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The Final Curtain: 7 Iconic Dishes And The Enduring Legacy Of Here's Looking At You, Koreatown

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The final chapter has been written for one of Los Angeles's most important and genre-bending restaurants. As of December 19, 2025, Here's Looking At You (HLAY), the Koreatown culinary institution co-founded by restaurateur Lien Ta and the late, great Chef Jonathan Whitener, has permanently closed its doors. This definitive closure marks the end of a tumultuous, yet brilliant, nine-year run that saw the restaurant close once during the pandemic, triumphantly reopen, and then grapple with the profound loss of its visionary chef. The restaurant’s legacy is not just in its delicious, globally-influenced "New American" food, but in its profound impact on the Los Angeles dining scene. HLAY’s cuisine was a daring, delicious mashup—a reflection of the city’s true diversity, blending flavors from Southeast Asia, Mexico, and Korea into a cohesive and unforgettable experience. This retrospective serves as a tribute to the people, the passion, and the plates that defined a generation of K-town dining.

The Restaurant's Profile: A Legacy in Los Angeles

Here's Looking At You (HLAY) was more than just a restaurant; it was a reflection of the modern Los Angeles culinary zeitgeist, capturing the city’s cultural diversity in a small, stylish space in the heart of Koreatown.

  • Name: Here's Looking At You (often abbreviated as HLAY)
  • Location: Koreatown, Los Angeles, CA
  • Founders/Owners: Lien Ta (Restaurateur/Front-of-House) and Jonathan Whitener (Chef)
  • Original Opening: July 2016
  • Initial Closure: Mid-2020 (due to pandemic)
  • Reopening: Post-pandemic, with a "triumphant return"
  • Final Closure: December 19, 2025 (Permanently Closed)
  • Cuisine Style: Genre-Bending New American, Global Fusion, Creative Small Plates
  • Sister Restaurant: All Day Baby (also co-founded by Ta and Whitener)
  • Key Culinary Figure (Post-Whitener): Thessa Diadem (Pastry Chef / Chef)
  • Accolades: Food & Wine Magazine "Restaurant of the Year"

The partnership between Lien Ta, a former manager, and Jonathan Whitener, a former chef de cuisine, both veterans of the acclaimed Animal restaurant, was the engine of HLAY’s success. Their vision was to create a space that was fun, flirty, and different, focused on small plates and inventive cocktails.

7 Iconic Dishes That Defined the HLAY Experience

The menu at Here's Looking At You was an ever-evolving canvas, but certain dishes became legendary, embodying Chef Whitener's unique approach to flavor—bold, unexpected, and deeply satisfying. These dishes are the cornerstone of the restaurant's legacy.

  1. Uni Panna Cotta: Perhaps the most famous and unforgettable dish, this creation perfectly encapsulated HLAY’s fusion ethos. It took the Italian dessert base and infused it with the briny, creamy texture of sea urchin (uni), creating a savory-sweet, textural masterpiece that was a must-order.
  2. Rice Porridge with Sturgeon: A testament to the kitchen's creativity, this dish was far from a simple comfort food. It featured a rich porridge base, topped with sturgeon, crispy chicken skin for crunch, and brightened with verjus and buttermilk. It was complex, comforting, and wholly original.
  3. Heritage Pork Belly with Nam Jim: Showcasing the Southeast Asian influence, this dish paired deeply flavorful heritage pork belly with a zesty Thai-style *nam jim* sauce, balanced with Key lime, pineapple, herbs, and shallots. The balance of fat, acid, and spice was impeccable.
  4. Foie Gras Terrine: HLAY was known for presenting classic dishes in a way "you've never seen." The foie gras terrine was a prime example, often served with inventive accompaniments like fruit preserves or savory jellies that cut through the richness.
  5. The Cocktails (Tiki-Inspired): While a food-first restaurant, the bar program was integral. The "Tiki-inspired" cocktails were a perfect match for the spicy, vibrant food, often featuring tropical fruits and unique spirits.
  6. Tamarind-Focused Dishes: The use of tamarind, a staple in many global cuisines, was a signature move at HLAY. Whether in a sauce, a glaze, or a drink, the sweet and sour tang of tamarind was a frequent, delicious presence on the menu.
  7. In-Flux Small Plates: The genius of HLAY was its constantly changing lineup of small, shareable plates. The core concept was a "pared" menu of a dozen or so in-flux dishes that allowed the chefs to experiment with hyper-seasonal and culturally diverse ingredients, ensuring every visit felt fresh and exciting.

The Enduring Impact on the Los Angeles Dining Scene

The closure of Here's Looking At You in late 2025 is a significant loss for the Los Angeles culinary landscape, particularly for the vibrant Koreatown dining scene. The restaurant’s story is a microcosm of the challenges and triumphs of independent hospitality.

The Vision of Lien Ta and Jonathan Whitener

Lien Ta and Jonathan Whitener were true pioneers. Their work at HLAY, and their sister restaurant All Day Baby, established a blueprint for modern, chef-driven, non-traditional dining in Los Angeles. They proved that a restaurant could be critically acclaimed, deeply personal, and still be a fun, neighborhood spot.

Ta, known for her strong front-of-house presence and community advocacy, was vocal about the emotional and logistical difficulties of running an independent restaurant, especially through the pandemic and after the loss of her partner. Her choice to finally end HLAY was an emotional one, reflecting on the immense influence of Whitener’s vision.

A Culinary Legacy of Fusion and Flavor

HLAY’s menu was a fearless exploration of flavor. Chef Whitener’s cooking was characterized by its ability to pull inspiration from diverse culinary traditions—Mexican, Southeast Asian, and Korean—and synthesize them into something that tasted unequivocally "Los Angeles." This approach helped solidify the idea that "New American" cuisine in L.A. is inherently global and boundary-pushing.

The restaurant established itself as a place that captured the city’s culinary zeitgeist, offering innovative dishes that were both sophisticated and accessible. This legacy of bold, cross-cultural cooking will undoubtedly continue to influence the next generation of chefs in Koreatown and beyond.

What’s Next for the HLAY Team?

While Here's Looking At You is permanently closed, the spirit of its founders lives on. Lien Ta continues to be a prominent voice in the independent hospitality coalition. She and Whitener also co-founded All Day Baby, a "feel-good restaurant" that has also faced challenges, with one report indicating it was also closing in December. The focus now shifts to honoring the incredible run of HLAY and the indelible mark it left on the city's food culture.

For those who managed to grab one last plate of Uni Panna Cotta or a final tiki cocktail before the December 19th closure, the memory of HLAY will remain a high watermark of Koreatown dining. The name itself—a nod to the classic line from *Casablanca*—now serves as a poignant farewell from a restaurant that truly captured the heart of Los Angeles.

The Final Curtain: 7 Iconic Dishes and the Enduring Legacy of Here's Looking At You, Koreatown
here's looking at you koreatown
here's looking at you koreatown

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