I was sweaty when I walked into the restaurant.

It’s the first week of August and considering the temperature, I think it should be understood that I’ll arrive damp pretty much everywhere I go. I like to pretend I’m glowing, but something makes me think that a glow doesn’t drip. Regardless how I appeared, the hostess wasn’t bothered. She didn’t mind that my search for parking took thirty minutes because the area is a cluster of incomprehensible street signs. Thankfully I found a spot at a meter six blocks away and I allotted myself two hours for this dinner. Well, an hour and forty two minutes if we deduct walking time.

The restaurant I walked into was 6^th & La Brea.

The 4,8000 square foot space opened mid-July with a beautiful interior designed by Melissa Ritche, menu created by chef Jihee Kim, and bar program crafted by Noah Regnery. The bright and open space, the scent of the food coming out of the kitchen, and the colorful cocktails were all I needed after walking blocks in the heat to get here. Before ordering, I explored the space a bit more. With the friendly bar manager Angela leading the tour, she showed me each space including the “Secret, Not So Secret Room”. Not the official name, but located in back of 6^th and La Brea is a private communal space that lets you take a step away from the bustling city. While in its final stages of development, the space is expected to open to the public sometime in September from Thursday through Saturday with full rent-out availability anytime of the week. But don’t expect to get into the room just by showing up. A guest list, secret password, or knowing someone on the inside may be the only way to get in but it is still up for debate. At a capacity of 31 people, the discrete speakeasy style space will offer a bar program with higher end cocktails and spirits and menu of small hand bites and specialized dishes that you can’t get in the main restaurant. Ultimately, you’ll want to get in.

After exploring the restaurant fully, I sat down to look over the menu. It didn’t take long for the waitress, Kaley, to walk me through it and point out a few of her favorites. Her enthusiasm towards certain dishes got me excited and with her suggestions, the food made their way from the kitchen and to my table.

I started the dinner with a cocktail aptly named after part of the restaurant’s location. The LA Brea ($13) was described as the cocktail you would have at a spa. With one sip, the description fit perfectly. Charbay green tea vodka, matcha, aloe, and seltzer was a delightful combination to create a cocktail that felt so balanced I completely forgot there was vodka in it. It wasn’t until I was halfway through the glass that I had to remind myself to take it slowly. As a reformed lush, I try my best not to overdo it and this refreshing cocktail would be easy to go overboard.

At this point, the starters came to the table.

The first of the three appetizers was the Mussels Escabeche Toast ($10). Marinated mussels topped with fennel that sat on a toast smeared with a spicy garlic sauce. What made me happy the minute I was given the dish was the ease of not having to pull out the mussels. The fact that I didn’t have to do any work gave 6th and La Brea cool points in my book. From there, the fennel gave the toast an unexpected spark that was hard to dismiss and the garlic sauce spread across the toast brought it altogether in an almost harmonic fashion. Two are more than enough, but three or four would never be turned down.

Then came the Hand Rolled Dumplings ($10) filled with impossible meat, sprinkled with mushrooms, all swimming in a lime-y soy sauce. The sauce in this was so beautiful: somewhat deep in feel with a pleasant citrus taste. It sits so perfectly over the mushrooms making it my favorite part. Sure the soft and long dumplings are delicious with the impossible meat that just soaks to the soy sauce, but it’s really the mushrooms that make this a dish I eagerly devoured.

The final of the starters was the Betel Leaf Rolls ($15). Four fragrant, grilled, pork rolls were served with herbs, lettuce cups, and a dipping sauce. The tightly secured rolls held in an sausage length pork roll that soaked up the light dipping sauce. Tearing a few pieces of the mint and dropping them in the sauce gave a fresh taste to the sauce as it made its way across the roll. Making it even more memorable were the crisp lettuce cups that I used to wrap around the roll like a winter coat. This was a good dish to explore chef Kim’s capability and creativity.

Once the empty plates of the appetizers disappeared, the main made its way over. The Glass Noodles ($18) was a dish I would quickly fall in love with. Shiitake, sweet soy, thin carrots, and a roasted organic chicken made the dish. In the first twirl of the fork I found that I absolutely loved the noodles. They could have served and entire dish of just these noodles and I would have the happiest gut in the world. However, pairing it alongside the light meat was still a good choice. The sliced chicken was tender and delicious however this one was a little on the saltier side. Maybe it was a blip or maybe it was with intention, but it felt as if the meat was a little high in sodium than necessary. That ended up being less of a concern as I dived deeper into the noodles and the meat, oddly, became an afterthought to it all.

The last plate would of course be dessert. I ordered the Matcha Olive Oil Cake ($6) made with green tea matcha, olive oil, and strawberries macerated in lemon juice and sugar. The small cake didn’t need to be any bigger for me personally as I had already eaten more than I should have. However, using my fork to slice into the bouncy and moist cake made me rationalize it as a good decision. It was light and while the matcha was in the name it didn’t overwhelm the cake. Instead, it eased with the strawberry like two were best friends from high school: they went together perfectly. I enjoyed the dessert and felt that it was such a good way to end the meal.

Getting to the dinner may not have started off on a great note, but it definitely ended on one. From plate to plate and a cocktail in between, the tastes and sips of the dishes that helped to create the newly opened 6^th & La Brea ended up better than I expected.

And in case you were wondering, I didn’t get a parking ticket, I had two minutes left on the meter. Basically, I’m Wonder Woman.

Follow Them.
Address: 600 S. La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Phone: (323) 998-8565
Hours: Sunday to Wednesday – 4:00pm to 11:00pm and Thursday to Saturday – 4:00pm-12:00am ​
Social: Website, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.