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Kali Promises to Redefine Upscale Cuisine on Melrose

The former pop-up turns permanent.

Farley Elliott is the Senior Editor at Eater LA and the author of Los Angeles Street Food: A History From Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. He covers restaurants in every form, from breaking news to the culture, people, and history that surrounds LA's dining landscape.

Take a look inside Kali, the long-awaited home base for chef Kevin Meehan and wine director Drew Langley. The duo have long run Kali Dining as a pop-up, but now have a dedicated kitchen and front of house on Melrose to call their own.

And what a house it is, with a long off-white wraparound service counter, mellow pendant bulbs hanging from the ceiling, and textured stone floor. Stained wood accents touch the interior and exterior of the space, while a few well-placed windows let in just enough natural light.

The menu itself is comprised of a la carte selections as varied as escargot toast and squab, with a nice mix of pasta and larger, meaty mains thrown in for good measure. The plan is to work the 2,000 square foot space like a casual restaurant (no tablecloths here) while Meehan churns out food that at first glance seems more suited to a stodgy, more uptight spot. Thankfully, there’s none of that here.

Kali opens for dinner service next week, with nightly hours Monday through Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The room seats 65 guests, and reservations can be made via OpenTable starting January 27.

Kali
5722 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA