I used to sniff at the Spring Rolls next door. Who would ever want Pan-Asian Fusion Food when they could get the real deal, for less, dirty tables included?

And I’ve brought many a hungry ex-expat there to dine for $6, I tell you that.

And as I’ve mentioned before, the jja jjang myun is some of the best in the city.
But after Sunday, no more. No more ever again.

I don’t know what they are thinking, but they’ve changed their recipe to an inedible mess. I nearly had tears in my eyes, it was so bloody awful. Don’t they have any Koreans back there in the kitchen? I’ve never had jja jjang myun screwed up so badly.

And I will never again.

Farewell, Oja. You will be missed.

I stopped in last night, but the place was too packed and there were no tables available. I’ll investigate further and report back what I find, perhaps as part of a larger exposé on the burgeoning mini-Koreatown growing at Yonge and Isabella.

2 weeks ago I stopped by again and it was open. Gone are the shitty low-rent Asian tables and chairs. Gone are the friendly but brisk waitstaff. Gone is the Asian un-décor. As the new waiter put it: “It was all a bit ghetto.”

It’s black and stone and teak and ultra-stylish. I couldn’t believe I was still in Chinatown. The wait staff are all young and good-looking and speak english very well. They’re still pretty fast. It’s still full of Vietnamese, and now a lot more “foreigners.” Apparently the ownership changed, and my guess is that the crackdown on the Dragon City food court and it’s health problems prompted them to redo the place and step up their game.

It no longer has that authentic roadside low-rent Vietnamese feel to it any more, but the food is still great, it’s still dirt cheap, and it has an authentic downtown L.A. Asian chic feel to it now.

Take your friends, they’ll think you’re cool.

I’m happy to report that the Reign of Terror has ended with the opening of Corean Chilli in Koreatown (Google Map). I happened to stumble upon it yesterday afternoon, just barely open with workmen still finishing the storefront, and it was well packed with Korean students and hipsters stuffing their faces. Always a good sign.

The noodles are great. Someone took their time on these. The sauce is very good. Easily the best in the city. The price is right. $6.50 with a 2-for-1 deal going until the end of the month.

Sorry, no pictures, but I’m definitely going down again, so see you there.

And I wasn’t the only one to notice that attendance seemed to be down this year.

But I loved it, and will definitely go back next year.

See you then!

This Saturday is the annual Dano Festival in Toronto’s Koreatown. Held in Christie Pits Park, this is a great event to go to if you want to relive some Korean moments or want to see what it’s really like to live in Korea.

Unlike other “ethnic” festivals, this one makes almost no attempts to engage the non-Korean participant. There are no English announcers or signs. No one will ever explain to you what is going on. While frustrating for some, this is the essence of the Korean experience. Roll with it and have fun.

Last year attendance plummeted when it was announced that vendors would be abiding by local liquor laws and not selling homemade makkoli, or rice wine. This year they’ve worked out the legalities (maybe. who knows?) and have announced that makkoli will be back on sale in the park.

See you there.