Philly cheesesteaks, wings and fried chicken sandwiches at Whiz in Koreatown

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The Whiz Wit cheesesteak from Whiz. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

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The fried chicken “Sammie” with fried chicken in a tarragon batter, applewood smoked bacon, house Italian mayo and spicy pickled jalapeno and carrot relish. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

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The Philly mega fries with provolone, mozzarella, whiz and bacon. (Jenn Harris / Los Angeles Times)

By Jenn Harris

Feb. 25, 2014 2:28 PM PT

Name of restaurant: Whiz

What dish represents the restaurant, and why? The Whiz Wit Philly cheesesteak. It’s a pure, no-fuss cheesesteak wrapped in a foil paper that’s greasy to the touch. A whole lot of meat, shaved paper-thin, is covered with soft, grilled onions and house-made cheese whiz. The cheese is a pale orange, grainy spread that sticks to one side of the bread. And the soft 9-inch roll is straight out of Philly, supplied by Amoroso’s, a family-run bakery that started in Camden, N.J., in 1904, then moved to Philly in 1914. It’s the perfect vessel for soaking up all that meat juice. You can also order the sandwich “Whiz Without” if you’re not feeling the onions.

Concept: The small space, located just around the corner from craft beer bar Beer Belly, was opened by Beer Belly owner Jimmy Han and executive chef Wes Lieberher. In true Beer Belly fashion, most of the items on the menu aren’t exactly diet friendly. But they’re not supposed to be. This is the place you come to when you want a cheesesteak, with a side of crinkle-cut fries covered in whiz and two types of cheese, and bacon, and a side of Buffalo wings. And because it’s in Koreatown, you can expect a little Asian fusion on the menu, with red curry wings, sweet and spicy basil wings and fries doused in Sriracha.

Who’s at the next table? Young couples in college sweatshirts grabbing takeout and the entire Egg Slut crew.

Appropriate for ... : Philly transplants and karaoke singers looking to soak up all that soju.

Uh-oh ... : Three outside tables make up the seating area, so you may have to take your cheesesteaks to go, or eat them in the car.

Service: Friendly and eager to make recommendations.

What are you drinking? Mexican Coke or Red Bull.

Info: 3901 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, (213) 249-9449, https://www.eatwhiz.com/.

The Scouting Report is a quick look at restaurants worth a visit. Scouts were selected by restaurant critic Jonathan Gold, who may or may not agree with a single word.

Want the scoop on new restaurants? Follow me on Twitter: @Jenn_Harris_

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