Baroo’s signature dish, Noorook, is made from mixed grains (Job’s tears, kamut and farro), roasted koji beet cream, kombu dashi, toasted seeds (sunflower and pumpkin), macadamia nuts, finger lime and rose-pickled onions. (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)
Matthew Kang & Kwang Uh of Baroo
Jonathan Gold is the Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer for the LA Times.
Baroo is the brainchild of chef/owner Kwang Uhand his partner, Matthew Kim. By combining traditional Korean ingredients and practices with those of French, Italian, Spanish and modernist techniques learned while training in kitchens throughout Europe that included a stage at Noma, Chef Kwang crafts an experimental menu completely his own. Drawing inspiration from a variety of unusual ingredients prepared in every which way, there’s a lot to discover here.
What to order: Try the Noorook, the Kimchi Fried Rice and the Baroo Faux Ragu (yes, it does have meat in it).
Location: 5706 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90038 | (323) 819-4344
Tip: There’s no sign overhead, but Baroo is located in a strip mall on the southwest corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Wilton Avenue, just to the right of the 7-11.
Baroo’s Spicy Faux Oxtail Ragu with tendon puffs, gremolata, heirloom cherry tomatoes, krout powder and aged parmaggiano reggiano. (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)The menu at Baroo. (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)Amira basmati rice with pineapple fermented kimchi, 63ºC sous vide egg, gremolata, pineapple-jalapeño salsa, Peruvian purple potato chips, toasted buckwheat and quinoa, roasted seaweed and micro greens. (The original image is no longer available, please contact KCRW if you need access to the original image.)
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