[dropcap size=big]T[/dropcap]hey say boredom breeds creativity and in this case, the quarantine may have birthed the best and most satisfying Korean lunches that Los Angeles has ever seen.
While rustic sourdough and other every single variation of banana bread may have hogged the spotlight as the official foodstuff of the pandemic, I’ll remember as the spring of dosirak, the Korean equivalent of a bento box.
Specifically, the most thoughtful and ornate dosirak prepared by Susan Yoon, the Chef de Cuisine at Michelin-starred Orsa & Winston in Downtown L.A.Yoon was orchestrating the kitchen’s six-course tasting menu alongside a casual a la carte concept during lunch service before quarantine measures went into effect. Since being furloughed, she began making limited quantities of lunchboxes available to friends on a first-come, first-serve basis. It was an informal order-and-take out situation via Instagram. On good days, up to 18 lucky individuals had the pleasure of picking up and feasting on dosirak from her modest hillside home in Mount Washington. Yoon is yet another skilled chef who has created a side hustle for herself in the age of COVID-19 to stay afloat.
“Except for trips out for groceries, I’ve been staying at home,” says Yoon, “But I was so used to working and cooking all day, I began refocusing my energy to make foods I liked, using the kitchen as a form of escapism.”