Korean-southern barbecue restaurant to open downtown in June
Oakblue Kitchen will fuse Korean and southern food for a fun, creative and delicious dining expereince
Korean-southern barbecue restaurant to open downtown in June Oakblue Kitchen will fuse Korean and southern food for a fun, creative and delicious dining expereince Check out this story on greenvilleonline.com: https://grnol.co/27hecat
Lillia Callum-Penso, lpenso@greenvillenews.com Published 1:48 p.m. ET May 12, 2016 | Updated 3:00 p.m. ET May 12, 2016
Oakblue Kitchen will open at 109 N. Main St. in Greenville this summer.(Photo: Courtesy Oakblue Kitchen)
John Ko can't help himself, he loves change. That's why, after Ko sold his popular casual taco concept, Local Taco last fall, he didn't wait long before diving into a new restaurant.
Ko will open that new concept, Oakblue Kitchen, in June in the location formerly housed by Bravo! Mexican restaurant, at 109 N. Main St., and while the 2500-square-foot restaurant will be equally creative as the Local Taco, Ko hopes it will be something entirely new for Greenville.
Oakblue Kitchen will offer a mix of traditional southern and Korean barbecue, as well as craft cocktails, in a modern rustic setting.
"It's a little bit of a risk to do something that is Korean and southern," Ko says with a grin. "But I figured, might as well! And everybody is venturing out and trying new things these days."
You could say Oakblue Kitchen is the culmination of a lifetime of living with dual cultural identities. The marriage of Korean and Southern is a reflection of Ko's upbringing, growing up in south Georgia, the son of Korean parents.
"My mom cooked Korean food almost every night, and our treat was to go out and get barbecue or some sort of southern food," Ko says. "So I grew up loving southern foods, but I still love my mom's cooking. So, I had the idea of just putting the two together."
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The idea for Oakblue has been simmering for some time, but Ko wasn't quite ready, and neither was Greenville. Now, he says, his adopted city (he moved here from Nashville last fall), with its vibrant food scene, is primed for "something new."
Oakblue Kitchen will offer a mix of traditional southern and Korean barbecue, as well as craft cocktails, in a comfortable, rustic setting. Executive chef, Kris McGowan has developed a menu that melds the two cultures, and that he hopes, honors both.
McGowan brings over two decades of experience in the restaurant industry. He has lived and worked around the country, but most recently at Breakwater Restaurant & Bar. He connected with Ko four years ago, when Ko opened his first Local Taco on Conestee Avenue in Greenville.
McGowan had gotten out of the business in the past two years but jumped at the chance to be involved with what he says is a chance at creative license. The veteran chef is pulling from his own southern heritage and also working with Ko's mother to learn traditional Korean recipes. So far, the education is working, McGowan says, as Oakblue's menu is nearing completion.
That menu will include small plates, salads, sandwiches and entrees, but the piece de resistance will really be barbecue, something both cultures do well.
"The great thing about the two cuisines is they utilize a lot of the same ingredients," McGowan says. "So you get a lot of the same vegetables, a lot of the same starches, a lot of the same meats. It's just a different preparation and flavor profile.
"So it's really about finding a way to bring the two together so that they both shine."
Oakblue will offer a comfortable, family-friendly atmosphere in a contemporary rustic setting. (Photo: Courtesy Oakblue Kitchen)
McGowan, who grew up in Greenville eating traditional southern food has immersed himself in Korean food culture, reading, eating and consulting with experts. Ko's mom, in fact, has been a guide, sharing her traditional recipes for everything from dipping sauce to barbecue sauce.
Oakblue will serve up traditional Korean barbecue. The dish requires marinating the meats in a special soy, sesame, garlic-based sauce at least 36 hours and then cooking them over a charcoal grill. The result is a dish that hits all your taste buds, sweet, salty, savory and umami.
On the Southern barbecue side, you'll find ribs, smoked meats and fried chicken. All four barbecue sauces will also be represented: mustard, tomato, vinegar and a white.
The unique Korean-Southern marriage of cultures crosses over into the sides as well. You'll find scratch made mac and cheese and baked beans, fried okra grits, but also kimchi and other traditional Korean pickled vegetables.
"I knew right away that taking on the Korean cuisine was going to be a challenge," McGowan says. "But it takes a lot of work and dedication, but it's really fun to be able to try something new like this."
The beverage menu will be a mix of carefully crafted cocktails, local beers and a variety of wines.
The bar area will be set off somewhat from the main dining area, Ko says, which will allow for both a family-friendly atmosphere, as well as a place to get a nice drink. The bar will also feature a number of Happy Hour specials throughout the week.
"I'm so passionate about lots of different cultures and different types of food, and that's why this is so fun," Ko says. "We're going to have lots of fun with this."
Oakblue Kitchen is set to open in June. The restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner and offer indoor and outdoor seating.
For more check out http://oakbluekitchen.com
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