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Helen | Food + Experiences 🍲

@itshelenmelon

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your Ktown girl 🇰🇷
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PINCH ME!! I’m on a Times Square billboard guys! 😭 If you’re in NYC and happen to see it live, please let me know!! I’m so sad I can’t go see it in person!

Billboard is live now thru Dec 21 in Times Square, right by the H&M! by @itshelenmelon

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10 months ago

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a year ago

save & share!🫰🏻what would you add to the list?!

these are my top favorites for where to eat in LA! think sushi, sandwiches, pizza, pasta, matcha, omakase, Korean food and Mediterranean food! im all about video recs and reviews but wanted to do a comprehensive photo guide since my wedding is next weekend and thought this would be helpful for friends flying in :)

#laeats #foodguide #lafoodguide #losangelesfood #thingstodoinla by @itshelenmelon

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2 years ago

turn green cabbage into KIMCHI! this is a Korean recipe EVERYONE can make, even if you don’t have an Asian market near you! while traditional kimchi calls for napa cabbage, it’s not the most accessible ingredient for some people. This version is a quick and easy alternative that still offers the delicious crunch, tang and flavor of kimchi! It’s also beginner friendly and much less daunting as it calls for staple kitchen ingredients :)

STORING TIP: Enjoy immediately (like geotjeori, or fresh kimchi) and eat within 3-4 days. OR let it ferment by leaving in a sealed container at room temperature for 1-2 days before refrigerating.

BRINE TIP: If your head of cabbage is larger, you may need to use more salt. Use your best judgement. When chopping up the cabbage, I discard the very first layer of cabbage, the core, and the very thick parts of the cabbage. Those don’t make it into the bowl! Also, highly recommend giving your cabbage a nice toss half way through the 30 minutes for best results.

Fun fact: green cabbage kimchi is called yangbaechu kimchi, and you’ll actually find it at some Korean-Chinese restaurants as a banchan (side dish)!

INGREDIENTS & MEASUREMENTS:
— 1 green cabbage (~3 lbs)
— 1/4 cup coarse salt + 1 cup water (for brine)
— 4-5 tbsp gochugaru (korean red chili flakes)
— 2 tbsp minced garlic
— 1 tbsp minced ginger
— 2 tbsp fish sauce (OR saewoojeot)
— 1 tbsp sugar (OR plum extract)
— 1 bundle chopped green onions
—OPTIONAL roasted sesame seeds to finish

#kimchi #cabbage #easyrecipes #koreanrecipe #banchan by @itshelenmelon

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2 days ago

explored the lost city of Pompeii in Italy!! The history is FASCINATING and I highly recommend making a day trip (or half day trip) out to see it! It’s a UNESCO world heritage site, and is very close to Naples, Sorrento, etc.

I do think this is one of the times when you SHOULD opt for a guided tour rather than going it alone. I found a tour on Klook that included visiting both Pompeii AND Mt. Vesuvius and it was GREAT!! $130 per person and included all the private transport, tickets, etc. made it super easy for us!

TIP: it gets HOT here so plan to go on a cooler day, if possible!! There’s not a lot of shade 🥵

Some cool fun facts…Pompeii was built 700 years before the Romans! 35% of Pompeii is still covered and buried. And contrary to popular belief, lava actually never reached Pompeii! Last, there was actually a loaf of bread found so perfectly preserved that researchers were able to extract the recipe from it and try it out!

#pompeii #klookpartner #visititaly #italytravel #travelvlog by @itshelenmelon

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4 days ago

new sushi in LA!! Umitosora in DTLA is from the same owners of Sonmari and Temaki Society!! Sonmari is one of my FAVORITE Japanese restaurants in the city so I had to try!

I HIGHLY recommend the Kaisen Don. It’s $65 but made to share and has the most incredible fresh fish with all the hits like uni, scallop, sweet shrimp, ikura, toro, masago and more. You can make little wraps with the seaweed and it’s my top menu rec for Umitsora!

I also loved the $22 miso mushroom cream udon and the $29 anago ippon tendon (tempura rice bowl). It came with SO much eel!! The $32 gold bar is a splurge but decadent, delicious and drool-worthy. I’d get this again as a “treat yourself” item! While the umi roll is great (and their most popular!), it does get a bit heavy and I personally prefer the Kaisen Don.

I reallllly wanted to try their seafood cold soba after hearing great things, but they were out when I went!

PARKING TIP: they have two parking lots where they validate! The first is underground and you enter on N. Broadway. The second is right across the street (same complex). There’s a CVS on the ground floor, so look for that!

#japanesefood #sushi #kaisendon #dtla #losangelesfood by @itshelenmelon

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7 days ago

family-owned Ktown gem deserving of way more hype!! Jook Hyang serves Korean comfort food and the food tastes just like your Korean mom made it, in the best way.

There are so many new trendy spots in Ktown with big viral moments and long lines but Jook Hyang stays quiet, consistent, and incredibly good.

Highly recommend the galbitang, set meal with doenjang jigae and grilled fish, and shrimp and green onion pancake! If you’ve had the raw marinated crab (ganjang gejang) pls lmk how it is because I want to try that next!!

They’re also known for their samgyetang and porridge, both of which are amazing healthy options popular with elders! The chicken porridge and pumpkin porridge are realllly good.

#ktownla #koreatown #losangelesfood #koreanfood #galbitang by @itshelenmelon

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11 days ago

maybe my fave recipe of 2026!! kimchi gochujang udon noodles in 10 minutes! CREAMY AND SPICY AND SOOOO GOOD. It’s an easy one pan recipe that I like to have as a lazy girl dinner. Also if you’ve been to Louders in Ktown LA, this is kinda like a dupe of their kimchi carbonara udon dish - iykyk!!!

INGREDIENTS (for 1 person):
— 1 frozen udon packet
— 2 tsp minced garlic
— 3/4 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
— 1/2 tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
— 1/4 tsp black pepper
— 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
— 1 tsp honey
— 1/3 cup chopped kimchi
— 2 tbsp kimchi juice
— 1/3 cup water
— 6 tbsp heavy cream
— grated parmesan to taste
— chopped green onions to taste

COOKING TIP: do NOT cook on high heat! Medium to medium high is best. Once you assemble everything in the pan, gently combine the ingredients together (except the noodles). And once you get to the final step of adding parmesan, black pepper and green onions, turn to LOW heat.

PROTEIN SUGGESTION: beef or pork would complement this dish well! For instance, bits of pancetta or slices of beef brisket.

#girldinner #easyrecipes #udon #kimchi #pastarecipe by @itshelenmelon

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14 days ago

my ultimate Italy train guide! You’ll need this if you’re traveling between cities like Rome, Florence, Venice and even Sicily!

The Trenitalia trains here can be confusing so I wanted to put together a comprehensive yet concise guide to help tourists like me :)

FYI you can also use the Trenitalia train to get to and from certain European cities, like Paris, so it’s not just for Italy!
 This guide mainly focuses on what you need to know for the high-speed train (Frecce) and the long distance Intercity train. There’s a lot of different ways to get your seats, but I love using Klook for my travels! And don’t miss my final key tips at the end of the video!

#klookpartner #italytravel #traveltips #visititaly #trenitalia by @itshelenmelon

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16 days ago

my perspective on Napoli ❤️ the city is one of the oldest in the world! it’s rich in culture, history, and food and yet so many people questioned why I was even visiting before my Italy trip!!

Here are some Naples-specific tips for other tourists and travelers:

🚊 the fonicular is the most reliable and easiest mode of public transit! They have tap to pay so it’s truly painless! You use this to go up the city, like to Vomero.

🚘 if you’re relying on Ubers, know that it takes longer to get one than in the States! Pick ups near centro historico were fastest for us. we also used private transfers to support locals directly.

🌅 if you want to stay somewhere calmer and nicer, Vomero is beautiful. Highly recommend! There’s also a restaurant there I adore, called Osterio Co Core. And a beautiful cafe/bar with the most impeccable view and GREAT bruschetta, called caffe del chiostro.

🥘 try all the local foods! especially Neapolitan pizza, espresso, Sfogliatella, genovese pasta, vongole pasta, tarallo and frittatina!

#naples #napoli #visititaly #italytravel #travelvlog by @itshelenmelon

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18 days ago

my 5-minute lazy girl green beans!! everyone loves garlicky green beans but I bet you haven’t tried making them like this!

most people stir fry, but when I’m lazy or just want to avoid any hot oil splatters, I blanch to cook and they turn out just as good with half the effort! You can also serve these cold as banchan (side dish).

INGREDIENTS (serves 2-4):
— 300g green beans
— 2 tbsp oyster sauce
— 2 tsp sesame oil
— 2 tsp water
— 2 tsp minced garlic
— 1/2 tsp white vinegar
— 1/4 tsp black pepper

#greenbeans #easyrecipes #healthyrecipes #veggies #garlic by @itshelenmelon

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21 days ago

we got BCD sundubu jjigae at home!! 🗣️ if you love Korean spicy soft tofu stew, you don’t need to wait in line to get it! These extra soft tofu kits are easy to find at Asian groceries (Hmart, Zion, 99 Ranch, California Market, etc.!) and make the cooking sooo easy and ready in less than 10 minutes!

I highly recommend the new DragonFire kit. It’s the spiciest in the House Foods BCD lineup while keeping that iconic BCD flavor. Sooo good and the heat is manageable!

It’s fully customizable, but here’s what I do:

INGREDIENTS:
— @housefoodsamerica BCD soon tofu soup kit DragonFire (TIP: it’s always by the tofu section!)
— one large egg
— chopped green onions
— rice cakes

Other topping suggestions I’ve tried and loved: enoki mushrooms, shrimp and beef brisket.

#housefoods #bcdtofuhouse #hmartfinds #easyrecipes #sundubu by @itshelenmelon

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23 days ago