FUNDAMENTAL

Photo Courtesy of Frank Wonho Lee

Photo Courtesy of Frank Wonho Lee

Photo Courtesy of Frank Wonho Lee

Photo Courtesy of Frank Wonho Lee

Fundamental

Opened in 2011 by owners Jeffrey Faust and Woogene Lee, fundamental LA is a beloved Westwood neighborhood institution, known for its counter service lunch, more refined full-service dinner, and eclectic wine selection. Faust and Lee have expanded their concept to Downtown Los Angeles - fundamental DTLA. The new location offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, offering continuous service, daily. Breakfast service offers a wide selection of pastries and baked goods on display, and all breads (except gluten free option) for sandwiches at both locations are now baked inhouse.

Andy Lee, who has been executive chef for fundamental LA’s popular events and catering branch since Fall 206, helms the kitchen. He seamlessly rounds out fundamental LA’s seasonal comfort fare, with an entirely new breakfast menu and additions to lunch standards. For dinner, the menu touts flavor-driven crowd-pleasers that feature farmers market produce, sustainable seafood and modern dishes influenced by an array of international flavors. The main dining room seats 40, the bar seats 6, and the outdoor patio provides an additional 16 seats along Grand Avenue. fundamental DTLA offers guests the choice to dine-in (full-service) or take-out (counter service) for lunch; there is also a call-ahead option for quick pick-up. General Manager Pamela Stampahar (Cultiva, Momofuku, Westville) oversees hospitality.

Wine Director Alicia Kemper (Tippler Club) curates an eclectic collection of easy-drinking small producer and natural wines, as well as a diverse beer list. Beverage Consultant Gabriella Mlynarczyk’s cocktail program features features signature cocktails and mocktails including the Earl Grey Tea (goat milk washed Scotch, amaretto, honey, peat) and Matcha Tea (Pisco, peach calpico, sparkling sake, absinthe, salt) as well as riffs on classics.

Owners Faust and Lee wanted the ambiance to be light and airy, and to create a space that offered a welcoming warmth that you would expect from a neighborhood restaurant. They collaborated on the interior details with designer Lucinda Pacé of Concept XL who integrated lush aesthetics, with plants and greenery all over and macramé accented planters. Comfy banquettes with warm

woods and brushed brass make up the dining space; marble countertops and a deep teal-blue tiled bar round out the space.The bar is a focal point for fundamental DTLA, offering a new facet that echoes their mission to create a place where friends can come together to enjoy great food and drinks.

Originally from Huntington Beach, fundamental LA co-owners Jeffrey Faust and Woogene Lee have been friends since childhood, and earned their degrees concurrently at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Initially pursuing careers at corporate powerhouses KPMG and Bain & Company, respectively, they opened Los Angeles mainstay fundamental LA in 2011. Located in Westwood, Faust managed the front of house operations, including curating an eclectic wine program, while Lee, who learned in the kitchen at Michelin-rated Mélisse in Santa Monica, developed the menu and supervised kitchen operations.

Inspired by the unique, chef-driven restaurants they frequented in the Bay Area while in college, Faust and Lee conceptualized fundamental LA – an intimate restaurant space that works double-duty creating two completely different atmospheres for lunch and dinner. Lunch features a more casual menu with artisanal sandwiches and salads, like their fried chicken sandwich and their real vanilla cream soda. Dinner presents a more composed, seasonal offering along with a compelling wine and beer list. Their teamwork, dedication, and the success of fundamental LA earned them a spot on Zagat’s 30 Under 30 list in 2014.

Now focused on growing the fundamental LAbrand and concept through catering, special events and an innovative lunch delivery concept, the duo has expanded their team with the addition of a general manager whose background is steeped in fine dining and a young, up-and-coming executive chef with a penchant for progressive and modern techniques fused with a very California sensibility.

FUNDAMENTAL

750 South Grand Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012

www.fundamental-dtla.com