In Los Angeles, word spreads quickly when a bonafide “A-list” chef opens a new restaurant, complete with a painstakingly crafted menu and ambiance that whispers (not shouts) “exclusive.” This is certainly the case with the warmly lit, 60-seat KŌAST Melrose, packed every night since its Jan. 29 opening. While the dining experience involves painstakingly prepared dishes almost too pretty to tear into, the management and staff keep things grounded to ensure it shines as a “neighborhood spot” more about the food than whomever comes in to enjoy it.

Chef/restaurateur Kevin Meehan, the star power behind KŌAST Melrose, earned his following among discerning L.A. diners through his career, starting with refining his technique at storied local institutions L’Orangerie, Bastide and Patina. KŌAST Melrose, like his first restaurant a few blocks east, makes a big statement in a small package. The space, imagined by noted restaurant designer Cory Surovek, is a clean hybrid of Japanese and Scandinavian sensibilities that sets a mood that is romantic but decidedly unfussy.

© Elyse Glickman

Visual cues establish it as a seafood-forward concept, like azure blue appointments and a pond built into the entryway floor. Beyond the check-in stand, the eye is drawn toward a half-hidden, open-concept kitchen where one may catch a glimpse of Executive Chef Michael Kerner in action. Guests also may see a small but impressive fish storage refrigerator just before they are shown to their table in the main dining space.

Meehan’s mission with KŌAST is to center it around “great food, a fun atmosphere and a place people can keep coming back to,” as the menu features a regularly changing seafood chowder and mains balancing comfort and creativity. Some of the most popular dishes out of the gate, such as lobster baked manicotti, grilled Long Island striped bass, crispy scallop cakes with avocado remoulad and Quahog clams on the half shell promise to be mainstays regular customers will gravitate to. There are one-of-a-kind preparations, however, showing the Japanese and Scandinavian coastlines are not the only ones the kitchen team explores. Depending on how a customer chooses to navigate the menu, they will find inspirations from Pacific Mexico, the Mediterranean, New England and the California coast.

© Elyse Glickman

Although the menu is straight-forward, and those quickly established favorites were inviting, sommelier Drew Langley and our servers suggested we let the kitchen work its magic once we shared our respective preferences. Our trust in Langley and the crew was richly rewarded, first with crudo appetizers that looked gorgeous and tasted even better: sea bream sashimi with ponzu, shiso and wasabi root; yellowtail crudo with spiced buttermilk nage and sorrel; Spanish yellowfin tuna with crispy onions and brown butter; and a refined tuna tartar with avocado, cilantro and a matcha-based salsa served with house-made tortilla chips. While the sauces were delicate, the flavors were surprising and bold.

Heartier mains and sides followed, ranging from Maryland-style baked crab dip with house-made Old Bay spiced crackers to grilled prawns with thyme butter to an angel hair pasta dish with octopus and just the right amount of XO sauce to brighten up the overall dish. The hanger steak with watercress, chimichurri and surprisingly mellow anchovy butter reflects Chef Meehan’s adventurous approach. The same holds true for sides like charred greens in chili almond crunch.

© Elyse Glickman

Desserts regularly change, evidenced by the absence of a permanent sweets menu. Yet what was on offer on our night, from a textured take on dark chocolate pot de crème to a deconstructed banana cream pie and brown butter cake, reflected the kitchen had continuity down to a science. Other elegant-yet-fun details reinforcing the dining experience include bespoke, satin pewter-toned cutlery and handcrafted dishware by Haand and Olivet Ceramics emblazoned with the KŌAST logo.

KŌAST Melrose may be a small fish in a large pond, but it’s a rare catch worth pursuing, whether it is date night, dinner with colleagues or sublime crudo among friends.

KŌAST

6623 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
tel 213 262 1711