Ozu East Kitchen provides contemporary atmosphere


Nestled on a busy corner in the heart of Atwater Village, the recently opened Ozu East Kitchen takes the place of former restaurant Atwater Village Farm. After several months of remodeling, Ozu opened its doors to the Atwater community in December, boasting a reimagined combination of Japanese and Korean foods with an emphasis on ramen.

Owner and Atwater Village local Paul Yi wants to bring a variety of Asian flavors into his restaurant, and he delivers. Walking into the restaurant, a glossy, minimalistic interior provides a sleek and modern aesthetic to the dining experience. The restaurant offers both table and counter service; upon entering the restaurant, customers are welcomed by friendly cashiers who take their order before receiving a number and finding a seat at one of the few tables inside.

From there, guests are helped by a welcoming staff of waiters and waitresses who check in on them periodically. Yi is the hands-on type, as he makes his rounds, serves dishes and speaks with customers night after night. This shows strong commitment toward making his restaurant a success. The community seems to be on board; the cozy restaurant is packed tight with both locals and out-of-towners.

The upscale design of Ozu East Kitchen’s interior design intelligently pairs with its diverse menu, which offers a select choice of snacks, small plates and bowls, as well as vegan and gluten-free options. The contemporary atmosphere of the restaurant drives each guest’s focus toward the food and table conversation.

The pork roll presents juicy, braised pork shoulder with crunchy pea shoots and jalapeño miso. This eclectic blend of textures — soft and savory, crispy and thick — is all wrapped up in a fluffy, wholesome scallion pancake. The crispy rice cake is a collection of small, spicy rice balls displayed in a bowl with chili vinaigrette, sunny side-up egg and herbs. Yi advises this bowl be mixed together before consuming to get the perfect blend of flavors and consistency in every bite. In terms of main courses, everything in the pork ramen is cooked to perfection. The dish combines tender Kurobuta pork belly, well-done ajitama egg, tangy pickles and piquant and peppery mizuna with noodles in a thin, light broth.

The only unfavorable element about this restaurant for students is its location. Atwater Village (near Glendale) can be hard to get to without a car on campus. However, at $5 to $6 for snacks, $8 to $10 for small plates and $10 to $13 for bowls, this restaurant is well worth a try.