Upon entering Simbal, diners immediately know they’ve walked into something special. Located in a hidden enclave of an otherwise saturated and bustling plaza in Little Tokyo, the restaurant is the ...

This week, Jonathan Gold searches out Simbal, Shawn Pham's "Vietnamese izakaya, a small-plates restaurant focused on eccentric cocktails, high-acid wines and craft ales," that's hidden away in ...

Name of restaurant: Simbal, which opened in early June. This is Vietnamese cooking crossed with modern small plates cuisine. Which means lots of dishes with lots of flavors, from a banh mi salad ...

This week Besha Rodell gives her take on Simbal, chef and owner Shawn Pham's "modern American fine dining meets casual Asian street food" concept tucked away in a hidden corner of Little Tokyo ...

Local and national news, NPR, things to do, food recommendations and guides to Los Angeles, Orange County and the Inland Empire ...

This week our favorite Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer Jonathan Gold makes his way to Simbal, a Vietnamese izakaya discreetly tucked along the San Pedro Street side of the Little Tokyo Mall in ...

The Trials of Opening, and Closing, a DTLA Restaurant Shawn Pham’s Little Tokyo Spot Simbal Earned Raves. In His Own Words, He Describes Why It Failed After Just Two Years ...

4 . Roasted Chicken with Aji Sauce at Pollo a la Brasa “Every country in the world has a version of chicken in this style. Peru’s might be my favorite.” 5 . Tom Yum with Rice Noodles at Pa ...

In 2015, Shawn Pham and his family took out a lease on a 3,200-square-foot space and invested over $1 million to open a restaurant in Little Tokyo. Simbal served a Southeast Asian-inspired menu to ...