Located in the heart of Westwood Village, Gushi is a korean barbecue restaurant that satisfies the hunger of many UCLA students and locals alike. Gushi is not only a resturant, serving takeout that travels extremely well and should be the go to for fast food in the Westwood area instead of the extremely popular In-N-Out, which is located right next door.
Among their various plates, the Chicken Teriyaki Plate is worth mentioning. It came with tender, marinated chicken served atop steaming white rice and came with a side of kimchi, a small salad and a small drink for 12 dollars. The Kalbi bowl, which is made up of Korean Barbecue ribs, was exceptionally good, however, the texture of the ribs was a little dry for my liking. While these were the first meals I had from Gushi’s menu, they were definitely not the last meals.
When dining at the restaurant, there is only outside seating covered by a roof. In this patio-like area, four to six tables are arranged with metal chairs, which doesn’t necessarily have a classy look. There is also the issue of the lack of ventilation and insulation. L.A.’s cold temperatures around this time of year makes the wait for hot food is almost agonizing, but all is made better when a bag full of delicious–smelling food is ready to be taken home and eaten. Gushi is a fairly small restaurant, and during when I have gone there, there has always been seating available, despite the small amount of tables.
While Gushi’s food tastes great anywhere, their takeout service is perfect and convenient for people who like to eat at home. After traveling home from winter break for a multitude of hours, my family and I didn’t even stop to drop our luggage off before heading to Gushi to pick up a late night snack. Among a variety of different combinations in the resturant’s plates and bowls, Gushi likes to keep its main components the same, and almost every meal on the menu will consist of either chicken or beef with some rice. The beef and chicken are prepared so when paired with teriyaki sauce, they are full of flavor. On the menu, which can be accessed online via Gushi’s website, there are many different types of noodles, most of which come with a complimentary drink. I would recommend the Japchae, which are glass noodles mixed in with steamed vegetables. The Japchae is light and filling, and when paired with another item from the menu, can sometimes be enough for two. This goes to show that Gushi’s portions are very big, and at a low price, too! The noodles are marked fairly, as is everything else on the menu, which ranges from nine to 18 dollars, not including side orders, which range from two to seven dollars.
While the food speaks for itself, the service is moderately good, and when I get my food, it’s hot. Not only is the food prepared fast, as any dignified fast food restaurant can say, but every employee has a smile on their faces, regardless of the hour. Gushi is a restaurant that can be relied on, with its heavenly comfort food and superb service.
