Lapaba

On our lists of the best romantic restaurants, cozy restaurants and special-occasion restaurants in Los Angeles.

Chefs McKenna Lelah and Matthew Kim, both trained at Osteria Mozza, built this Koreatown pasta bar around a marble counter that wraps the open kitchen, so diners watch the cooks roll and cut dough a few feet away. Portions run smaller than a standard plate, meant for working through several courses — kimchi supplì, broccolini in ssamjang, garganelli laced with perilla, or agnolotti finished with browned scamorza. The restaurant earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand within months of opening. Two tables sit in back, but most of the room is bar seating, with valet out front.