Have Another Glass
KoreAm, Feature, Michelle Woo , Posted: Feb 01, 2009
LOS ANGELES - When it comes to alcohol consumption, KAs aren’t known to be sippers. They pound, they shoot, they chug. In getting a buzz, the how has never been as significant as the how fast?
Photographs by Eric Sueyoshi
Come on, let’s class it up every once in a while. Swish. Taste. Enjoy.
Nestled in Los Angeles’ Koreatown, known for its rowdy noraebangs and nightclubs, is Park on 6th, a sleek café and wine lounge run by Kihong and Kate Park. Through weekly tastings and sommelier-led classes, the husband-wife duo are educating the community on the intricacies of wine drinking, one glass at a time.
“Soju, beer, whiskey — you know how those are going to taste,” says Kihong, 55, sitting in a booth as jazz tunes play. “Every wine tastes different. Every time you drink the same wine, it’s going to taste different.”
Their daughter, So Young Park, founded Park on 6th last year, but now resides in Korea. The modern spot — decked with mirrored wall panels, dark wood fixtures and glass balls hanging from the ceiling — was originally just a café that served sandwiches, salads and such, but ever since it received its liquor license a few months ago, the focus has shifted to wine.
An avid wine collector for the past seven years, Kihong says wine is extremely popular in Korea, but is just starting to attract a Korean American following. “We are leading the way,” he says of the lounge. “We need to teach people about wine, how to pair it with food.” He visits Napa Valley frequently, learning about different wineries and selecting the best wines for their value.
Resting on racks throughout the space are bottles of Riesling, pinot noir, syrah, merlot and Moscato. One of Kihong’s favorite wines? Jordan, a full-bodied cabernet. The most expensive? A red Bordeaux wine called Petrus — it sells for more than $2,000 a bottle. The wine list changes regularly and educated staffers are on hand to assist customers in their selection. Along with wine and other beverages, the café offers a variety of mouth-watering menu options, from grilled vegetable panini and goat cheese spinach salad to hamburger steak and bulgeogi.
Each week, Park on 6th opens its doors for wine tastings. After a day at the office, stylishly dressed men and women mix and mingle as a sommelier stands behind a display table, explaining the selected wines of the evening.
“I like the vibe of this place,” says Sherry Choi, 28, a first-timer at the lounge. “You can relax and have a good conversation with friends.”
Kihong wants the lounge to be an inviting refuge for those tired of the drink-to-get-sloshed K-town scene. “Soju bangs are for heavy drinkers,” he says. “At noraebangs, it’s so loud, you can’t even talk. Here, you can just enjoy your time. You can do this every day.”
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