Chego - Fanciest Peasant Food Around
If you haven't heard about the Kogi Truck, you must not live in Southern California. Roy Choi, the mastermind behind the Kogi Truck has a stationary location in West Los Angeles called Chego! Chego opened its doors almost a year ago, and the crowd has not stopped stampeding in. Ironically, what makes Chego so special is that it is simple food done simply well.
As you arrive in the tiny plaza, you might wonder if you're at the right place. From the outside, this hardly looks like the place where you would find great food. As soon as you walk into Chego, though, you're in a very cozy neighborhood joint. Be prepared to order your food at the counter or get out of the way because there will be others around who know what they want. The line goes pretty quickly, but the real challenge is finding a place to sit.
My friend and I stopped by for dinner and were fortunate enough to spot a couple free stools against a mirrored wall as we waited with anticipation for our food. I ordered the house favorite, chubby pork belly bowl ($8). With one bite, it's easy to understand why this is so popular. The pork belly was so flavorful and had the right amount of straight-from-the-fire charred taste. Buried underneath the massive amount of kurobuta pork belly was a fried egg, some spinach, pickled radishes, and of course, rice. Truthfully, I was pretty full after eating just half the bowl, but I just couldn't stop eating this. I justified this with the logic that I didn't get to have lunch earlier and so I could eat a little more. Next thing I knew, my huge bowl was completely empty, and I felt like a "Chubby parachute_girl."
My friend ordered another winner, Tiny's prime rib rice plate ($9). This is an excellent choice, too. The prime rib was delicious, though a bit difficult to cut through with plastic cutlery, which is what you get at Chego. While more aromatic, this entree isn't quite as flavorful as the chubby pork belly as a whole, but it is a great choice. I would most likely recommend the prime rib rice plate for someone who is less adventurous but still wants to try a taste of Chego.
So for those who are adventurous, check out the sriracha bar ($4), yes, sriracha. Think of this as Krackel and Mr. Goodbar meets sriracha. The sriracha is actually pretty mild. You can barely taste it, and you certainly don't see it. The Chego staff explained to us that it's actually a sriracha ganache. We were a little skeptical about trying this, but the staff assured us they don't put anything on the menu that isn't good. Just for kicks though, we did try adding a little extra sriracha sauce to the candy bar, as the sriracha ganache was a bit too subtle for us. Surprisingly, we liked it. Just don't go overboard with too much of the sriracha sauce.
This self-proclaimed peasant food is a great treat, making you feel like you've splurged without dealing a blow to your wallet. Due to some of the inconveniences, this is not a place for everyone, but most food aficionados will love Chego.
Miscellaneous:
Drinks are on the honor system. You pay for what you order at the counter, and then you go help yourself at the drinks stations/pantry area next to the kitchen. It's actually a very cool space to check out, as you can look right into the kitchen and see how they cook the food. Definitely worth a peek or two.
Special thanks to J. Yeh for taking the photos for me.
Chego!
3300 Overland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Hours: Tue-Sat 5:30PM-11:30PM
As you arrive in the tiny plaza, you might wonder if you're at the right place. From the outside, this hardly looks like the place where you would find great food. As soon as you walk into Chego, though, you're in a very cozy neighborhood joint. Be prepared to order your food at the counter or get out of the way because there will be others around who know what they want. The line goes pretty quickly, but the real challenge is finding a place to sit.
My friend and I stopped by for dinner and were fortunate enough to spot a couple free stools against a mirrored wall as we waited with anticipation for our food. I ordered the house favorite, chubby pork belly bowl ($8). With one bite, it's easy to understand why this is so popular. The pork belly was so flavorful and had the right amount of straight-from-the-fire charred taste. Buried underneath the massive amount of kurobuta pork belly was a fried egg, some spinach, pickled radishes, and of course, rice. Truthfully, I was pretty full after eating just half the bowl, but I just couldn't stop eating this. I justified this with the logic that I didn't get to have lunch earlier and so I could eat a little more. Next thing I knew, my huge bowl was completely empty, and I felt like a "Chubby parachute_girl."
My friend ordered another winner, Tiny's prime rib rice plate ($9). This is an excellent choice, too. The prime rib was delicious, though a bit difficult to cut through with plastic cutlery, which is what you get at Chego. While more aromatic, this entree isn't quite as flavorful as the chubby pork belly as a whole, but it is a great choice. I would most likely recommend the prime rib rice plate for someone who is less adventurous but still wants to try a taste of Chego.
So for those who are adventurous, check out the sriracha bar ($4), yes, sriracha. Think of this as Krackel and Mr. Goodbar meets sriracha. The sriracha is actually pretty mild. You can barely taste it, and you certainly don't see it. The Chego staff explained to us that it's actually a sriracha ganache. We were a little skeptical about trying this, but the staff assured us they don't put anything on the menu that isn't good. Just for kicks though, we did try adding a little extra sriracha sauce to the candy bar, as the sriracha ganache was a bit too subtle for us. Surprisingly, we liked it. Just don't go overboard with too much of the sriracha sauce.
This self-proclaimed peasant food is a great treat, making you feel like you've splurged without dealing a blow to your wallet. Due to some of the inconveniences, this is not a place for everyone, but most food aficionados will love Chego.
Miscellaneous:
Drinks are on the honor system. You pay for what you order at the counter, and then you go help yourself at the drinks stations/pantry area next to the kitchen. It's actually a very cool space to check out, as you can look right into the kitchen and see how they cook the food. Definitely worth a peek or two.
Special thanks to J. Yeh for taking the photos for me.
Chego!
3300 Overland Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90034
Hours: Tue-Sat 5:30PM-11:30PM