Cecelia and I grabbed two seats at the bar at Baroo to celebrate her recent birthday. The East Hollywood gem, respected for its strangeness as much as its deliciousness, was the perfect spot for the occasion. If we can all age as well as Baroo’s expert pickles and kimchi, the world would be a better place for it.
Here at his 19-seat restaurant, Chef Kwang Uh serves a Korean- and Italian-inflected, fermentation-forward menu. Prior to opening Baroo with his business partner and friend Matthew Kim, the chef attended the C.I.A. and spent time in the kitchens of Daniel in New York, Nobu Bahamas, Piazza Duomo in Alba, Quique Dacosta in Spain, and Noma in Copenhagen.
Our court-side seats offered partial views of the kitchen and an unobstructed look at the chef’s impressive cookbook collection, staple pantry items, and freshly made pasta. The dining room felt comfortably lived-in, like a friendly neighborhood incubator for culinary creativity.
