Lapaba debuts in Koreatown as Korean-Italian pasta bar with visible pasta room

Lapaba, short for "La Pasta Bar," has opened in Koreatown, centering fresh, visible pasta production as the heart of a Korean-Italian mashup kitchen. The room features a curved stone bar that peers into a semi-open kitchen and an on-site pasta room diners can watch from their seats, signaling a focus on craft and theater as much as flavor.

Nancy Silverton is a backer of the project, and the kitchen is led by husband-and-wife chefs McKenna Lelah and Matthew Kim, both veterans of Osteria Mozza. Joe and Tanya Bastianich and Robert Kim are named among the managing partners associated with the restaurant. The interior is credited as "designed by Costa in Italy with Kelly Architects in collaboration," a statement that matches the room’s polished stonework and open production layout.

The menu intentionally reimagines Italian formats through Korean flavors and pantry ingredients. Dishes include corn agnolotti; yuzu kosho ranch; black truffle soft serve; deep-fried supplì filled with melty mozzarella and cubes of Spam; kimchi-stuffed suppli; and bucatini alla Amatriciana riffed with jjajang (black bean paste). Other plates reported on early menus include cappelletti in galbi broth with mandu filling, campanella with a basil-and-perilla pesto, tonnarelli, and variations on a Caesar salad using doenjang. Portions have been "downsized" from traditional family-size servings to encourage sampling multiple pastas in a single visit.

Early commentary captures the experiment’s tone. One dining report observed, "A curved stone bar peers into the semi-open kitchen where husband-and-wife chef team McKenna Lelah and Matthew Kim fill deep-fried supplì with melty mozzarella and cubes of Spam, and jjajang meets guanciale in bucatini all’Amatriciana." A separate assessment found, "Lapaba strikes a deft balance between familiar formats and novel combinations, resulting in serendipitous pairings that don’t feel forced."

Community response and reservation activity show appetite and curiosity. An OpenTable listing and forum posts indicate reservations went live and that some service dates were already being booked by community members. Reported opening windows in the run-up to the debut varied across previews and social posts, with different outlets and social accounts citing dates from October and November to January 28 and early February; the restaurant’s reservation system and user bookings reflect availability once public bookings opened.

For diners, Lapaba offers a chance to taste technique and translation: fresh-cut shapes and quick-service bar seats make sampling multiple pastas practical, while bold touches - spam in supplì, black bean paste with guanciale, doenjang in a Caesar - invite a rethink of familiar formats. Check reservation listings for current availability and the restaurant’s official channels for the finalized menu and hours.

Lapaba’s arrival adds a distinct voice to Koreatown’s food scene, marrying pasta-room craft with Korean pantry inventiveness; expect the menu to evolve as chefs refine combinations and diners weigh in.