and Lemongrass
- Ốc Hương Nướng Tiêu / Grilled Escargot with Garlic Butter, Pepper
- Sò Điệp Thái Thượng Hoàng Nướng Trứng Cá / Grilled Scallops with Fish Eggs