It's the Super Pancake Trailer!
On the way in or out from Koreatown's California Market, my usual Korean grocery stop, I've got an option of one of three things: to go buy grilled corn from the corn guy, to take religious pamphlets or cassette tapes from one of the various middle-aged Korean folks that bombard me everytime I walk past, or spend a buck at a shiny trailer called "Koo's Grill."
I think I'll spend the buck.
The trailer is so colorful and shiny that it's reminiscent of something you'd find at a carnival or state fair. I knew they sold pancakes of some sort--there's a poster sized collage of different circular masses of dough that makes you think that maybe they sell different kinds of pancakes. In reality though, the poster shows the stages of making just one type of pancake that Koo's Grill specializes in: the grilled rice flour pancake.
"One please," I said to the lady as I handed her a dollar in exchange for a small, piping-hot styrofoam takeout container. Eager to try my new purchase, I opened it up in the car only to find out that the core temperature of this golden brown four inch disc was well over 400 degrees. Screw pouring hot oil down the fortress walls at your enemy, just toss one of these at them and watch their face melt off! So during the drive from Koreatown to my next destination, the La Brea Trader Joe's, I let it sit and cool down until it was manageable to take a bite out of.
It's a grilled rice flour pancake with pancake syrup inside...that's it. I mean, it was OK, just nothing special. I liked the chewiness of the rice flour dough, but for what it was worth--the dollar, the cool-down period, the extreme syrupy sweetness--I could have toasted an Eggo at home and put Aunt Jemima on it.
But at least I know what the shiny trailer's all about now. Next time, I get to choose between the corn guy and the religious pamphlets.
Koo's Grill at the California Market
450 S. Western Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90020
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7 comments:
Hi Pam - Can't say I ever had these. Good thing it didn't melt the styrofoam.
Ooo...I like the Korean pancakes with the green onions in them. Or is that a Chinese thing? Hmm... hahah! My old college roommate used to make them for me from scratch. Come to think of it, she was Chinese! ;)
I say go for the Corn Guy!!! I love that stuff with mayo, paprika, and parmesan cheese! YUM!
That looks pretty darn good to me actually. I'm a sucker for food that is freshly made and sold from carts that look like that. So much so that my fondness for the novelty probably makes up for any deficiencies in the taste of the food.
Kirk,
Ewww, that would have been nasty, wouldn't it?
Kristy,
Oooh, scallion pancakes--yum! You just reminded me that I need to make a trip out to Monterey Park to get me some!
I'll keep you guys posted when I go to the corn guy.
Elmo,
Yeah, I really wanted to like these more, but as you know, I don't particularly like stuff that's too sweet and the syrup stuff was WAY too sweet! Oh well!
if that sheet of paper doesn't prevent your pancake from melting the styrofoam, just use the religious pamphlet.
i've seen this place many times but haven't tried it. i know about the corn guy too. i like to go to the Galleria market on Western/Olympic instead of California.
Happy holidays Pam, drink lots of egg nog. *puke*
Dylan,
Ha ha--I like your tip about the religious pamphlet!
Koo's Grill at the California Marke
state district-of-columbia
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