Grand Central Market has become one of the most exciting places to dine in LA. One of the latest entrants is Shiku, an eatery created by Kwang Uh and Mina Park of Baroo. They feature homestyle Korean comfort food and deliver it as doshirak, a traditional Korean rice box. In Korean “Shiku” means “the people you share food with”.
Shiku is situated on the Broadway side of the Market and receives quite a bit of foot traffic because it is situated between popular Egg Slut and Wexler’s Deli. Curious customers can watch the operation through their tall glass walls. Pictures of their entrees are posted which helps relieve customers that may not be familiar with Korean cuisine.
They felt that Shiku was the perfect name for what they wanted to do, which was to provide great quality Korean food at the most reasonable prices that they could offer. The rice box options feature Korean-style chicken and pork dishes and include three preselected banchan dishes. Vegan customers can select the Korean fried pyogo (a.k.a shiitake) mushroom rice box.
The current rice boxes are LA Galbi, grilled soy-marinated short rib ($15); Temple Tangsu fried pyogo (shiitake) mushrooms ($12); Maekjuk chicken traditional doenjang-marinated chicken thigh ($11); and Kimchi-braised pork belly ($13). In addition, they also have regular and spicy versions of Korean fried chicken ($5).
Banchan side dishes are also available separately. Due to the pandemic, they realize that more people are cooking at home and thought that their banchan could complement their meals. To enhance the experience further, they also sell high-quality Korean pantry items such as their own fermented crab and their gochujang sauces. Their focus was on providing items that aren’t readily available in LA.
Maekjuk Chicken was inspired by one of the oldest Korean recipes, maekjuk, which is originally a pork dish. Chicken thighs are marinated in doenjang fermented soybean paste and grilled. The chicken is moist and has ample flavor from the marinade. The banchan nicely complemented the meat.
Kimchi-Braised Pork Belly, known as Kimchi Jjim in Korea, is another traditional dish. The pork is tender and very lean. With the kimchi sauce, I found it to have a somewhat sweet, salty and spicy taste. The sauce worked well over rice and I also selected the optional fried egg on top. It also includes three preselected banchan.
Spicy Korean Fried Chicken was a huge hit with my wife and daughter. They are nugget size pieces and available in their original flavor or spicy. The chicken’s exterior is crispy and the seasoning is both sweet and spicy. The chicken is såprinkled with sesame seeds and topped with sliced green onions.
Doshirak is the ideal meal for the Market. Because it is in a box format, it is portable and easy to take home. Shiku is open Wed – Sun 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Shiku at the Grand Central Market, 317 S. Broadway, Los Angeles CA 90013; shikulosangeles.com