LaOn Dining Room

A couple days ago, there was an announcement of an alliance formed by Farid Zadi, David Haskell & Susan Park called FOH/BOH³. Derived from Front of the House and Back of the House acronyms (“to the third power” is of no detail), the name is meant to capture the essence of their partnership – the pursuit of proper, hands-on restaurant training from the ground up.

Pyeon Chae

The trio wasted no time getting down to business as it has just been announced that they will be debuting at Jenee Park’s (also of Park’s BBQ and Don Dae Gam) LaOn (previous review) on Western this weekend. The location of their first project was secured at this newish restaurant just 3 hours after their interview with LA Weekly Squid Ink’s Amy Scattergood was finished. It’s a perfect setting for their launch, as Zadi has worked in Seoul for three years as a chef and managing partner at a restaurant. It also is expressive of David Haskell’s intense passion for Korean food.

Open Flame Abalone

Park and Zadi created a special menu of 8 dishes, dubbed “Lucky Cat”, to complement LaOn’s traditional menu. One thing’s for sure: The menu of this “limited engagement” is not to be underestimated. Nothing on the menu will be watered down, but instead will showcase the fabric of what Korean food is all about. 

“I have a lot of respect for Korean cooking. My mother in law is from Jeon-Ju, the culinary capital of South Korea,” Farid says. “This isn’t fusion or even modern Korean. We’re taking Korean ingredients, flavors and techniques and recontextualizing them while retaining the soul of Korean cuisine: the bold, stick to your guts flavors that make it so satisfying.”

Haskell will be pairing each menu item with a wine or beer, the pairing pours of which will be available for $6 each – or glass pours for $12 each. Expect this pairing experience to evolve your perceptions of and experiences in Korean food, as I can’t recall a single time I’ve had traditional Korean food with proper wine pairing. FOH/BOH³’s “front of the house” team will be on-hand to ensure top-notch service throughout both nights.

Check out the menu below:

LAON MENU (traditional tapas)

• 편채 PYEON CHAE Beef carpaccio with onions,sesame leaf,radish sprout – 10
• 칠절판 SEVEN WRAP Cucumber,carrot,beef,shiitake mushroom,egg with radish wrap – 7
• ì–´ì„  FISH WRAP Steamed fish and assorted vegetables in an egg wrap – 10
• 궁중떡볶이 TEOKBOKKI Rice cake in soy based sauce – 10
• 갈비찜 GALBI JJIM Braised short rib – 15
• 오징어순대 STUFFED SQUID Stuffed with tofu,beef,squid & vegetables – 10
• 전복요리 OPEN FLAME ABALONE Lightly seasoned fresh abalone – MP
• 잡채 JAPCHAE Clear noodle with mixed vegetables – 7

FOH/BOH³: Lucky Cat LaOn

• Spicy chicken kochi/foie gras fat fingerlings/ garlic chips – 12
• Crab and kimchi brik/orange and onion salad – 8
• Thai cobb ssam – 10
• Thai curry bacon, avocado, duck rillettes, quail egg, tomato, fried shallot, lettuce
• Grilled oysters – 3 each
  Dashima, ponzu, serrano mignonette and gochujang vinaigrette
• Uni and scallop chawanmushi – MP
• ½ dozen peel ‘n’ eat grilled prawns/shiso chimichurri – MP
  Laotian curry marinated whole prawns
• Braised beef cheeks/ slow roasted corn cheese/baby carrot/arugula quick-chi – 14
  Riff on braised kalbi

So be sure to secure your table now. This limited engagement will sell out fast! Call 323.798.4648 or email David Haskell at magnumdh@gmail.com. (Also note that reservations go til 1 AM – perfect for you nightowls.) Reservation lines are open now.