Woo Lae Oak (CLOSED)

At the East Coast branch of a popular L.A. restaurant, the exposed brick seems Soho, but the styling (and the size) is pure West Coast: Gauzy fabrics hang above picture-perfect flower arrangements. While the able chefs turn out a mean plate of sashimi (or, more accurately, sang sun hwe), the fastest movers are the colorful side dishes of spiced, pickled vegetables that begin each meal. The in-table gas grill provides surprisingly romantic date entertainment, and helps retain the communal spirit of a Korean dinner. Whether your meal is traditional (lively, filling bibimbap) or nouveau (flaming giant clam) or somewhere in between (barbecued ostrich), it all goes equally well with soju, the national distilled liquor.