eating and drinking in koreatown- old school version

Big feature of Korean and Koreatown (Los Angeles neighborhood with general borders created by Olympic Blvd. to south, Vermont Ave. to east, 3rd St. to north and Crenshaw Blvd. to west) culture is drinking. Recently, the travelbits&bites crew gathered at one old school establishment, Dan Sung San, for a little eating and drinking.

Location- Northwest corner of 6th and S. Berendo St. (3317 W 6th St, Los Angeles) inside a strip-mall. There is no English signage but you may locate it by its address and the outside billboard of two men (Kim Dae Jung, former S. Korean President, and Kim Jong Il, dead dictator of N. Korea) facing each other with Korea flag in the middle. Cheap valet parking is available onsite.

Ambiance- This place is a pojangmacha, a divy Korean drink/food establishment.  Dimly lit inside, the walls and furniture are well worn and covered in graffiti. They play old school Korean pop and have no flat screen TV's. What significance the billboard of Kim Dae Jung with Kim Jong Il promoting Korean reunification and the name Dan Sung San, which means "porno" in Korean, have with the food or drink served is beyond me. But these features do add to the distinct character of the establishment. Although there are no smoking signs, I have sat next to smokers indoors.

Food- Portions are large and price is low. The food offerings are typical of what Koreans call "drinking foods" i.e., items that pair well with alcoholic drink of choice. We tried the assorted skewers, dumbbells and bbq pork ribs.

Drink-
Makgeolli- An unfiltered, fermented rice beverage often served in swallow bowl instead of glass. It has 6-8% alcohol by volume. It's a drink originally enjoyed by peasant farmers to the extent that it is also known as nongju (farmer's drink) but recently gained popularity with young Korean urbanites. It has a milky color and cloudy consistency with slightly tangy yet sweet taste. Be sure to shake it well before serving chilled. It pairs well with any jeon, pancake type dish.

Maekju- Beer. Try Korean lagers Hite or OB. It has 4.5% alcohol by volume. It pairs well with any chicken dish, especially the Korean fried chicken.  This combo is so popular in Korea, it has its own nickname: "chi-maek," short for chicken-maekju.

Soju- Korean version of cheap vodka, it can burn as it goes down. Although high in alcohol content at around 20%, it is still categorized under "beer & wine." It can be nicely mixed (hence diluted) with various fruit juices to produce a delicious cocktail, like lemon soju.  Or its potency can be increased by mixing a shot of soju with a glass of beer to make a poktanju, soju bomb similar to a boilermaker. Tip- This can be a dangerous combination and should be drunk with caution. Korean pop sensation Psy's Hangover is all about over-indulging on this potent combination. Pair with pork dishes or various skewers.

Drinking Etiquette-
Drinking is a big part of Korean culture and some useful rules to know are:

• youngest/least senior person serves everyone and should pour with both hands (hold bottle with right hand, support right arm with left hand)
• as show of affection, a senior person may pour a drink for the youngster; receive drink with both hands (hold cup with right hand, support bottom of cup with left)
• never pour drinks for yourself (this shouldn't be an issue when you have a vigilant youngster watching out for your empty bowl/glass to fill)
• turn to the side to drink when in company of elders/persons of seniority
• say gumbae, cheers, and drink in unison 

Whichever drink you order, please drink responsibly.