Local Counsel with Jaion Chung

Best place to take a client
Most Korean karaoke lounges in Koreatown. It’s a different experience than the typical nice dinner or sports game. Private room + plethora of American songs + food/alcohol = great time for all.

Best restaurant
My new favorite is Nightshade in the Arts District—the dishes are not only creative but so good.

Favorite city event
I always look forward to dineL.A., which takes place every January and July for two weeks. A number of restaurants within LA County offer prix-fixe menus at different price tiers. It’s a great way to try some new places without breaking the bank.    

Favorite courthouse perk
A dedicated line for attorneys.

Favorite thing about your office besides the people
Being centrally located in downtown Los Angeles. Within 10 minutes, I can easily go to great museums, watch NBA/NHL games and concerts at Staples Center, and eat great food at a number of restaurants—ranging from Mexican street tacos to omakase sushi dinner.

Best view
Tied between Griffith Observatory or looking out at the Pacific Ocean while hiking Temescal Canyon Loop in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Go-to sports venue
Staples Center for now, but SoFi Stadium once it opens. Go Rams!

Go-to arts venue
Getty Center. A pain to get to but worth it.

Ethnic food of choice
The Korean food available in Los Angeles rivals the food available in Korea. It may be better given our wider accessibility to ingredients and influences from other cultures.

Favorite city sports moment
Anytime an LA-based team wins a championship. 

Most heartbreaking city sports moment
Losing back-to-back to Boston teams in the 2018 World Series and Super Bowl LIII.

Place to take out-of-town guests
Santa Monica Pier. It’s a major tourist attraction for a reason.

Best late-night eats
Louders in Koreatown. My favorite dish is the booldak, a sort of riff on fondue that comes in a lit, heavy skillet containing a pile of shredded cheese in one half, and, in the other, pieces of chicken stir-fried in a spicy sauce sitting atop hash browns. As the skillet heats up, the shredded cheese melts into gooey deliciousness and the melting fat slowly trickles onto the hash brown side and makes it crispy. Wash it down with some soju with a squeeze of lemon. 

What’s great about the LA food scene? 
The diversity. It not only allows you to get specific, regional-based dishes, but it allows for a melding of cultures to create new dishes. I love the fact that I can eat anything from Nashville-style hot chicken, pancit or Baja-style tacos within blocks of each other.