mine from 2 weeks ago
folded the extra cheese to support the bun. mustard mayo on each bite was good, too.
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We ate at Cassell’s a couple more times since we were staying upstairs.
Potato salad was weird, like mashed potatoes seasoned with salad dressing, no celery, onion, pickle, or anything else crunchy.
Coleslaw was good, not overly sweet.
Tuna melt was excellent, like the patty melt it needed the mustardy mayo.
Wedge salad was good but served in a bowl which made it hard to eat and hard to distribute the dressing evenly.
Pancakes were fine. Vanilla butter that came with did not melt, weird.
Pumpkin pie, excellent filling, mediocre slightly undercooked crust.
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Mapo Kkak Doo Gee is right across from you
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Is regular burger still solid? I’m craving gourmet burger these days wonder I need to make a return.
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Yes.
P had the Cheese Burger recently which you can spy behind my mess of a Blue Cheese Burger. They cooked it to my perfect medium and the onion rings are still top notch.
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Would have gone there the first night but they were closed so we went to Namsan.
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Cassell’s potato salad in it’s heyday existed because they didn’t serve fries. It’s sharp with horseradish (or should be if made correctly.) Current iteration is pretty close but I remember it being not kid friendly back in the 80s when I was a kid. The “old” location was a few blocks east where Brother’s Freshwich is. Koreatown hadn’t extended that far north (was predominantly still on Olympic between Vermont and Crenshaw.)
I like the taste of history from the old menu.Cassell’s contemporaries are Langers and Canters and the area used to have a Clifton’s like cafeteria.
The old school place before new ownership was blue collar, near a bunch of churches & the synagogue on Wilshire, and the demographics have changed quite a bit. It would have been pretty close to where JGold used to live. Cassell’s was the fancy burger place to go to instead of Tommy’s or Capitol Burger.
No weekend brunch at Le Comptoir?
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Aww bummer.
Smart move to stay in Koreatown, lots of walkable options
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I didn’t notice a hint of horseradish, and I was looking for it since I’d read about that.
I didn’t realize Le Comptoir serves brunch. Can’t find a menu for it on their web site.
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I think he discontinued his brunch, it was only on Saturdays and Sundays. Very casual, If you see a sign outside, then he is serving brunch..
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Brunch hours are on the website.
Chef Gary’s a la carte breakfast service at Le Comptoir is outstanding. This is execution at a high level, though the vibe is super casual. Delicious bread from his 30+yr starter; coffee is meticulously selected and brewed.
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Nice to be reminded of Cassell’s initial iteration. Started eating there in the 1970’s and the potato salad made with horseradish, paired with a cup of their house made lemonade, could create a mini nuclear reaction level heartburn even in our college age stomachs. Burgers were great, and so were the sandwiches, which were really unique: Large slices of bread, but sliced super thin, that made for a particularly good grilled sandwich on the flat top. (I have never had a grilled ham and cheese come close, save for those I’ve tried to duplicate at home.) I like the current version of Cassell’s as well, though it is not the same – I think of the potato salad as more “mustardy” and not so much having a horesradish note, and the sandwiches, while very good (don’t sleep on the tuna melt) are different in form than what they were. Great spot though, and a frequent pre-theatre early dinner choice for us for anything at the Music Center.
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Nice to find someone who remembers!!! I don’t think I ever got to try the sandwiches at Cassell’s although I do remember the lemonade.
I like the current patty melt & fries as well as the onion rings. Overall, it’s a success story on keeping a neighborhood place and adapting to the times. If I remember correctly, the Brown Derby was nearby too.
I almost forgot that the burger joint of my childhood was Jay’s Jayburger. Goldburger I think does an homage to their chili recipe.
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Anyone been to lee ga?
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Olympic Restaurant.
This flew past my radar when I was exploring Koreatown regularly. Cheong guk jang is the speciality here. I didn’t find the smell or taste off putting at all. Much better than the basic doenjiang at KBBQ if we are talking bean pastes. Banchan all top notch. Parking lot available. Which is a plus for Koreatown.
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Better than soban or Jun won?
I would say no, but they offer dishes that Soban and Jun Won don’t. Of the three, I probably prefer Jun Won the most.
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