LA Food Diary | KTown | Glendale

My 3-day trip to LA was all about sleeping in till the afternoon—so I missed out on a lot of meal times, but here’s the thing: it’s almost impossible to have a bad meal in LA! Every bite was still a little delight 😋. 【Koreatown (KTown) Area】 📍 SUN NONG DAN Heard this was a must-try Korean spot, so I made it my first meal in LA! We got there around 7 PM and luckily got a table right away—no wait! The dining room was full of Asian diners, which felt like a good sign. We ordered two soups (with noodles and beef). The broth was a bit light for my taste, but the beef? Chef’s kiss—tender yet chewy, so flavorful! The side dishes (banchan) were great too 🥢. 📍 Kang Ho Dong Baekjeong Originally planned to eat at Quarters BBQ next door, but the wait was 1.5 hours—nope, not happening! Kang Ho Dong only had a 30-minute wait (let’s be real, the wait time says it all about which is more popular 😂). We got the beef combo, which was solid but nothing mind-blowing. The beef was on the sweeter side, but still tasty. The service was top-tier—staff grilled everything for us, so we didn’t lift a finger. Only complaints: the ventilation was terrible (the whole place was smoky) and the music was way too loud 🎶. 📍 Hei Hu Tang While waiting for Kang Ho Dong, we popped into Hei Hu Tang next door. I ordered their No.1 boba drink, and it was a nice surprise—not too sweet, super refreshing! But… I drank too much and ended up too full to enjoy the BBQ later. Oops 😅. 【Glendale Area】 Didn’t feel safe staying in LA Downtown, so we booked a hotel in Glendale (north of DT)—way safer, and I ended up loving this little town! Hardly any homeless people while shopping, the streets were quiet and clean, and there were so many restaurants with different vibes 🧡. 📍 Porto‘s Bakery This bakery is super popular—we waited 30 minutes in line, and I was this close to losing my cool (I was starving!). But seeing everyone leave with huge bags of pastries made me think, “Okay, just a little longer…” And man, the wait was worth it! Their potato balls were a standout: crispy outer layer, creamy mashed potato inside mixed with ground beef/seafood. Eat them hot, and you’ll be in carb heaven 🤤. I ate two in one go—so filling! 📍 Joon Shabu Shabu Perfect for a light first meal of the day! It’s hot pot with clear broth (you can add beef sauce to taste) for (boiling) beef, veggies, and mushrooms. The flavor was mild, and my stomach felt so comfortable after eating—great if you’re tired of heavy, greasy food 🥬. 📍 Shake Shack First time trying Shake Shack, and my husband and I both agreed: so good! We got the SmokeShack—soft, fluffy bun, juicy beef patty, and a kick from the red peppers. Such a nice twist on a classic burger 🍔. 📍 Yi Fang Was so excited to spot Yi Fang while shopping! Immediately ordered my usual: brown sugar boba milk. But I accidentally added oat milk when ordering self-service… it tasted nothing like the one in China, and I could barely suck up the boba. Sob 😢. Still, walking around Glendale’s quiet streets with a warm drink in hand felt so cozy. #CaliforniaTravel #LosAngelesFood #LosAngelesRestaurantHopping #LAFood #LosAngelesKoreatownFood #LosAngelesGlendaleFood