The 38 Essential Restaurants in Los Angeles

"Katianna and John Hong aren’t the type of chefs to rest on their laurels. Since opening Yangban in 2022, the couple has reimagined the restaurant several times to better reflect their vision and meet diners’ needs. The restaurant’s latest reboot pairs the Hong’s signature modern Korean cooking with a vibey space decked out in original artwork. This iteration, with its dinnertime focus, bold shareable plates, and polished service, feels the most cohesive and approachable. The menu winds through big and small plates and the sujebi dumplings are one of the best. Prepared with a white kimchi beurre blanc, poached ocean trout, trout roe, and dill, the dish tastes like the ultimate Jewish Korean mash-up. The crispy Korean-style fried chicken and honey-glazed carrots have been popular from the start, while Yangban’s banchan — a delightfully mercurial, ever-rotating selection — is perfect for grazing and sharing. Order as many banchan as the table can handle and save room for a slice of lighter-than-it-looks cheesecake to finish. — Cathy Chaplin, senior editor" - Eater Staff