Openings

Gyenari Closed, To Be Replaced By MoKo Next Tuesday

This just in from Culver City: Gyenari is officially closed and in its place, a new restaurant named MoKo will spring up next Tuesday, April 26th, with cooking from Gary Robins, the former Russian Tea Room toque who held a praised pop-up in Studio City called Georgio’s Cucina last fall. MoKo is a partnership between Robins, Chris Heyman of Table 8 and 8 Oz., and Gyenari-owner Will Shin, a press release informs us, and will provide Korean anju-style small plates by Robins and cocktails from Heyman (along with sake and soju). How about a few examples?

So far described as market banchan, we’re offered promises of watermelon namul with toasted almonds, ginger, and mitsuna; Asian pear and kholrabi salad with pea shoots, miring mustard vinaigrette, and perilla seeds; pan-fried duck and foie gras mandu potstickers; grilled prawns with avocado and aji amarillo ssam jang, sweet potato glass nooodles stri-fried with kurobuta pork, wild mushrooms, and green chiles, and takes on traditional Korean pancakes and BBQ skewers.

So…wait a second. That sounds pretty ‘effing good! With Robins leading the charge, it already sounds like any wailing over the loss of Gyenari will be brief in Culver City as we make way for MoKo on Tuesday.

MoKo, 9540 Culver Blvd. Culver City. 310-838-3131.

Gyenari Closed, To Be Replaced By MoKo Next Tuesday