As the pandemic slows, Munsok So’s restaurant empire grows.
On Friday, October 22, So—the owner of Drunken Fish, 612North Event Space and Catering, and Miss Java—opened the second location of his popular Korean fusion concept, Kimchi Guys, at 282 N. Skinker, in the former home of ‘ZZA Pizza + Salad, next door to Nami Ramen (278 N. Skinker).
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In 2019, So opened the flagship Kimchi Guys restaurant on Laclede’s Landing, an area that he’s long promoted. Business doubled during the pandemic, mainly due to the public’s desire for takeout food, “and it hasn’t let up,” he told SLM this spring.
The fast-casual concept revolves around Korean-style fried chicken. So’s version is marinated, battered, and broasted (pressure-cooked) at two temperatures (low and then high) before being tossed in one of four sauces (Spicy Original, Korean Buffalo, Garlic Soy, or Honey Butter). Whatever the alchemy, the results are impressive. At the friends and family gathering on Wednesday night, one food aficionado opined that the broasted wings were “the most tender he’s ever had.” Proclamations of “best wings ever!” were overheard as well.
“We’ve been improving the recipe and cooking technique ever since Munsok opened the first store,” says Salman Mian, director of operations for So Hospitality Group.
Other items on the menu include chicken sandwiches, several kinds of bowls (including bibimbap and vegan options), Korean-Mexican items (such as the Korrito Combo), kimchi fried rice, and three kinds of kimchi.
Nonalcoholic beverages include fountain soda, bottled iced tea, Starbucks products, and Bang energy drinks. Several kinds of beer are also available (domestic, craft, and Hite), as well as Soju, the low-alcohol distilled spirit that’s popular in Korea and “that no one knows much about here,” according to So.
Inside the 45-seater, guests can order at the counter or from a self-order station to the right of the counter. A walk-up window was also installed to facilitate what will likely be the bulk of the business. “Between foot traffic and third-party delivery pick-ups, that window will get a ton of use,” So predicts.
And regarding that burgeoning restaurant empire, So says to look for a Kimchi Guys and a Drunken Fish, which are both slated to open in Edwardsville late next year.
