Long before Angler LA closed for renovations in May 2022, culinary director Paul Chung wanted it to have a distinct identity from its famed San Francisco seafood counterpart (which also has the same name).
Legendary chef Joshua Skenes opened Angler in SF in 2018, a follow-up to his three-MICHELIN-star tasting menu establishment Saison. The accolades for the seafood restaurant poured in soon after and it nabbed a MICHELIN star within a year of opening. The Los Angeles location opened in 2019, but Skenes soon stepped away from day-to-day operations to focus on other projects. Given the reins, Chung knew he eventually wanted to put his own stamp on the establishment.
The renovations allowed for a reset, and Chung vowed to return with a space and menu that was a lot more playful and reflective of the rich dining scene in Los Angeles. He experimented during the pandemic by serving smaller bites such as oysters roasted on embers that ultimately helped sustain the restaurant during a difficult period for the industry. Whatever came next, Chung wanted a restaurant that felt more approachable.
Now, the Saison Hospitality Group-run restaurant is back bolder than ever in Beverly Hills. The antelope tartare and the $400 dinner tab are out, but the focus on live-fire cooking and sustainable seafood remains.
Chung hopes the experience will be a lot more relaxed, and wants diners to come back “2, 3, 4 times a month and not feel like it’s an excess,” he says.
Highlights of the revamped menu include a roasted capon wing stuffed with abalone and rice grown in Sacramento. It perfectly encapsulates Angler LA’s commitment to local food, while leaning into Chung’s inspiration from Koreatown, where abalone and chicken are staples served with rice. The swordfish, cooked al-pastor style and skewered with barbecued pineapple, is another standout and pays homage to the city’s taquerias.
Chung is just as excited about the cheesy bread, a seemingly understated Parker House roll creation that envelops cheese from Sonoma County and mashed potatoes. Dip it in the anchovy butter on the side for an umami jolt.
Nearly every item on the menu will have touched embers at some point. Live-fire cooking remains a focal point as seen in dishes such as the seaweed rice topped with cured egg yolk and trout roe. The seaweed is crisped on the live fire and serves as a bed for everything on top.
Returning diners, do not despair—a couple of favorites have made it back to the menu, including the briny and smoky pandemic oysters and the fried striped bass collar.
The drinks enhance Angler LA’s new playful vibes, bar and floor manager Yanni Pediatitis says. Stars on the fruit-packed cocktail menu include the Ocean Dreams, a clarified milk punch with hints of passionfruit, lychee, and a secret ingredient that gives the drink a sapphire glow when served in its ice-filled glass.
Pediatitis was certain he had created a crowd pleaser when the color reminded him of the ocean in his home country Greece. “A lot of bars will do twists of classics, and that’s fantastic, but I wanted to do something different with brand-new recipes focused on how the playfulness of the food can also work behind the bar,” he says.
There’s also an extensive wine list from the famed and exclusive Bay Area wine group Saison Cellars, with a particular focus on Burgundy wines.
Buttressing the Beverly Center, Angler LA now has a redesigned space to create a warmer experience, including a bigger 30-seat bar and lounge near the entrance to mingle in at all hours of the evening.
Designer John Sofio of Built, Inc. (Delilah, Poppy, The Nice Guy) kept that new sense of approachability in mind while revamping the restaurant. Angler LA now has the space for all occasions, including that lounge area for a casual evening with friends to private dining rooms for a more intimate, celebratory night out.
The original hearth remains the centerpiece of the 128-seat dining room, though Sofio added wooden floors and some dividing walls for cozier ambiance. Another new addition is a live kelp tank. San Jose State University professor Michael Graham partnered with Saison Hospitality to grow a variety of kelp species that are endangered due to California’s diminishing kelp forests. In the spirit of sustainability, Angler LA will use harvested seaweed from the tanks for some of its dishes.
Angler LA is open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 pm to 9 pm and Friday and Saturday from 5 pm to 10 pm.
Lisa Kwon is a reporter and writer focused on arts and food culture in Los Angeles, CA. Find Lisa on Instagram and Twitter.
