Featuring a mohawk-sporting badass chef, gold grills (not the kind that were an unfortunate hip hop fashion trend several years ago, but the ones you cook on), and bone marrow luges, Hanjip is the new cool kid on the block. Chef Chris Oh of Seoul Sausage fame, along with top LA restauranteur Stephane Bombet, have created something very unusual with Hanjip: a top notch Korean BBQ joint which is traditional, yet also super hip and modern, and located not in Koreatown, but on the Westside.
A meal at this Korean house of hedonism should start with some of their decadent appetizers. The Seafood Pancake and the Kimchi Fried Rice Sauteed in Brown Butter are great choices, and the Bone Marrow Corn Cheese with Shaved Parmesan and Bonito Flakes is an absolute must-have. After eating the marrow, you can order soju, which your server will gladly pour into your mouth by way of a “luge” created with the bone.
Then it’s on to the grilling action! The Tomahawk Steak with Foie Gras Butter is as excellent as it sounds. The Carabineros Prawns are also amazing. But my favorite thing to cook here is the Marinated Kurobuta Pork Belly. It’s sweet and savory and truly exceptional.
Hanjip is located at 3829 Main St in Culver City.