Opening day has been set for the Lower Greenville branch of BB Bop Seoul Kitchen, the Korean fast-casual concept that's part of a trio of restaurants going in next door to Trader Joe's. Mark it on your calendar: April 20.
The restaurant comes from Steve Shin and his sister and brother-in-law Sandy and Greg Bussey. It specializes in bibimbap, a Korean dish combining rice with vegetables, sauces, meat (if you want) and a fried egg. Located at 2023 Greenville Ave., it's the team's second branch, and it reflects an evolution, with new recipes and design.
According to a release, the inspiration for the new design is a Korean peasant kitchen. It has different types of woods and textures, iron pipes, and industrial lighting made from unusual materials such as stone bowls and kimchi jars. The wood tables were handcrafted by Martin Hironaga; no two tables are alike.
The menu is now divided into four sections:
- Bi Bim Bop (Korean rice bowls). Rice, vegetables, protein and an egg. New items in this section include apple cider pork belly and short rib, which comes with "Braggs Amino-seasoned vegetables." Mmmm, amino seasoning. Sounds tasty.
- Hanshik (Korean entrées). Classics reflecting Bussey's chef's touch, with banchans (Korean sides) that change with the season. This section is almost entirely new, and it includes fried chicken, kalbi and chicken wings.
- Anju (Korean small plates) includes kalbi lettuce wraps, glazed pork belly and mandu potstickers (with hand-rolled skins).
- Build Your Own Bop. Choose a protein, carb and three vegetables, plus toppings and sauces.
Also new: Alcohol will be served, including Asian beer and cocktails made with soju, a distilled rice liquor, in varieties such as green tea mint lemonade and hibiscus limeade. Other offerings include makkoli, a milky, off-white, sweet alcoholic rice beverage, and bek se ju, a fermented alcoholic rice beverage flavored with a variety of herbs such as ginseng.
The original BB Bop Seoul Kitchen opened in 2008 in Carrollton; it moved to its current home on Upper Greenville in 2010. It also serves as a test kitchen.
"We have taken great time on the design, branding and menu for the new location and look forward to growing the concept and hope to assist in bringing Korean food to the forefront of our city's dining choices," Shin says.
The other two concepts in the same building include a branch of Yucatan Taco Shop, slated to open shortly; and Rapscallion, a restaurant from the owners of Boulevardier in Oak Cliff, which is target to open in late May or early June. Another branch of BB Bop will open in Oak Cliff in late summer.
BB Bop Seoul Kitchen opens April 20 on Greenville Avenue.
