It’s long been thought that Culver City Korean barbecue option Hanjip was devising plans to expand from their more easterly location to a second address somewhere in Downtown, likely in the Historic Core. Now all at once those premonitions are proving true, as paperwork is up at 716 S. Spring Street, between 7th and 8th.
If the address seems to tickle something deep in the back of your memory, recall that for a long time the soaring stone space (ionic columns and all) was slated to become a New American restaurant called Spring & Ivy, under the guidance of co-owner Tom Sopit. Instead the place remained quietly papered over for years, until falling into the hands of Stephane Bombet and his restaurant group a while back.
Construction is well underway inside, though there’s no timetable for officially opening. Given the sort of build-out that the Culver City original received, it’s best to expect that the place could take a while, though an opening sometime this summer is entirely possible.
Once it arrives, chef/co-owner Chris Oh’s brand of higher-end Korean barbecue could help to seriously sway the Downtown masses. Add on the restaurant’s staggeringly affordable set lunch deals, and you've got a recipe for success. Expect Hanjip to open later this year.
Hanjip
716 S. Spring St.
Los Angeles, CA