Top Korean
Woo Lae Oak re-imagines a hearty cuisine with elegance and inventiveness
By Richard Foss
“What could you learn about Korean food from a restaurant in Beverly Hills?” asked a friend when I told her I was going to Woo Lae Oak on La Cienega. She was sure it would be an upscale, modernized experience, unlike the funky K-Town places she likes.
She was right and wrong at the same time. What I learned from two meals here was that Korean food can successfully be upscaled and modernized. It is more difficult than you might expect – I’ve been to some places that made the attempt and turned out food that was dull instead of subtle. The balance is much better here, the vigor of traditional flavors imparted to well-considered fusion dishes, with enough authenticity that purists can find items to keep them happy.
One of these traditional items is Pa Jun ($14), the scallion and seafood pancake that is a popular starter or light meal all over Korea. This is one of my favorite dishes when done right, the exterior crisp, interior soft and packed with minced seafood and peppers. The pepper level here is muted, but it works – the focus is on the texture and balance of onion and seafood, accented with dollops of a very good sesame and spice sauce.
Modern ideas are well represented by “Ke Sal Mari” – crab and leek sautéed and wrapped in spinach crepes ($14). There is no traditional dish remotely like this, but the flavors are Korean and the idea is wonderful. The portion is small but worth the price – it starts a meal with a real wow moment. On one visit we also had sesame steak tartare over Asian pear with quail egg ($16), an astonishingly good combination of fruity, tart, and rich flavors. When we returned we tried “Jap Chae” ($13), a noodle and vegetable dish that was the only item that struck us as ordinary. It wasn’t bad, but our other starters had raised our expectations.
We continued with main courses of barbecued short ribs ($28) and black cod in garlic soy sauce ($28). The short ribs are the most popular item in Korean cuisine, a crowd-pleaser that nobody in their right mind would change. They’re sensible here; the meat is uncommonly high quality, but other than that it’s the Kal Bi we know and love. It was tasty, but I wouldn’t order it again here, precisely because I can get it elsewhere. Other meats, such as ostrich, lamb, and swordfish, will be on the menu next time. On the other hand, I’d happily order the codfish again. The perfectly-done fish was glazed with a thick, sweet-spicy soy sauce and served on a bed of pickled daikon, and was delicious. This is Korean cooking at a Beverly Hills level, presentation and preparation in top form.
Our meal continued with the banchan, the array of small dishes that accompanies any Korean meal. The old favorites like kimchi, musky burdock root, and candied dried octopus were there, as was one innovation: Tempura shrimp. These were oddly out of place; though nicely done, they just didn’t fit in with the rest of the meal. I was much happier with the “Forbidden Rice,” a nutty, black rice cooked with dates, peas, and beans. The sticky, purple rice has a popcorn-like scent by itself, and cooked with the other ingredients is a mild but very interesting side dish.
On each visit we finished with a dessert – the first time with a confection of shaved ice topped with Asian fruits, sweet beans, and coconut ice cream ($9). It was beautiful and enough for at least two people, the flavors more tropical than I expected, but very refreshing. It was topped, though, by the dessert on our second visit – banana-soju sabayon over berries. The rich and fragrant egg-cream mix over ripe strawberries and blueberries was stunning, a dessert worthy of a fine French restaurant rather than a cuisine with no tradition of finishing a meal with sweets.
Woo Lae Oak of Beverly Hills is across the street from Fogo de Chão, the restaurant that upscaled a refined version of Brazilian barbecue. It is appropriate company, as both establishments offer re-imagined versions of hearty cuisine in elegant surroundings. São Paulo and Seoul both have their own version of Beverly Hills, and this is a good approximation of how they dine very well.
Woo Lae Oak, 170 N. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills. Open daily for lunch & dinner, valet parking, full bar. Vegetarian-friendly, wheelchair access good; (310) 652-4187.
Published: 02/27/2008
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