A new restaurant concept has popped up above Italian favorite Nerano in Beverly Hills. Upstairs, Angelenos can find an intimate bar lounge space called Lou’Mar where a floating glowing backlit art piece “Empathy For All” seems so appropriate for the times. Here two culinary masterminds are using their roots, varied backgrounds, and many years of experience to showcase an exciting menu fusing Korean Venezuelan dishes.

I had no idea what to expect but this was one of the most exciting dinners we experienced this year as Chef Marcos Spaziani and Chef Louis Huh create uber-flavorful magical combinations. You may have seen the duo on the reality show Below Deck or serving eats in their highly successful food truck. The two crossed paths at LA’s famed Taste on Melrose and decided to create a menu using classic techniques and contemporary twists, reflecting their long careers and commitment to tradition and evolution.

Every dish surprised us with flavor-bursting medleys, many new to us and a whole lot of magic! We encourage sharing a few salads like the Crispy Brie (not like the brie you are imagining as it is lightly breaded and crisped) that works beautifully on the taste buds, accompanied atop a salad with truffle honey, candied walnuts, and orange mustard foam. This dish is the best salad invention that should ignite a new standard of LA flavors or become an LA legend. The light and fresh Jicama Salad is great with shrimp as this medley of pepitas, pineapple, cucumbers, little gem lettuce, red onion, cilantro, and honey tajin vinaigrette is another winner.

Other standout shareables include the Upside Down Tostada, so incredibly fresh as red snapper ceviche is blended and loaded with cilantro, avocado, onions, and aji amarillo. The crisp tostada like a hat comes dotted with a few colorful sauces. The Arepas Borracha is another perfect shareable dish with slow-cooked brisket atop crispy corn dough.

Just a few months old, the menu, presentation, and fun will definitely captivate diners. Cocktails are also part of the surprise and awe as beverages arrive with foams 3 feet high that are sliced in the air or scented-infused bubbles that pop and smoke after you make a wish atop your jalapeno-infused Mezcal Lou’mar Garita with pineapple juice. Try the George Michael with peanut butter whiskey and espresso with house bourbon or the spicy rum Peachy Keen. Your table will surely be oooohing and ahhing with delight. Witness the cocktail sorcery here.

To share or to horde, order the Borracha Brisket Dumplings filled with crunchy chopped meat floating in miso parmesan broth with crispy shallots. Easily, one bowl may not be enough they are so delicious! The Kimchi Manchego Lollipop is another must-order as the crisp chicken is loaded with cheese and comes with various dipping sauces like garlic aioli and gochujang aioli (that you might not even need). Next time we will return to try the Soy Glazed Lamb Chops, Kimchi Seafood Paella, and Filet Mignon.  

Dessert also brings delight in taste and show as Melting Cotton Candy arrives like a massive airy cotton puff that gets torched down with dessert inside, a decadent blend of strawberry shortcake bites, vanilla custard, banana gelato, waffle cone crisp, green sugar crystals, all surrounded by a cotton candy rim. Ask to sweeten the deal with Snow White’s Apple too.

If you’re lucky, Chef Marcos might show you a magic trick or two in addition to the food magic as in true LA fashion, chefs come with many skills.

Come experience the magic for yourself at Lou’Mar, LA’s greatest new culinary combo invention. You will surely leave spellbound.

Follow @loumar.la to stay up to date.