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