Restaurateur Munsok So is expanding his footprint in St. Louis. The owner of Drunken Fish and 612North Event Space and Catering plans to open a second location of his Korean fusion concept, Kimchi Guys, this June at 282 N. Skinker, the former home of ‘Zza Pizza + Salad.
So opened the flagship restaurant in Laclede’s Landing in February 2019 and quickly gained a following for traditional Korean dishes (such as bibimbap and several varieties of kimchi), as well as a new type of KFC, Korean fried chicken, which is fried twice in a starch-based batter to create extra-crispy results. So thought the dish would attract a following, but he didn’t expect that business would double during the pandemic, mainly due to the desire for takeout food. “And it hasn’t let up,” he says.
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With the second location, he hopes to introduce the concept to more people across the region. “Laclede’s Landing is pretty far east for some people,” So says. “We thought the time was right to take Kimchi Guys west.” He describes the proximity to Washington University as a plus. There’s also restaurant synergy on the block: Nami Ramen recently relocated from Clayton to the space next door, and Kaldi’s Coffee (formerly Kayak’s) anchors the corner space that faces Forest Park Parkway.
The long, narrow 40-seat space inside will have a wall of counter seating to one side and a long banquette on the opposing wall. So plans to “double down on the convenience factor by adding a takeout window on the side of the building,” he says.
So first made his mark on the St. Louis dining scene in 2003, when he opened Drunken Fish, eventually opening locations in the Central West End, Westport Plaza, and Laclede’s Landing, as well as Kansas City’s Power & Light District and Ballpark Village (both projects involving The Cordish Companies).
Then, in 2015, the historic location on Laclede’s Landing that housed Drunken Fish partially collapsed. “Our building, the Cutlery Building, was feet from the Eads Bridge and immediately next to the MetroLink stop,” So recalled. “Drunken Fish was on the first floor. Our offices were on the fourth and I normally would work through lunch. In August 2015, I left to grab lunch with a friend who just happened to stop by, and within 20 minutes I got a call that the south wall of the building had collapsed. The chair that was left dangling in the air was the one I used in the conference room.”
Undeterred, So reinvested and rebuilt the building, located just north of the overhauled Arch grounds. The renovated five-story structure now houses both Kimchi Guys and 612North.
Today, not only has Kimchi Guys’ takeout business increased, but So has seen a similar trend at Drunken Fish, where he plans to apply the mass appeal of Kimchi Guys’ Korean flavors to sashimi, nigiri, rolls, and bowls, including a seafood bibimbap served in a hot stone bowl. (Already, the restaurant chain has become known for its unexpected sushi arrangements, including sushi menorah platters during the holiday season.)
“Before the pandemic, Fish’s takeout business was 5 percent of sales. It grew to 50 [percent], and it’s still 50,” he says. “I never saw that coming.”
