"Modern Korean food is having another moment in Los Angeles, with the early waves of Kogi, Pot, and Baroo giving way to Hojokban, Yi Cha, and the Mulberry. The latter Sawtelle Japantown restaurant, founded by first-time owners Jennifer Chon and David Lee with Benu alum Curtis Park helming the kitchen, offers an attractive nostalgic tavern-style interior by Matt Winter and smart cocktails that use Korean ingredients."
"Chon, Lee, and Park wanted to make a neighborhood restaurant that reflects their collective Korean American identities, a 'conversation starter,' Chon told Eater in November. What they've introduced successfully provides entry-level flavors in modern presentations to appeal to a wide audience."
"Korean aguachile ($16) has a fine dining touch: tender, bouncy slices of Santa Barbara tilefish get plated with cucumber, radish, and chile strands swimming in a dongchimi-like spicy kimchi broth. Topped with edible flowers, this rebranded mulhoe (pronounced mool-hway) gives a beautiful presentation but I found myself searching for one extra layer of fermented funk from the broth that would have taken it to another level."
The Mulberry represents the latest wave of modern Korean dining in Los Angeles, following earlier establishments like Kogi and Baroo. Founded by first-time owners Jennifer Chon and David Lee with chef Curtis Park from Benu, the restaurant combines a nostalgic tavern-style interior designed by Matt Winter with an ambitious Korean menu and sophisticated cocktails featuring Korean ingredients. The restaurant successfully provides accessible, modern presentations of Korean flavors appealing to a broad audience while reflecting the owners' Korean American identities. Dishes like Korean aguachile showcase fine dining techniques, though some offerings leave room for deeper fermented complexity.
#modern-korean-cuisine #los-angeles-restaurants #korean-american-identity #fine-dining #korean-cocktails
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