Hwa Shin Kim and her family opened the first Hamjipark in 1993 on a grungy stretch of Pico that can only loosely be described as Koreatown. She prepared a number of specialties, but her customers anointed barbecued pork spare ribs as the must-order dish. A decade later, Hwa Shin opened a modernized branch in the heart of K-town with daughter Eunji. Since the food is equally delicious and the stylish confines are infinitely more inviting, I see no reason to return to the Pico flagship.

Two dining rooms are divided by glass walls stenciled with what may or may not be hamjiparks, which Eunji told me is a traditional carved wooden vessel used to hold food. To celebrate her porcine-fueled success, Hwa Shin has peppered her restaurant with pig figurines. Strangely, the oinker with angel wings in the yellow coat and top hat disappeared since my previous visit. I suspect pig-napping. Where’s Anthony LaPaglia when you need him?

Every meal at a Korean restaurant includes an array of complimentary dishes known as panchan. Hamjipark is no exception, offering six per day, with minimal variation in three recent visits. We received turnip strands bathed in chile sauce, pungent radish chunks, bean sprouts tossed with chilies, crunchy little cucumbers seasoned with raw garlic, pickled broccoli with shaved carrots and daikon, and of course kimchi, the spicy fermented cabbage that is a Korean staple.

Pork spare ribs ($16.99) were served on a sizzling platter, sprinkled with sesame seeds and chopped scallions. We received scissors to trim the jutting hog meat. The sticky, chile-brushed ribs were sensational, with flavor that built in intensity with every bite. After dispensing with the ribs, we were treated to caramelized onions that were infused with a pool of sauce and pig fat.

Marinated sirloin beef ($21.99) was just as satisfying. Our plate of raw beef medallions had been marinated in a dizzying blend of oyster sauce, sesame oil and garlic. We seared the meat on our hubcap-shaped tabletop grill. Not that the succulent meat could be improved upon, but we had the option to dip the meat in a dish of sesame oil, salt and pepper. Our waiter also brought a three-compartment dish of fermented bean paste, sliced jalapeños and sliced garlic cloves, which went untouched. We also cooked marinated onions and scallions, which caramelized on the grill, to good effect.

We also ordered pan-broiled squid with noodle ($17.99). The massive bowl featured a chile-soaked stir-fry of supple tentacles abdomen and tail meat, along with sweet onions, sliced mushrooms, zucchini and red pepper strips. The dish was topped with four piles of springy vermicelli. Tossed together, it made for a top-flight noodle dish with both spice and flavor.

To drink, every table receives a pitcher of iced barley tea, which helped to extinguish the food’s chile heat.

Hamjipark is dessert free, but if you like shaved ice topped with green tea ice cream, fresh fruit and Fruity Pebbles, Ice Kiss is located next door.

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This entry is filed under California, Eastside, Korean, Los Angeles, Southern California.