Right in the heart of Koreatown, inside the bustling Food Gallery 32, you’ll find Luka’s Joy, a brand-new slider shop with big plans. Food Gallery 32 is a lively Korean food court packed with bubble tea, tteokbokki, Korean fried chicken, barbecue, you name it. It’s a go-to for anyone who loves Korean fast food, and it’s usually pretty crowded.
The company behind Luka’s Joy is Armored Fresh, a Korean company known for dairy free cheese. At Luka’s Joy, all the sliders are made with Armored Fresh dairy free cheese, and before you ask: yes, it actually tastes like real cheese. If I hadn’t known it was dairy-free, I never would have guessed.
I went for the Signature Set with three different sliders: Cheesy, Kimchi, and BBQ. They were all delicious, but the Kimchi slider was my favorite. A little spicy, plenty of kimchi, and melted cheese to tie it all together. It was so good. I also ordered the kimchi fries, and they were another hit. The topping worked really well, and the dairy free kimchi parmesan sprinkled on top was very tasty.
The staff also suggested I try their new Buldak Cheesy Joy slider. It’s seriously spicy, like mouth-on-fire spicy, and to be honest, a bit too spicy for me, but if you can handle the heat, this one is for you.
The sliders are served on soft potato buns with a layer of griddled onions (unless you ask otherwise), and the patties are pressed directly on the griddle for those crispy smash-burger-style edges.
One of the staff members told me the dream is to turn Luka’s Joy into a global chain, a Korean-style McDonald’s built around sliders with a Korean touch and dairy free cheese. Makes sense, especially with so many people being lactose-intolerant. The dairy-free cheese definitely feels like the future. If you’re in Koreatown and craving something quick and tasty, go check out Luka’s Joy inside Food Gallery 32. It’s a fun little spot with great potential. I’m rooting for them.
Fun fact: Luka’s Joy is named after the founder’s son.
