"For most people headed to Koreatown, the plan will likely involve Korean BBQ. However, William and Terri Choi had a vastly different concept in mind when creating HanGawi. Since they’re both vegetarians, they wanted to open a Korean restaurant that highlighted the environmentally friendly, delicious, and healthy ways people could enjoy vegetables. When you walk in, you’re asked to remove your shoes, there’s calming meditative music playing in the background, waiters are dressed in traditional Korean threads, and there are recessed tables that are low to the ground with room for your legs to stretch. I can’t stop thinking about their crispy mushrooms. Eating this dish, made up of sweet-and-sour-sauce combined with the texture of the shiitakes (both crispy and tender) is like downing a whole bag of chips - once you start, you can’t stop." - esther cho, with warm welcome