This cult Los Angeles pop-up restaurant now has a permanent address

When Bar 109 debuted this summer in LA's Melrose Hill neighbourhood, it caused a stir. But the buzzy watering hole was only an amuse-bouche for the main event, Corridor 109, a new seafood restaurant from chef Brian Baik.

The restaurant traces its origins back to an in-the-know Monday night dinner that Baik hosted at his family's restaurant, Kobawoo House, a Koreatown institution since 1983. Now, Baik's concept has a brick-and-mortar home of its own – and is swiftly becoming one of the most challenging reservations to snag in town.

Wallpaper* dines at Corridor 109, Los Angeles

The mood: private dinner party in Japan

To access Corridor 109, you first have to pass through Bar 109. A discreet side door opens into a curved vestibule. From there, you'll discover an intimate dining room centred around the kitchen, where an L-shaped walnut counter delivers a clear view of the culinary choreography. Designed by Montalba Architects, the space reads like refined dinner theatre: the team prepares, plates and serves each course directly, with guests drawn into the rhythm of service.

Baik’s years-long collection of Japanese pottery, serveware and utensils finally has its moment, lending depth and intention to the room. Hand-trowelled plaster walls recall the brushwork of sumi-e, – Japanese ink painting – while blackened stainless steel is designed to age, patina and soften over time.

The food: pristine cuts of fish

Baik, who previously worked at Bouley and Eleven Madison Park in New York, works closely with a network of fishermen and seasonal purveyors, importing select ingredients directly from Japan. The result is an elegant 11-course seafood tasting that is emphatically not sushi, nor omakase.

Expect exceptional horse mackerel on toasted house-made milk bread; miso-marinated Spanish mackerel with pickled chrysanthemum and yamaimo; and left-field highlights such as charred shallots with pesto ginger spaghetti, flecked with wasabi and two translucent slices of skipjack tuna.

There’s also yellowtail with uni and clam sushi-rice risotto; Australian wagyu with oxtail jus and shiso; and, if you’re fortunate, a bonus course of blowfish, dusted in potato starch, lightly fried and finished with flaky salt and lemon. Dessert lands lightly: pear ice cream with Champagne gelée.

The drinks list offers sake by the glass for those avoiding a full bottle. Cocktails from Bar 109 are available too, though best saved for afterwards, ideally lingering into Tuesday night, when the ‘Tuesday 10PM’ burger makes a late appearance.

Corridor 109 is located at 641 N Western Ave Ste A, Los Angeles, CA 90004, United States