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You are here: Home / Blog / Ethnic Neighborhoods Food Tour in Los Angeles

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Ethnic Neighborhoods Food Tour in Los Angeles

Today, I am taking you on a tour of some of Los Angeles coolest ethnic neighborhoods!

As many of you know, here in the United States (and in other countries too), the day after Thanksgiving is characterized by shopping frenzies, long store lines, crazy maneuvers in parking lots and, even, overnight camping to get the best deals.  Yes, I am referring to the notorious Black Friday (loved by some and hated by others).

Of course, things are changing.  Nowadays, it is more like an entire week or month filled with Black Friday deals.  Then, you have Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday.

I have to admit I am not a fan of shopping, malls or sales.  Long time ago, I made the decision to use my money in experiential, personal growth, family-oriented and charitable activities.

But, I cannot deny I kept an eye open for discounts related to things I really enjoy.  That is how I ended clicking on an Expedia link that took me to a page of heavily discounted tours in many cities of the world.

And guess what?  I ended up buying two tickets for a tour I was contemplating for a long time.  Guess again.  Can you deduct was the tour was about?  If you have read this blog for some time, well, then, you know I booked a food tour.

A lot of you may be familiar with Intrepid Travel, a small group adventure travel company that offers hundreds of scheduled itineraries around the world. Turns out the company has a division called Urban Adventures which offers off-the-beaten-path, experiential day tours in more than 80 countries and 100 cities.

I joined the Los Angeles’ Ethnic Neighborhoods Food and Culture tour on a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon.  We ended up visiting three neighborhoods in the space of four hours.

Table of Contents

  • Ethnic Neighborhoods: Koreatown
  • Ethnic Neighborhoods: Little Armenia
  • Ethnic Neighborhoods: Thai Town
  • Back to Koreatown
  • Details
    • Related posts:

Ethnic Neighborhoods: Koreatown

The tour meeting point was in front of the Gaylord Apartments in Koreatown.  These apartments are famous due to many reasons: it was built in Italian Renaissance Style, it used to be the highest building in Los Angeles (13 stories), it stands directly in front of the place where Robert Kennedy was assassinated and it has served as the living quarters of many famous people (movie stars, politicians, etc.).

The HMS Bounty Pub, a famous watering hole, is located next to the apartments.

A short walk, peppered with many historical facts, took us to our first sampling stop: Ham Ji Park, a popular eatery known for Korean fare.

BBQ Ribs, Han Ji Park, Koreatown, Los Angeles

We were able to enjoy the BBQ pork ribs, banchan (small dishes) and corn tea (made with boiled roasted corn kernels). Is it proper to say that I licked my fingers several times?  Oh, those ribs were delicious!

Han Ji Park, Koreatown, Los Angeles

We continued our walk around the neighborhood by walking though the Chapman Market, one of the first markets in the Western U.S. designed for automobiles.

California Donuts, Koreatown, Los Angeles

In a matter of minutes, we arrived at Zion Market in City Center.

In there, we were able to try the hodo gwaja walnut cakes. These small cakes (some describe it as a mix of a donut and a pancake) have a walnut shape (obtained by using a cast iron pan) and are filled with different pastes and fresh, roasted almonds.  Our version was filled with red bean paste and a walnut.

Zion Market in City Center, Koreatown, Los Angeles

I do not consider myself a fan of red bean paste but, wow, these are addictive!

In addition, we were able to take a bite of goldfish-shaped sweet buns. Again, the fish shape is obtained using a cast iron mold. The cook places a layer of batter in the mold, followed by the filling and another layer of batter.  He then tosses and turns the molds to obtain an even shape. The little pieces of batter that bleed thru the molds are cut off with scissors once the final product is taken off the heat.

Zion Market in City Center, Koreatown, Los Angeles

We were given time to wander around the store and nibble on some samples.

Zion Market in City Center, Koreatown, Los Angeles

Zion Market in City Center, Koreatown, Los Angeles

Ethnic Neighborhoods: Little Armenia

Well, it was time to spice things up. And, I am not using figurative language in here.

The entire group hopped in a bus and headed to Little Armenia.  After our arrival to the neighborhood, we regrouped to learn more about the history of the different migration waves in the area.

We stopped at Sasoun Bakery to try the cheese borek (dough folded into triangles and stuffed with cheese and spices).

Borek

Sasoun Bakery, Little Armenia, Los Angeles

The ladies who were running the bakery were taking dozens of lahmajune out of the oven.  We couldn’t resist the delicious smell and the scrumptious appearance.  We ended up buying two and ate them at the moment, still warm.

Sasoun Bakery, Little Armenia, Los Angeles

Sasoun Bakery, Little Armenia, Los Angeles

After that, it was time for the best Thai soup I have had in a long time. We were served generous servings of khao soi and Thai iced tea in a small, corner establishment. The khao soi is well known for its hand cut noodles (and they are actually prepared in house here), shallots, lime, chilies, coconut milk and crispy noodles on top.

Spicy BBQ, Little Armenia, Los Angeles

I took a menu to study at home ‘cause I am definitely going back to that place.

Ethnic Neighborhoods: Thai Town

It was time to cross into Thai Town, the only of its kind in the United States. I know this is kind of confusing but our first stop in there was an Armenian restaurant called Carousel (yes, we had Thai food in Little Armenia and Armenian food in Thai Town, after all, this is Los Angeles).

Thai Town, Los Angeles

We were able to enjoy lulu kebab, hummus, mahamara (ground peppers, ground walnuts, olive oils, garlic, pomegranate and spices), pita chips and pickled turnips.

Carousel, Thai Town, Los Angeles

I was blown away by the flavors of the mahamara.

It was time to say goodbye to our tour mattes and lovely guide.  But, before parting ways, we stopped at the Silom Market for some Thai tacos.  They are made with a base of rice flour batter.  Then, coconut flavor meringue and egg yolk (hardened) are added on top

Silom Market, Thai Town, Los Angeles

Silom Market, Thai Town, Los Angeles

Silom Market, Thai Town, Los Angeles

Back to Koreatown

After all that glorious food, we rode back to Koreatown using the Metro.  It was a fun, enriching and delicious experience.  I have not been to any of the places featured in the tour.  I can say I learned a lot about the different neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

This tour is highly recommended for people who want to learn about the “real” Los Angeles.  I couldn’t be happier about the experience.

And, because we are so bad, we stopped by California Donuts once the tour was over.  We ate the donuts the next day. I promise!

California Donuts, Koreatown, Los Angeles

California Donuts, Koreatown, Los Angeles

California Donuts, Koreatown, Los Angeles

Details

  • Learn more about this and other tours here.
  • Clarification:  As stated initially, I was not compensated in any way to participate or write about this tour.
  • Another clarification: the lahmajune were not included in the tour cost.  They were only one dollar per piece.  The donut stop was made on our own.

What do you think about this ethnic neighborhoods tour?

Related posts:

Los Angeles Ultimate Food Festival, Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles Ultimate Food Festival Los Angeles Food Festival Asian Night Market, CaliforniaLos Angeles Food Festival Asian Night Market Tacolandia, Los Angeles, CaliforniaTacolandia: Best Taquerias in Los Angeles Barsha bruschetta with tuna and eggBarsha: North African Flavors in Hermosa Beach


67 Comments

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Comments

  1. Anna says

    December 14, 2015 at 9:39 pm

    WOW! I’m from Los Angeles as well and I’ve never heard of this tour. Everything looks so good! I’ve been to Carousel before. An Armenian guy I was dating took me there, he said it’s very popular with the Armenians in LA. The red bean pancakes look like the ones you’d find in Taiwan!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 4:56 pm

      Yes, Carousel it is very popular with Armenians. It is notorious for being a favorite of the Kardashian clan. Their dad use to take them there to celebrate hos birthday. Even though their dad passed away, they still go every year on his birthday.

      Reply
  2. Lauren Meshkin @BonVoyageLauren says

    December 15, 2015 at 12:07 am

    These pictures are torturous, Ruth! I am so going on this tour. I haven’t been to any of these places before. I’m always wanting to discover new parts of Los Angeles! Thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 4:58 pm

      Lauren, you should go! I imagine how fun it would be to go with a group of friends. The food was delicious and I have plans to return to some of the places we visited.

      Reply
  3. Cathy (MummyTravels) says

    December 15, 2015 at 8:53 am

    I am drooling after reading this. I had totally forgotten about Urban Adventures (although I love Intrepid Travel’s tours) and really should check them out when I travel. Food tours are my new favourite way to explore cities too: you get such a different view, and have huge amounts of lovely food too. I’ve done a food tour of Little Havana in Miami, and of Ljubljana trying some traditional Slovenian dishes, and both were fantastic. Thanks for joining up with #citytripping

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:00 pm

      Cathy, I read your recap about your food tour in Slovenia and it was awesome. I really want to include more food tours on my travels. I adore the wealth of knowledge you acquire.

      Reply
  4. image-in-ing: weekly photo linky says

    December 15, 2015 at 12:26 pm

    I bet the sights, smells, and tastes are amazing!
    Thanks for linking up at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/12/beautiful-saint-maarten.html

    Reply
  5. Marcella @ WhatAWonderfulWorld says

    December 15, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    Ohhh yum! There really is nothing better than travelling through your taste buds, especially getting to taste so many different cuisines in one place, this looks truly amazing!! 😀

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:02 pm

      Marcella, agree with your comment. Living in LA affords you the opportunity to travel the world thru its many ethnic neighborhoods. The variety you find in here is impressive.

      Reply
  6. Freda says

    December 15, 2015 at 2:41 pm

    I now feel famished and bloated all at once! 😉

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:02 pm

      You are so funny! We ended up stuffed (but in a good way).

      Reply
  7. gigieatscelebrities@gmail.com says

    December 15, 2015 at 9:49 pm

    Little Ethiopia is a hidden gem 😉 But I ADORE Koreatown too!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:04 pm

      Gigi, I have written about Little Ethiopia in the blog. Check this post: https://tanamatales.com/los-angeles-ethnic-neighborhoods-little-ethiopia/

      Reply
  8. Brooke says

    December 16, 2015 at 12:48 am

    Wow, the next time I am in the USA for the summer I am going to look into this, how much fun! My daughter and I did a cooking class in Barcelona and Budapest and had such a fun time, it really added a new dimension to our trips. Also, did a taste test walk through the Victualian Markt in Munich, Germany when we first moved there. Great way to discover EU cheeses and German delicacies. Thanks for visiting @outandabout and glad you enjoyed the photos, Plitvice is splendid!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:08 pm

      You know, I have never taken a cooking class in another country. That would be a great experience too. I general, I am looking into trying to discover more about other cultures thru food. It is a fun and delicious way to do it.

      Reply
  9. Indrani says

    December 16, 2015 at 5:26 am

    OMG! A huge party in your post! How do I take all of them in!
    I should do some food our soon!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:09 pm

      Yes, you should do a food tour soon. There is usually a lot of nice people to meet during these.

      Reply
  10. Eileen says

    December 16, 2015 at 6:36 am

    Wow, so many food choices. The Thai tacos look interesting. And the donuts look delicious. Thanks for sharing! Happy Wednesday, enjoy your day!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      Thanks Eileen. When I went to Thailand, those same tacos were everywhere. I wasn’t inclined to try them there. So, I finally tried them during this tour and I liked them. Not sure why I didn’t indulge in Thailand.

      Reply
  11. Wander Mum says

    December 16, 2015 at 12:16 pm

    Wow! Amazing pictures- I can only imagine how fantastic it all must have tasted. I’m very impressed you manage to sample so much, right until the end. A food tour is such a great idea to see more of a city and taste the cuisine! I’ve done cooking courses in Thailand and Italy before (which were fab) but I need to look into one of these tours! Thanks for linking up to #citytripping

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:13 pm

      We managed to eat until the end even though the samples were very generous. I have been to tours were you do not get as many samples (or the samples are very small). The other thing is that we had a late breakfast in order to be hungry for the tour.

      Reply
  12. Stephanie Robinson says

    December 16, 2015 at 1:45 pm

    Wow, what a tour! I’m certain no one will go hungry after reading this post – fab 🙂 #mondayescapes

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      Thanks Stephanie! Hope most of the readers had a full stomach ;0)

      Reply
  13. Al says

    December 16, 2015 at 6:18 pm

    Wow, this makes me hungry. I love all kinds of foods, but Thai and Indian are my favorites. I’m also very familiar with Korean foods as I’m married to one!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:18 pm

      Ohhh! I bet you have tried a lot of good Korean food then. My husband is from El Salvador and I have love the food from his country.

      Reply
  14. Muza-chan says

    December 17, 2015 at 4:51 am

    Delicious…

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:15 pm

      Oh yes! Everything was delicious! Can’t wait to explore mor eof the neighborhoods.

      Reply
  15. Pinay Flying High says

    December 17, 2015 at 6:50 am

    This made me want to jump on a plane now headed to Los Angeles just to take this food tour! Oh yum! I am very curious about Little Armenia, I would say it’s the first time I’ve heard of such. It’s always Chinatown or Thai town but never Armenian. :p

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 20, 2015 at 5:21 pm

      In Los Angeles, we have ethnic neighborhoods that are not necessarily on other big cities. The Little Armenia we visited is one of the areas in the city were Armenians immigrated decades ago. Nowadays, most Armenians live in a city called Glendale. That is where you would find the good food.

      Reply
  16. Trekking with Becky says

    December 17, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    What a fantastic, unique view of LA! I had no idea that there’s a Little Armenia or a Thai Town! Now, I have more things to see when I make it to LA one of these days. 😀

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:34 pm

      Los Angeles is full of surprises. There are so many ethnic areas to check out.

      Reply
  17. Paula McInerney says

    December 18, 2015 at 3:18 am

    I would love to do this, I am a fan of walking food tours because you learn so much…and eat so much

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:36 pm

      Paula, I agree. I want to do more food tours next year.

      Reply
  18. Ruth Daly says

    December 18, 2015 at 10:21 am

    Your photos and descriptions are so good that I always leave hungry when reading one of your food blogs 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:38 pm

      Thanks Ruth. I appreciate your comment. Food has always been one of my passions. It is good to share my food adventures thru the blog.

      Reply
  19. eileen g says

    December 18, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    tours like this are fantastic; i should do them in NYC more. I always wondered about those walnut-shaped cakes; never dawned on me they were walnut (I’m also not keen on red bean paste). i don’ think that panda donut would have stayed in my house over night (lol).

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:41 pm

      Eileen, imagine how full I was after the tour that I did not eat the panda donut that night. I have to get more.

      Reply
  20. Lyndall@SeizeTheDayProject says

    December 19, 2015 at 12:10 pm

    Another wonderful food post Ruth. This food tour looks like lots of fun, and of course, the food looks amazing too 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:42 pm

      Thanks Lyndall! Yes, the your was lots of fun. I hope to do something similar soon.

      Reply
  21. Melodie K says

    December 19, 2015 at 5:37 pm

    Wow, Ruth! Wanted to linger at each stop. That khao soi in Thai Town, especially, was calling to me . . . ! 😉 Thanks for the many photos helping me to experience the tour with you. And proof that food tours not too far from our own neighborhoods can be just as fun and delicious as any offered overseas.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:44 pm

      All the tour attendants were locals. This was a group of people wanting to learn more about their city.

      Reply
  22. Jessica @ Independent Travel Cats says

    December 20, 2015 at 3:33 am

    I think I may have been out of the US for too long as I have never heard of Giving Tuesday, haha. I love food tours, and did not know that Intrepid offered short tours like this, good to know. The L.A. food tour sounds tasty and a nice mix of foods! We’ve done several food tours now in the U.S., Italy, Morocco, etc. – they are almost always great as what is there to not love about trying new foods:)

    Reply
  23. Yasha Langford says

    December 20, 2015 at 4:25 am

    What a wonderful way to learn about any city, and an especially nice thing to do to find out new things about cities that you think you already know.I’m not so much into food tours, but we did take a lovely street art tour in Valparaiso, Chile. It was our 5th visit to the city and we found out so much new stuff.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:45 pm

      There are street art tours in here too. I am eager to do one. There are several areas in the city full of great murals.

      Reply
  24. Anda says

    December 20, 2015 at 11:21 am

    We are so lucky to have such a great diversity of international cuisines in Los Angeles. Until I moved here I had no exposure to all these foods and didn’t realize how much I missed.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:47 pm

      That is maybe the main reason why I love Los Angeles. It is a treasure chest where you never know what you are going to pull out. The city keep surprising me even though I have lived here a long time.

      Reply
  25. Vlad says

    December 21, 2015 at 6:05 am

    Sounds like a fun tour and I bet all the food was delicious! Those panda donuts look so great, I’m going to try to make them as well, haha.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:48 pm

      You may be successful in recreating the donuts. I have made cupcakes in different characters and they are a hit in parties.

      Reply
  26. lacey says

    December 21, 2015 at 6:39 am

    Love this! My boyfriend lives in LA. I will definitely be asking him to take me to these places next time I’m in town.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:54 pm

      That would be a great date idea. Walking around one of these neighborhoods and trying different things. I still do that with my husband.

      Reply
  27. Nancie says

    December 21, 2015 at 3:30 pm

    Hi Ruth! I always love a good food tour. I’m trying to book one right now in Barcelona. The walnut cakes are my favorites (not usually a red bean paste fan, either). Any time that I travel here I buy a bag either at the train station, or at a rest stop when I take the bus. For some reason the ones at the bus rest stop are always better. The fish thingies (sorry, forget the name) are only sold here in the winter time. You’ll usually find stands from November through to the end of March. Not sure why, but not that keen on them. The khao soi looks delicious! Now I am starving, and time to find some breakfast! #TPThursday

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 21, 2015 at 6:58 pm

      Nancie, it is awesome to find out these little goodies are popular in Korea (versus being a thing of Los Angeles). That proves how much you can learn about other cultures in Los Angeles. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

      Reply
  28. Shoba George says

    December 21, 2015 at 6:15 pm

    Good to know there is such a tour around! I’d love to take a food tour in a new town 🙂

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 24, 2015 at 10:41 am

      Thanks Shoba! I know you will enjoy a tour like this. Remember I still want to go out for dinner with your family ;0)

      Reply
  29. Michele {Malaysian Meanders} says

    December 21, 2015 at 9:05 pm

    I think I may have had trouble moving at some point in this tour after eating all that deliciousness. It all looks seriously fantastic. I don’t have much opportunity to eat Armenian food, so that’s what would interest me the most.

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 24, 2015 at 10:33 am

      Yes, I know what you mean. The good thing is that the tastings are spread over a period of four hours. Plus, there is walking involved and time to sit down at restaurants. It doesn’t feel rushed at all and it gives you time to digest.

      Reply
  30. Lauren Bonheim says

    December 22, 2015 at 8:09 am

    What a cool food tour! I feel like this type of tour is perfect for the US, since our cuisine really is influenced from such a mix of cultures! This all looks to die for … (As usual) 😀

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 24, 2015 at 10:35 am

      That is true. Imagine having similar tours in all of the big cities in the US. That would be incredible.

      Reply
  31. XX, Will Travel says

    December 22, 2015 at 8:35 am

    Heading to LA in February. Can’t wait to take this tour!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 24, 2015 at 10:37 am

      Really! That is great! Let me know if you need any sort of help planning.

      Reply
  32. Linda Bibb says

    December 23, 2015 at 9:26 am

    Ohhh…I am such a foodie. Unfortunately it’s hard to find a tour that can accommodate someone with dietary limitations (darn that wheat!) so I’ve not taken any yet. I was inspired to even see a few that would agree with me. Never heard of Thai tacos before but I’m definitely trying those when I come across them in the future.

    You certainly made my mouth water with all those wonderful dishes. I enjoyed just LOOKING at the food, so I don’t doubt you had an even better time sampling everything. #TheWeeklyPostcard

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      December 24, 2015 at 10:40 am

      Linda, I think more and more tour companies are catering to people with dietary limitations. For example, Courtney of Adelante Blog goes on food tours all over Europe. She is able to enjoy a lot of gluten-free treats during her trips.

      Reply
  33. Ting at My Travel Monkey says

    December 30, 2015 at 6:55 am

    I’ve never done a food tour – but I really should. What an interesting way to taste and see in one area. I may have to look for one in London now! The hodo gwaja walnut cakes look delicious. Thanks for linking up with #MondayEscapes and a very happy new year.

    Reply
  34. artmusedog and carol says

    January 6, 2016 at 7:02 am

    Wonderful food photo tour ~ lovely shots! Thanks for coming by ~

    Wishing you a Happy Week ~ ^_^

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      January 11, 2016 at 6:00 pm

      Thanks! Glad to see you liked it!

      Reply
  35. Jennifer Howze says

    February 2, 2016 at 3:13 am

    It’s only in the past few years that I’ve gotten interested in visiting LA. I wasn’t aware of how varied the ethnic food was there. This looks amazing!

    Reply
    • Ruth says

      February 2, 2016 at 6:31 pm

      Los Angeles (and Orange County) is full of ethnic neighborhoods. Only few places in the world can rival us in terms of that.

      Reply

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