Escala K-town
Colombian restaurant · Koreatown ·
Latin Korean fusion with craft beers and lively vibes
Latin Korean fusion with craft beers and lively vibes
"A funky Ktown gastropub that's a blend of culinary influences and hip hop jams, killin' it at the Latin Korean Fusion game. The pork belly arepas are out of this world, as well as the traditional..., in fact there's nothing on the menu that isn't delish. An array of colorful lighting, a fountain, and funky art class up the joint. Great for a first date or watching the game or, really, anytime." - The HR Dept
"The Korean and Colombian flags, as well as various T shirts, hang from a wire across the ceiling. There's weathered wooden furniture, a DJ booth, graffitied walls, a disco ball, a garden fountain and various music posters hanging from the walls. The place is loud and fun, and you get the feeling everyone is having a good time as soon as you walk in. You don't go to Escala for fancy food plated in a delicate manner. You go here because you're hankering for good food—the kind your abuelita might make—full of flavors and almost falling out of the plates. You wouldn't necessarily think Korean and Colombian flavors could work well together, but somehow they do. Case in point, the K-Town Rice con Pollo, which features kimchi and coconut fried rice with peas, shredded chicken, a spicy tomato sauce and topped with a friend egg; the perfect hangover cure." - Celeste Moure
"Located in Kowtn’s historic Chapman Plaza, Escala serves a mix of Colombian-Korean fusion dishes, along with one very fun weekend brunch (live DJ set included). It’s also a great spot for a casual weeknight dinner with friends where you can drink some solid cocktails and gather around a table-length picada platter with Colombian chorizo, crispy chicharron, and Korean short ribs. We usually save some room for their loaded arepas as well, which are some of the busiest (but tastiest) corn cakes on this guide. In fact, we view these arepas as vehicles for whatever sits on top, creating a chewy base that realistically calls for a knife and fork. Give the pork version a try - it comes with slabs of braised pork belly and an onion and bell pepper salad that’s tossed in a creamy saffron aioli. The chicken arepa is also delicious and comes topped with tender shredded chicken, red onion and cabbage slaw, and a sweet but smokey red tomato mayo that ties the whole thing together." - sylvio martins
"After two weeks of back-and-forth on Tinder, that guy you pass every day outside TroGo finally grew a pair and said yes to a date. Everybody does the downtown date thing, so you’ve got other plans - Ktown. LA’s coolest neighborhood has more great restaurants than it knows what to do with, but your move here is to the old standby Escala. The bright Colombian-inspired restaurant has a fun, kitschy interior, good food (frito mac and cheese is a must), and very affordable prices." - brant cox
"As Ktown continues its evolution into the best eating and drinking neighborhood in the city, Escala quietly keeps chugging along. The longtime staple has a solid Colombian-Korean menu and a cool, relaxed atmosphere. Deal: $26 mango chili and passionfruit mimosas with purchase of entrée. Weekends 11:30am-4:30pm." - brant cox, nikko duren
