Kali

“Pretty much ever critic loves Kali on Melrose” says Eater, and we can’t agree more. Run by two former high-end kitchen veterans (the chef Kevin Meehan was at L’Orangerie with Ludo Lefebvre and Drew Langley is the former sommelier at Providence), Kali is a perfect example of Hollywood bistronomie. The signature dish is beet tartare, served with preserved lemon curd in lieu of egg yolk — perhaps an hommage to Alain Passard, the founding father of beet tartare. The barley risotto with black garlic and burnt cheese is to die for, and same goes for the for the carrot-lavender duck breast or the cavatelli with crème fraîche. Our favorite item on the menu is the meringue gelato with shaved cured yolk, perhaps one of the best desserts in Los Angeles. Also, the herbs and veggies you’ll find in your plates come either from the Farmers Market or chef Kevin’s improvised kitchen garden on a neighbor’s lot. Prices are softer for lunch, and during dinner the restaurant puts on its sophisticated hat back on… keeping only the best details of fine dining.