The all-day concept brings a self-serve ramen bar, Korean-inflected coffee drinks and a curated retail shop to the neighborhood
Highland Park’s Korean food scene keeps getting better and better.
Steps from her modern Korean pub Yi Cha, chef Debbie Lee opens Mokja today. The market-café, built in partnership with Be Bright Coffee’s Frank and Michelle La, offers the casual atmosphere of a Korean corner store.
Credit: Stan Lee
The name loosely translates to “let’s eat,” and the space answers with a café, retail shop, coffee bar and grab-and-go counter, all under one roof. Diners can build their own bowl at a self-serve ramen bar or choose from a rotating menu of Korean-American mashup dishes. The “Seoulful Snackies” include a braised oxtail hand pie, a Korean Cobb salad with gochu shredded chicken and crispy pork belly and a mayak egg sando on milk bread.
Credit: Stan Lee
Pastry chef Dara Yu handles dessert, featuring a yuja cha ice box pie, while the to-go case holds daily kimchi, banchan and KBBQ ssam plates.
The coffee menu marks new territory for Frank, the 2024 U.S. Barista Champion, who’s spent 16 years in the industry but never built a program around his own Korean heritage until now. The result is a creative lineup of lattes, Americanos and teas alongside signatures, like a Sweet Corn Latte made with condensed milk purée and a Misugaru Latte finished with mixed-grain cold foam.
Scroll to continue reading
Credit: Stan Lee
Architect Kahi Lee, who also designed Yi Cha, gave the 1,400-square-foot space exposed brick and dark wood — veering away from the light, minimalist aesthetic common to newer specialty cafés. The room seats 12 at tables, with additional seating at a standing bar.
Credit: Stan Lee
Mokja intends to function as more than a café, exemplified by its retail offerings. Shelving curated by Michelle carries cookbooks, Korean pantry goods, house-made tote bags and branded hats, as well as products from AAPI-owned brands including Seoul Sausage, Rooted Fare, Woon Kitchen and Valerie Confections.
The space also plans to host pop-ups, cooking demos and K-beauty classes throughout the year, with a second location already in the works at Orange County’s OC Vibe.
Mokja is located at 5715 N. Figueroa St. in Highland Park, daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.