KOREAN BARBECUE, WITH A HAWAIIAN SIZZLE.Byline: Larry Lipson Restaurant Critic IMPRESSIVELY tasty food in the modern quick-serve manner can now be found at the new Ohana BBQ BBQ barbecue in Studio City. The small, narrow Ohana, in a space previously operated as a Chinese takeout cafe, describes its fare on its paper menu as ``Hawaiian-Korean eats.'' It has an ordering counter, a pickup counter, a little view kitchen and a tiny dining area holding half a dozen bare tables. Obviously it's the food that counts here, not the environment. And what good stuff it is. Basically, Ohana produces a limited number of beef, chicken, pork and tofu tofu Soft, bland, custardlike food product made from soybeans. Believed to date from China's Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220), tofu is today an important source of protein in the cuisines of East and Southeast Asia. plates and bowls, mostly charbroiled or grilled. There are also a couple of katsu-style, deep-fried offerings. Five barbecue items, all under $10, consist of charbroiled chicken, glazed Hawaiian style ($7.25); beef teriyaki ter·i·ya·ki n. A Japanese dish of grilled or broiled slices of marinated meat or shellfish. [Japanese : teri, glaze + yaki, to broil.] Noun 1. , grilled rib eye rib eye n. A cut of meat taken from the outside of the rib. ($7.25); barbecued pork, marinated and charbroiled ($7.25); beef short ribs, Korean-style ($9.50); and pork spareribs spare·ribs pl.n. Pork ribs with most of the meat trimmed off. [Alteration of obsolete ribspare, from Low German ribbesper, pickled pork ribs roasted on a spit , a trifle peppery pep·per·y adj. 1. Of, containing, or resembling pepper; sharp or pungent in flavor. 2. Vigorously sharp-tempered: a peppery sales clerk. 3. ($8.75). A convenient way to try these are in two combination opportunities: one a two-item plate called the Waikiki Special ($12.50), the other a three- item plate called the Haleiwa Special ($14.50), trencherman-large, perfect for sharing. All seven plates include a fair-size portion of rice (white or brown), a small portion of green salad and a choice of bean sprout or macaroni macaroni: see pasta. salads. Korea's fiery kim chee cabbage condiment is also available on request at no extra charge. The positives mount up at Ohana (or at home if you decide on takeout) with food that is hard to fault, especially at these prices. Flavor intensity comes first. Blandness never enters the picture. And texture has meaning here. Barbecued chicken possesses requisite moistness and tenderness. Chef Helen Yoo smartly slices thin both the rib eye steak The rib eye or ribeye, also known as the Scotch fillet (Australia) is a beef steak from the beef rib. When cut into steaks, the ribeye is one of the most popular, juiciest, and expensive steaks on the market. in her beef teriyaki and pork in her barbecued pork to avoid chewiness Chewiness is the gustatory sensation of labored mastication due to sustained, elastic resistance from a foodstuff. Canonically chewy foods include caramel, rare steak, and such eponymously chewy items as chewing gum and Chewy Granola Bars. . And both achieve extra flavor from their marinades. In fact, all of Ohana's beef and pork gets a flavor soaking. This results in tastier and tenderer ribs, both pork and beef. Katsu ($7.25), on the other hand, comes forth with a dry, crisp exterior from its coating of panko bread crumbs. But neither the pork nor the chicken version has avoided marinade. Chef Yoo effectively immerses each piece in a spiced lemon juice mixture before crusting it with the panko. She makes a wonderfully refreshing cold noodle salad ($7.50) that's pretty much a must with any Ohana order. On a bed of fresh greens, she perches a generous portion of thin somen noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. , on top of which she spreads julienned cucumber and barbecued chicken strips. Tossed with her avocado dressing mixed with olive oil and Japanese mustard, this is as delightful a salad dish as you'll find anywhere. Untried are a ramen ra·men n. 1. A Japanese dish of noodles in broth, often garnished with small pieces of meat and vegetables. 2. A thin white noodle served in this dish. noodle soup creation with chicken and egg ($7.50) and her Korean-style renditions of chap chae (stir fry) and bibim bap bowl of veggies Veggies of Nottingham, also known as Veggies Catering Campaign, is a campaigning group based in Nottingham, England, promoting ethicalbum alternatives to mainstream fast food. , glass noodles and meat or tofu over rice ($7.50 each). Ohana also prepares a barbecued chicken sub sandwich ($6.50) and an Asian chicken salad ($7.50). Each of which probably falls into the ``lotsa good stuff'' category, too. Larry Lipson, (818) 713-3668 larry.lipson(at)dailynews.com OHANA BBQ Food: Three stars - Value: Four stars Where: 11269 Ventura Blvd., Studio City. Phone: (818) 508-3192. Meals/hours: Open for lunch, dinner and snacks from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily except Monday. Food type: Hawaiian-Korean barbecue. Cost: Starters from $2.75 to $4.50, main items from $5.25 to $14.50, dessert $2.50 and $3.50. Credit cards: AE, MC, V, Discover. Patio dining: One table outside. Parking/valet: Free self-parking in lot. Full bar: No alcohol. Music/entertainment: No. Takeout/delivery: Yes on both. Minimum of five items per delivery order, within two miles of restaurant and not available between noon and 2 p.m. Reservations: Order at counter. First come, first served. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) When you're at Ohana BBQ, you're with family: Young, left, Grace and Helen Yoo are ready to serve up these Korean-Hawaiian dishes at the Studio City eatery. (2) The cold noodle salad goes well with just about any main dish at Ohana. Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer |
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