Corridor 109

Corridor 109 Review: Find Pristine Seafood at This Semi-Hidden Tasting Counter | Eater LA

"Hidden behind the more front-facing Bar 109, this counter-only tasting menu from chef Brian Baik—trained at Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Fare and Sushi Noz—channels a years-long pop-up (born at his parents’ Koreatown spot Kobawoo House and later in Chinatown) into a dramatically lit back counter that feels exclusive and fun, a modern art piece for seafood nerds. The menu is the same for every person at $325 before tax, service charge, and drinks, and reservations need to be secured weeks in advance; those who aren’t into fish need not apply. A salmon roe tartlet opens the meal, followed by sashimi-style shima aji (striped jack) laid over top-notch Hokkaido uni packed in seawater with a tangy gelée for contrast. Milk bread toast arrives topped with Japanese sardine (iwashi) or aji (horse mackerel), an oily but still sweet filet over plush toasted shokupan. A hulking single slice of skipjack tuna (katsuo) sits atop al dente pesto spaghetti, its luxurious freshness on full display, and the lone beef course—Australian wagyu—is smoked slowly over coals and presented medium-rare over thickened oxtail jus tinted with fragrant shiso. Master sommelier Michael Englemann’s pairing is vibrant, featuring Alsatian Schneid Riesling from La Rogerie and a crisp, zingy Hélène Champagne from old, low-yield vines, and dessert ends simply with a single ice cream." - Matthew Kang