La Defence In It For the Short Haul

Photo by Alen Lin, 2/11/08

We got word from Yuji Isawa, the now-former exec chef of La Defence in Koreatown. This didnt' take long:

"Due to many bullshit and politics, I have left to go into a more professional environment. Please, La Defence, take my name off of all your website, menu, etc... I am not willing to represent any of myself to such a restaurant, if that's what its supposed to be...go back to being a room bang or karaoke club..."

An Eater commenter (Yuji?) gave the place 3-6 months because the service was untrained, the karaoke did indeed waft into the dining room, and it was like Paris in Las Vegas---and not in a good way. Isawa says he'll let us know where he's off to next, and no word yet on what the owners of La Defence plan to do with the menu without him, if anything.
· Eater Inside: La Defence [~ELA~]