New Lapaba Pasta Bar Brings Korean Twists to L.A. Pasta Scene

Nancy Silverton’s ongoing activity in the city’s restaurant scene was underscored earlier this month as several upcoming openings and projects were highlighted, including a small pasta-focused concept called Lapaba, short for la pasta bar. The project is being developed by husband-and-wife chefs McKenna Lelah and Matthew Kim, who are known for their work at Osteria Mozza.

Lapaba will center its identity on fresh, on-site-made pasta produced in a dedicated pasta room. That emphasis on production visibility and immediate service reflects a growing local appetite for intimate, craft-forward pasta bars where diners can see dough transformed into plates in real time. The menu will fold in Korean-inspired twists on classic Italian preparations, an approach already illustrated by plans for kimchi suppli filled with spam and mozzarella.

For local pasta lovers this matters on several levels. First, a dedicated pasta room tends to improve consistency and seasonality, giving cooks room to experiment with hydrations, shapes, and fillings that smaller kitchens or dry-pasta imports cannot match. Second, the blending of Korean flavors with Italian technique adds a fresh lane to Los Angeles’s crowded dining map, offering new flavor combinations for regulars and an accessible entry point for curious neighbors. Third, small-format bars like Lapaba often anchor neighborhood dining, attracting walk-ins and repeat visits rather than one-off destination traffic.

Lelah and Kim’s background at Osteria Mozza brings experience with Italian technique to the table, while the Korean-inspired elements reflect a broader trend in the city where hybrid cuisines are moving from novelty into mainstream menus. Expect focused seating, streamlined service, and a menu designed around pasta shapes and fillings that highlight the kitchen’s on-site capabilities.

If you follow openings around town, watch for announcements on reservations and soft-opening dates. Plan to arrive early or join waitlists typical of neighborhood bars, and be ready to try items that showcase both the pasta room’s output and the menu’s cultural mashups. Lapaba could be a practical, walkable option for weekday dinners, quick lunches, and those who want to see pasta-making craft up close. For cooks and home chefs, the concept reinforces the value of making fresh pasta and experimenting with nontraditional fillings and condiments in familiar formats.