A new restaurant called Pingtung is soft-opening today on Melrose in West Hollywood. The restaurant, which bills itself as an “eat-in market,” will operate as a casual cafe in the daytime, then go for a more glam vibe at night with cocktails and Asian nibbles.

The restaurant is owned by Li Ping, and is named after her hometown of Pingtung, Taiwan. The food covers a lot of ground: noodles, dumplings, dim sum, sushi rolls, bánh mì and other “tapas-style” dishes drawing influence from Taiwan, China, Vietnam, and Japan. The opening menu includes everything from ramen to shumai to galbi to spring rolls.

Ping has owned and operated many restaurants in New York City since the early '90s. Her ventures include Khin Khao (which closed last year), Kelly & Ping in SoHo, and Obeca Li and Lozoo in Tribeca. Ping now lives in L.A.

Press materials describe the space thusly:

The open-air dining room, bar, and patio are surrounded by shelves filled with teas, spices, sauces, sake, sochu, snacks, sodas, and other unique items from abroad, putting a modern twist on the indoor/outdoor market culture owner Li Ping grew up with in Pingtung, Taiwan.

The restaurant's hours will be 11:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Tues.-Sun. It opens to the public today at 11:30 a.m.

Pingtung: 7455 Melrose Avenue. 323-866-1866. pingtungla.com.

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