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The Mulberry (Los Angeles, CA)

The Mulberry LA Restaurant
1800 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
310-598-5191
www.themulberrylosangeles.com
Sat 06/27/2026, 07:45p-10:55p





A recent Westside dinner brought me to The Mulberry, a new "Korean-American neighborhood bistro" named after the mulberry tree (oft used to craft a type of traditional Korean paper called hanji). The spot officially opened on November 12th last year, and comes to us from the husband-and-wife duo of David Lee and Jennifer Chon. To develop the menu, the couple brought in Chef Curtis Park, who boasts experience at the likes of Benu, Commis, and Daniel, and interestingly enough, was also opening CdC for Lincoln Carson over at Bar Lis. Meanwhile, running the front-of-the-house is General Manager Josemaria "JM" Villajin, an alumnus of Rustic Canyon, Birdie G's, and Norah.


The Mulberry resides at a Sawtelle address that was previously home to Plan Check. The space was given a thorough revamp by the team at M Winter Design, and now sports a warm, vintage-y, bistrot-ish aesthetic.


Here we see The Mulberry's menu, which features a compact selection of reimagined Korean classics. Click for a larger version.



Beverages are the responsibility of Zak Kellum (ex-RVR). He's put together an array of Korean-inspired cocktails along with a surprisingly legit wine list (with DRC no less). Meanwhile, corkage is $30, but was waived tonight (I'm assuming because I shared the bottle I'd brought with Zak and our server Zelly). Click for larger versions.


들기름국수 Chilled Acorn Noodle [$22.00] | salted cucumber, toasted nori, perilla oil
First up were the dotoriguksu, which showed off a lovely chew. The noodles set the stage for the overtly savory qualities of toasted seaweed, and I liked the sheer herbaceousness present. At the same time, things were toned down by the dish's undercurrent of sweetness as well as the lushness of that egg. A promising start.


바나나 우유 Banana Milk [$15.00] | (creamy, nutty, rich) walnut milk, clement bana canne, sang makgeolli
Libation-wise, I got started with a cocktail inspired by Binggrae's popular bananamat uyu. It was a reasonable approximation of the beverage, one with a bit of brown sugar character (I'm assuming from the rum-based liqueur) and a palpable zippiness (I'm assuming from the rice wine).


빈대떡 Crispy Kimchi Pancake [$17.00] | bean sprouts, assorted herbs
The Mulberry's version on bindae-tteok was one of the stronger iterations I've had. The mung bean pancake was spot-on texturally--slightly crisp on the outside, a bit fluffy on the inside--and did a nice job showcasing the subdued funk of the kimchi. I was also a fan of the contrast provided by all the herbs, and didn't mind a dip into that spicy sauce on the side, either.


Tonight's pick from my twentieth anniversary assemblage was the 2006 Dominus Estate, certainly one of the most iconic bottlings to come out of Napa Valley. The selection comes to us from a Yountville-based producer owned by Christian Moueix, and saw its first vintage in 1983. A Bordeaux-style blend of 91% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, the wine was bottled in July 2008 and released in June 2009.

• Initial Impressions: Nose of stewed prunes intertwined with tobacco-y spices and earth. On the palate, think well-integrated tannins and more of that dark-toned fruit, along with minty herbs and peppery spices.
• After 25 Minutes: The bouquet was even jammier at this point, but also elevated were the wine's forest floor-like nuances. In the mouth, things were softer, more restrained, but still with a peppery edge and a hint of cacao to boot.
• After 65 Minutes: At this point, the Dominus' dried herb aromas were at their strongest. Taste-wise, I found this smoky element that I rather fancied alongside all the black fruit going on.

물회 Korean Aguachile [$19.00] | santa barbara tilefish in ice cold kimchi broth
The restaurant's take on mulhoe ate icy and refreshing, pairing oceany cuts of tilefish with a bright-yet-restrained kimchi broth.


닭곰탕 Creamy Chicken Broth and Fresh Noodle [$23.00] | squashini, wood ear mushroom, chili
The dakgomtang delivered rich, heady, super chicken-y flavors, tempered just enough by the greenery, while I quite enjoyed the texture on those noodles, too. Nice heat from the included kkakdugi as well.


치킨 Fried Chicken Wings [$23.00] | half plain & half soy garlic + sweet chili sauce
Next came the Korean fried chicken wings (both flats and drumettes), which just might be the most shatteringly crunchy I've ever had. They were also properly tender and juicy on the inside, and were tasty either with or without the sweet-heat of the accompanying sauce. Also included were chikin mu and jangajji pickles.


만두 Steamed Dumplings [$16.00] | pork & garlic chive, brown rice vinegar
Jjin-mandu featured some relatively delicate wrappers, while inside was a meaty filling of pork combined with the familiar herbiness of buchu. Even better with a daub of that tangy dipping sauce.


은대구조림 Spicy Braised Black Cod [$41.00] | wild caught, daikon, chrysanthemum
Eundaegu-jorim married fatty, flaky, buttery, briny sablefish with a spicy, assertively-seasoned broth. Those potent flavors were kept in check just a smidge by carrot, radish, and onion, not to mention that white kimchi on the side.


플럼 마티니 Plum Martini [$17.00] | (floral, fruity, bitter) won mae plum martini, forthave red, violette liqueur, vodka
With the wine dispensed with, I moved back into cocktails with a martini variation that effectively melded the drink's brazenly floral flavors with offsetting bitter notes.



소갈비구이 Beef Short Rib [$49.00] | with accompaniments
Sogalbigui demonstrated that familiar sweet-savoriness I wanted, and had a pretty decent amount of sear as well, though I would've liked a rarer cook on the meat. Meanwhile, that zesty pa muchim on the side certainly helped lighten things up.


수정과 맨해튼 Sujunggwa Manhattan [$17.00] | (stirred, rich, spiced) cinnamon, ginger, alambique serrano 3 yr, coastal spirits nor'easter single malt
A Manhattan inspired by sujeonggwa (a sort of traditional cinnamon punch) displayed plenty of those sweet-n-spicy notes I was looking for, but backed by the booziness of the rum-whisky duo.


육회덮밥 Steak Tartare in a Stone Pot [$35.00] | over warm crispy rice, egg yolk
The evening's final savory was the yukhoedeopbap, a delectable amalgamation of beef, egg, seaweed, and veggies made all the more mouthwatering by the generous amount of nurungji present.


Shown above is The Mulberry's short dessert menu and selection of coffee and tea. Click for larger versions.



Hotteok a la Mode [$16.00] | caramelized cinnamon 'crepe', toasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds, vanilla ice cream
A toasty, well-griddled dessert pancake meshed easily with accoutrements of seeds and cinnamon, all while that scoop of ice cream made things all the better.


To go along with the dessert above, I opted for a pour of the recommended 1970's Averna [$38]. The amaro was a delight--clearly mature, yet still vibrant--and offered bountiful amounts of raisin, minty herbs, and light cacao, all backed by a boozy heat and a long-lingering taste of dark fruit.


Strawberry Bingsu [$16.00] | whipped mascarpone, streusel, strawberry compote (in collaboration with Korean Ice Co)
Last up was a complimentary serving of bingsoo. The shaved ice was a joy texturally, and conveyed the signature sweetness of strawberry in a robust manner, combining it with the creaminess of mascarpone in seamless fashion.

I came into The Mulberry somewhat blind, but I ended up being quite satisfied with our meal tonight. The kitchen did a good job rejiggering classic Korean dishes, keeping them mostly recognizable, largely approachable, sometimes novel, and always delicious. This place has been pretty busy since it opened, and I can see why--it'll likely become a go-to of mine in the area.