The Koos have left the building. The family that made hotteok famous in Koreatown by parking a silver Koo’s Grill trailer behind California Market, long ago sold the business. Sure, the new owners continued to park the cart behind California Market, and even made the move to the new, nearby California Market. And they continued to serve sweet, glutinous pancakes called hotteok for a dollar a pop. At last check, the cart was gone entirely. Good thing Angelenos still have Gook Hwa House, a suggestion from Matthew “Mattatouille” Kang. This particular cart resides behind Assi Plaza on Koreatown’s west side and is a fitting substitute.

I enjoyed Gook-Hwa Bbang, cakes with flower-patterned griddle markings and either earthy red bean paste or sweet cream filling.

Ho-Dduk, aka hotteok, are cakier than Koo’s version, filled with molten cinnamon, sugar and a combination of crushed nuts, almonds, peanuts, and sesame seeds.

Gook Hwa House may not match the glory days of Koo’s Grill, but the cart doesn’t have to do that, as the owners have similar but divergent Korean snack interests.