Baroo

Baroo on Santa Monica Boulevard in Hollywood is one of the most original and quietly influential restaurants in Los Angeles — a tiny fermentation-focused Korean-Californian kitchen operated by chef Kwang Uh that applies the ancient Korean tradition of fermentation to California's exceptional ingredients with results that have no parallel elsewhere in the city's dining scene. Kwang Uh, who trained in both Korean culinary tradition and modern California restaurant kitchens, built Baroo around the premise that fermentation — lacto-pickling, koji cultivation, slow-fermented grain preparation, and hand-crafted vinegar production — produces flavors of a complexity and depth that no other cooking technique can replicate. The restaurant's signature noorook grain bowl pairs house-fermented grains with seasonal California vegetables, house-made kimchi, fermented sauces, and cultured dairy in a single dish that is simultaneously nutritious, technically sophisticated, and deeply satisfying. Noorook is a traditional Korean fermented grain preparation; Uh's version serves as the base for a composition that is wholly new despite its ancient roots. Beyond the grain bowl, Baroo produces rotating fermented vegetable plates that change with the seasons, house-made vinegars that function as condiments and flavoring agents, and preparations that reference Korean jang traditions — the long-fermented bean and grain pastes that underpin Korean cuisine's most complex flavors. The dining room at 5706 Santa Monica Boulevard is tiny — approximately 20 seats — with counter-style ordering and a spare, functional aesthetic. The kitchen at Baroo operates Tuesday through Saturday for both lunch and dinner in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. Reservations are available; the small capacity makes advance booking advisable for weekend dinners.