Persimmon

Ended up at Persimmon in K-​Town primarily due to the Unilocal $ 10 for $ 20 deal. The restaurant has good, clean food, with a Western twist. We had the croquettes and the ddukboki which were both very tasty. Loved the plating! The plating is definitely more sophisticated than the restaurant itself — was a bit out of place. The only con about this place is that parking sucks.

Décor was fresh colors and had a clean and crisp vibe. Most of the menu options seemed pretty staple — i opted for the bibim naeng myung.
Food was byootifully prezzzented, arrangment, colors, etc all were well thought out. For presentation, I would give 5 stars. However, food was good, but not memorable. Also, the rack rate seemed high, I don’t think I would go there without a coupon unfortunately.
Overall, great option with Unilocal Deals in hand, otherwise, I wouldn’t come here unless I was looking for ambiance.
PS they are pretty much only open for lunch!

In reality this place is three stars at best.
The food is home cooking by a mom and pop. It is very bland. I know that healthy cooking is their sole purpose, and I truly appreciate that, but healthy cooking doesn’t have to be so boring. However, they are nice people and their service is awesome so I added another star. Parking does suck here as everyone has mentioned, but so does all of LA. So deal with it!

The food is fine. I really can’t say anything was exceptional.
The ddukbboki was just okay. The dduk was mighty soft, if anyone likes that.
Croquette was good. Not great. I don’t see what others are talking about.
Oh-​jing-​uh bokkeum bibimbab was good. Not too spicy. Borderline bland.
Seafood pasta was probably the best dish we had.
We tried a bite of the bulgogi bibimbab and no one touched it again.
It was straight foul. The meat was not cooked well and also had a foul stench to the meat.
Their gimbab is worse than any you can find in grocery stores.
But the yooboo chobab is some freakin bomb stuff.
I had to check this place out after reading all the reviews.
I don’t think I’ll be going back or recommending to others though.

Noticed this place for a while so I decided to check it out for dinner. First off, the parking lot is a mess. Combine tight spaces with people who are just so slow and nervous about backing out, it’s a frustrating situation there. Second, the restaurant doesn’t really stick out but it’s also not hard to find. You just need to pay attention to find it cause it blends in with its surroundings.
When we arrived, there was nobody in the restaurant which seemed like a bad sign. The old man seemed friendly and seated us promptly and gave me advice about what to order. Apparently their bulgogi bowl is the most popular item on the menu but we ordered the katsu, spicy beef soup and croquettes to start. Like most Korean restaurants, they had a few limited side dishes (banchan) but they were mostly pickled veggies and a couple kimchi’s, which they quickly refill for you.
I can’t complain about our food because it was good and we finished all of it but there was something definitely lacking. Could be the fact that you can get better katsu right down the street or how it’s pricey for what it was but it felt nice to be a patron of a small business where it seems like the married older couple is running it by themselves.

We walked in here during the Korean Festival only because it was the closest thing. We were very satisfied. I’m all about presentation and they did a great job! Everything was «pretty» and presented well in modern bowls and plates. Food was delicious and everyone on our team ate there for all four days!

A cute modern little Korean-​European fusion restaurant. It’s teeny and with a modest menu to match, but it’s clear that you really can’t go wrong with any of the items on the menu.
It consists of mostly Korean staples — fried rice, bibimbap, pork/​chicken cutlet, short-​rib BBQ, noodles, and some soups. The only European-​related things that I remember are the seafood spaghetti and cream sauce spaghetti and croquette appetizer. I recommend the cream sauce spaghetti and the bibim gooksoo (spicy noodles). Note: only order the spicy stuff if you can really handle the heat. They’re not kidding about it being hot. They also obviously put effort into plating and presentation too, which is a nice plus. I want that spicy noodle egg-​shaped bowl!
Check it out. 10% off when mentioning Unilocal too!

It was good. Everything was fresh and clean. And the service was excellent. But it didn’t stand out. Definitely check in on Unilocal for some discounts and freebies. The shrimp dumplings were amazing — like 10 pieces. Croquettes were OK. And the Bulgogi Bidimbap (sp?) was good. And the Bidimbap does not come in a stone or clay bowl. No egg cracked over it either. But still good. I thought the Kim Chi was also very darn good.
Parking lot is a mess.

Found out about this place after a friend invited me to a private dinner that was being held there last week. Apparently the owners are really open minded and allowed a really cool pop-​up kitchen called RnD Table to have one of their dinners there.
Anyways, Persimmon is all about wholesome Korean food. Sorta reminds me of one of my childhood best friend’s family, who happens to be korean, who’s mom made everything from scratch. Eating here is like eating a homecooked meal but with the attention, care, and technical skill of someone who really knows & cares about what they’re feeding people, as if they were family.
We had the croquettes, bibimbop, spicy rice cake, and pasta in cream sauce… the only criticism i had was that the cream sauce was a bit bland for my taste… but that could’ve been because everything else we had was rich in flavor. Either way, when the bill came it was nice to see how reasonable our total was considering the quality of the food we had just eaten.
Also, be sure to ask about the specials on the wall… they’re only in korean which made it difficult to know what they were offering so we didn’t notice them until we were done. Looking forward to going back…

Came here with a group of girlfriends on Wednesday night. The place was pretty empty, but that translates to better service for us! :)
PARKING: Beware! Their lot is one way, so if you’re traveling west on Olympic, wait for the second driveway! The spots are also pretty narrow ;(
SERVICE: There only seemed to be a max of three people working the relatively small restaurant, but the man in the front was really nice. He smiled when we mentioned Unilocal for our 10% off! :) He was attentive through the meal, and even noticed that we ran out of our potato banchan!
FOOD: I ordered the Dumplings and Rice Noodle. My friends ordered some italian dish, spicy rice cakes, and bi bim bap. The italian dish was a bit on the mild side. Everything else was delicious, and all the plates came with large serving sizes!
I would definitely come back again! The place is super clean too :) On our way out, the owner offered us free croquette coupons for our next visit!

Had the pleasure of dining with some great friends last night and we really enjoyed this mom and pop restaurant. The croquettes were quite tasty and a nice way to start off the meal thanks to the Unilocal check-​in. Everything we ordered off the menu was fresh, plated well, and tasty. As mentioned before, they don’t use MSG, so your taste buds may be a bit thrown off especially if used to flavors from other Korean restaurants.
As many mentioned before, we were quite surprised when we got the bill, this place is REASONABLE! Do check out Persimmon if you’re looking for unique and FRESH casual Korean dining that’s also tasty.
A few things that stink out in my mind:
— All of the bibimbaps mixed really well (we had kimchi bokkumbap, the ojingoh bokkum (squid over rice), bulgogi bbp) … all were very good
— Ddukbokki (spicy rice cake) and goon mandoo (pan fried dumplings) were yum.
— Check out the specials on the wall too.
— Bathroom was really clean, atypical for an unassuming restaurant in a predominately Korean strip mall.
— Park on Olympic to avoid some of the mayhem.

Loved my dinner here. The service was good although not particularly engaging, but that’s to be expected. The food was fresh and delicious. We had the croquettes, which were good, although not as amazing as I assumed they would be due to the rest of the Unilocal posts. However, we also got the Bulgogi Bibimbap and the Pork Cutlet. Both were awesome!
The Bibimbap was fresh and delicious. The vegetables were crisp, fresh and delightfully seasoned, and the meat was good. The hot sauce that came with it really brought the dish together. On the completely opposite spectrum came the cutlet, it was lightly fried with a delicious breading, but the best part was the sweet almond sauce which came on top. The dishes both had delicious side items, including a great miso soup which my boyfriend adored.
All in all, I would skip the croquettes unless you get a coupon for a free one and go straight for the amazing entrees! We are really looking forward to doing that and getting some dessert next time. The bill came out to only 27 dollars for three and my fellow diners were shocked at how cheap it was. The two dishes and the appetizers left us (all healthy eaters) well sated!

Had an impromptu dinner at Persimmon, and it was a delightful treat!!! Searched on Unilocal for a restaurant nearby, saw some good reviews and noticed a check-​in offer for a free croquette.
INTERIOR — ⁵⁄₅
Immaculate, this place couldn’t be any cleaner! From store front to what you can see of the kitchen, this place is spotless. Even their restroom is ridiculously clean!
SERVICE — ⁵⁄₅
Friendly and patient to explain some dishes to us, the non-​speaking Korean folk! We were offered the option of hot water, which was actually tea, and it was perfect for a cold day.
FOOD — Overall — ⁴⁄₅
Spa Salad — ⁴⁄₅ ($ 7)
+ fresh spring mix salad topped with pear, sliced almonds, and a light red wine vinaigrette
+ medium size proportion, not enough to eat as a meal, but large enough to split for two people
+ a bit on the pricey side, but the ingredients were fresh and it made a good appetizer
Croquette — ³⁄₅ ($free.99 w/​check-​in offer)
+ texture of the potato and ingredients inside (meat and veggie) was very fluffy despite the dish being deep fried
+ served with a side of sweetened shredded cabbage (it pairs well together)
+ I added some hot sauce to give it some more flavor
Spicy Rice Cakes — 4.5÷5 ($ 8?)
+ larger than life rice cakes, tofu type thing, and a hard boiled egg in a sweet and pretty spicy sauce
+ you won’t think this dish is hot until you’ve taken a few bites… then the hotness kicks in!
+ I’ve had this dish in Korea and this one is not nearly as spicy. I like the hard boiled egg in this dish because it helped mellow down the spiciness of the dish!
+ this is a good dish to share with 2+ people! It looks small in the photo, but we ended up taking half of it home.
Bulgogi Bibimbap — 4.5÷5 ($ 10)
+ beef (bulgogi), rice, and an assortment of vegetables, seaweed, and served with a side of red pepper paste
+ the dish smells amazing when it’s in front of you! Kind of on the sweet side, so add some of that red pepper paste to make it even more awesome
+ large enough to share!
PARKING 3.5÷5
+ the lot is «one way» traffic and the spaces are pretty tiny. Some people parked right in front of the stores, but it didn’t seem like a designated parking space
+ More parking on the street, but read those signs carefully!

Walked in here thinking that it would be like any other Korean hole in the wall, decent food but not great. Boy was I wrong.
The food here is really, really good. It has a nice, fresh taste to it that is hard to find at Korean places, at least at this price. The banchan (side dishes) here are also delicious.
Will definitely try again.

No MSG! Wow!
I have high blood pressure and I like to eat out a lot. It’s really hard for me to find really good, clean tasting Korean food without worrying if I will have a stroke or not.
My friend who knows my medical history and my love for eating out recommended this place to me. The variety was good, the service was great and the fact that they don’t use any MSG is excellent!

I was impressed with the quality of the food. When you first glance at the menu you think there’s nothing special about the dishes that would set them apart from other Korean restaurants. The menu looks like they took Korean dishes and put it into a streamlined menu format, similar to the one to two page menus you’d see at upscale restaurants. They have many of the mainstream items such as ddukboki, bibimbap and the descriptions don’t seem to be anything special. However, when your food comes out you can clearly tell they are not your run of the mill dishes served at most restaurants in Koreatown. The ingredients are fresh, not oily, and most importantly contain no MSG!
The bulgogi bibimbap ($ 10) comes with a generous assortment of vegetables, bulgogi, rice and dried seaweed served with a side of gochujang (red pepper paste). Side dishes include a soup, a lightly battered and fried croquette (delicious) with small vinegary salad, marinated radishes, marinated daikon,
acorn jelly (seemed homemade), and a moochim. All the ingredients were very fresh as well as fresh tasting. It tastes healthy and clean without sacrificing taste.
I believe the place is owned by a Korean couple who were both there. They were very courteous. The wife took my order and midway through my meal asked me how I liked my food and I was honest, it was really good! I have to say I thought the food was going to be average, even bland because they were claiming healthy, but oh contraire! Whenever I’m craving any Korean favorites (and I’m too lazy to cook at home) I’ll be coming here!

Came back to try their croquette and bulgogi bibimbap. The bibimbap was just ok. Lacked some flavor for me (maybe the beef was too lean or lacked enough sweetness in the marinade, something was missing). The croquette was AWESOME! Soft and mushy on the inside, crispy on the outside. I liked the side of cabbage which has a light, sweet vinegar dressing. I would come back just for these… so gooooood!

Korean food meets the touch of a chef from Le Cordon Bleu.
The food is very CLEAN, well-​prepared, with appropriate portions. I thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of home-​cooked meal (without MSG) with touch of gourmet preparation. At first, I thought the portions were kind of small, considering most Korean food dishes are larger in portion, but it was just right. I especially appreciated how it was family run (husband takes the orders, and the wife is the main chef), and you can see that each dish is prepared as you order — fresh and crisp, just the way I like it! Every dish on the menu was awesome; no complaints with anything at all :) From appetizer to dessert, I’m a fan.
P.S.
BEST. CROQUETTE. EVER!

NO MSG!
TASTY & PRETTY DISHES!
HIGH QUALITY & LOW PRICE! :D
We went to Persimmon («Gahm» in Korean) on Saturday around noon for my birthday lunch. Parking was okay (we found 2, 3 empty spots at the time) but it would have been terrible if we went at any other time; most people were gone for the long weekend, so Ktown in general was pretty empty.
There were 6 people in our party and we ordered 9 – 10 dishes: croquettes (koroke), ddukbokki, mungbean pancake, house salad (x2), spicy squid bibimbab, spicy oak noodle, seafood spaghetti, seaweed riceroll (kimbab), ice cream, & mixed berries.
They were ALL SOOOOOOOO GOOD!!! All of them tasted super fresh, clean, and homemade. We were all really stuffed, but didn’t have that bloated nasty sleepy sluggish feeling (a.k.a. MSG feeling) afterwards.
I HIGHLY recommend the croquettes (not heavily breaded, not greasy, very tasty!!), bibimbab, ddukbokki (if you like super spicy food), seafood spaghetti, and the desserts. Ice cream had this amazing caramel/pecan/honey/I’m-not-sure-what flavor that just made me want to lick the whole bowl. And the mixed berries had some very unique and pleasant flavor as well (reminded me of yummy smelling lotions). House salad also had this very nice dressing; it also comes with grapefruits, yum yum~
We’re definitely going back. And next time we’re gonna try the other half of the menu! :D

Persimmon (Gahm in Korean) just opened 2 weeks ago, and I got to try several things on their menu for lunch!
The restaurant is located next to Gam Ja Tang on the north side of Olympic. The casual café-​style restaurant is clean and simple with nice tables/​chairs and modern plateware.
A group of 6 of us were served w/​excellent customer service and ordered the following:
** Koroke: Korean croquette stuffed with meat, veggies, potato. Super crispy on the outside and tasty on the inside!
** Dumplings (Shrimp & Beef): homemade, these are fried yet not super greasy. I preferred the shrimp!
** Dduk Bbokee (Spicy Rice Cakes): SO SO SO GOOOD. I loooove my ddok bokee. This was very spicy, and the dduk was soft and not super starchy like other places. Highly recommended!
** Kimchi Rice Balls: These were so so. Kind of bland, but a good concept. They should add more flavor!
** Kimchi Fried Rice: Comes with an over-​easy-​egg on top. Very tasty, with lots of beef!
** Kim Bap: This kimbap came with a chunk of beef on the inside (like jang jo-​reem). So tasty! I’ve never had kimbap like this before!
The side dishes are spicy radish, pickled radish with cucumbers, and really yummy salad.
I really enjoyed this unique Korean meal because it is very healthy with fresh ingredients. Most other Korean restaurants DUMP msg on their ish, which leaves you feeling no bueno. Everything on the menu is well priced, too!
I’ll definitely be back!