Culinary legend Nancy Silverton's latest venture, Lapaba, has opened in the heart of Koreatown, bringing together husband-and-wife chef team McKenna Lelah and Matthew Kim to create a groundbreaking fusion of Italian regional cooking and Korean flavors.
The jewel box-sized pasta bar at 558 S. Western Avenue represents a full-circle moment for Kim, whose parents immigrated from Korea. The restaurant's name itself is a portmanteau of "la pasta bar"—a nod to Korean linguistic conventions like "somaek" (soju + beer) and "mukbang."
Lelah and Kim met while working at Osteria Mozza under Silverton, later honing their skills at acclaimed restaurants including Alinea's Next in Chicago and the Michelin-starred Dialogue.
"If you went through every dish and you removed all of the Korean ingredients, then they would be more or less Italian dishes," Lelah explained. "They really are regional Italian with Korean influence."
The creative menu includes cacio e pepe tteokbokki made with house-made rice cakes, bucatini with jjajang Amatriciana featuring black bean paste, and corn cheese-inspired agnolotti with thyme and brown butter. Spam suppli pay homage to both Roman street food and Korean-American cooking traditions.
"For him to be able to bring Korean food to LA, which is such an incredibly diverse city, in a way that we hope is respectful to the dishes and respectful to the neighborhood and culture, is huge for us," Lelah said of Kim.
The intimate space, designed by Kosta, features a U-shaped bar and incorporates Korean folk art sourced by local artist Brittany Cyk. The full wine program includes bottles from Italy and Spain, alongside sake, soju, and makgeolli.
Lapaba opened January 28 for limited service, with full operations beginning February 4.