Paulina Wartman
Staff Writer
Flying Rice, a new authentic Asian restaurant in La Verne, opened its doors late January, serving Korean fare to the La Verne community.
Owner and head chef of Flying Rice, Jae Hur, previously worked in a kitchen in Hollywood cooking American cuisine for eight years.
Hur was inspired to create something more personal and closer to his heart – to open his own restaurant here with an original menu of authentic tastes of Korea.
“I hope people like the unique flavors and that everything is made fresh daily,” Hur said.
At my recent lunch there, Hur came out of the kitchen to check on the guests to see if they liked the food and offer them Korean soda at no charge.
I ordered the spicy noodles and had one of Hur’s rice sodas.
I was pleasantly surprised by the freshness and quality of the food. It was delicious and reasonably priced.
The small restaurant has a calm atmosphere, with only a few tables and a friendly staff.
The restaurant’s brick walls, mirror decor and twinkly lights make it a cozy dining spot.
The menu features noodles, bowls and lunch boxes and includes vegan and vegetarian options.
The bowls are artistically presented, with colorful vegetables and often a cracked egg.
Prices range from $5 to $15 per meal, and students with a school ID get a 10 percent discount.
Government and Yelp discounts are also offered.
“I had never had Korean food before I worked here and now I love it,” said waitress Amearah Belmont.
“I usually get the cheesy kimchi bulgogi fries (or) the pan fried egg noodles, which is a spicy beef and noodle soup that always warms me up on cold days.”
Online reviewers of the new restaurant rave about the pork belly.
This dish is served with Chinese broccoli, radish and pickled radish, fresh jalapeño slices and egg over a bed of fresh white or fried rice.
“My favorite thing to order is the pork belly,” said head manager Ariana Belmontez. “I think the restaurant is romantic and offers something different to people wanting to try new flavors. There’s nothing else like it in La Verne.”
Students find the discounts and good quality food to be a good pair.
“As a student, it’s nice to be able to get a solid portion of food for a good price,” junior speech communication major Sarah Osuna said.
“I’ll definitely come back to Flying Rice,” Osuna said.
Flying Rice, located at 1452 Foothill Blvd. in La Verne, is open between 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Paulina Wartman can be reached at paulina.wartman@laverne.edu.
Paulina Wartman
