Ohsun Banchan Korean Deli Is Opening in Seattle’s Pioneer Square

Wildly common Seattle Korean pop-up Ohsun Banchan is opening a Pioneer Sq. deli and cafe in October serving noodles, soups, stewed meats — and what’s going to in all probability be the most important number of banchan at any Korean restaurant within the Seattle space.

Ohsun Banchan proprietor Sarah Upshaw, a Korean cookbook creator and blogger, began doing Korean meals pop-ups beneath the title Jinjia final yr. Although she’d been working in Nordstrom’s picture division for ten years, she quickly realized she wished to work in meals full time. (Beforehand, she’d written a Korean barbecue cookbook and maintained a Korean meals weblog known as Kimchi Halfie, a reference to her half-Korean identification, whereas working at Nordstrom.) That’s when she rebranded and turned her focus to banchan, the aspect dishes served with rice in most Korean meals, typically kimchi or different pickled greens.

Although Upshaw says she’s joyful to see Korean barbecue and hotdogs grow to be common within the U.S. in the previous couple of years, she desires diners to study extra about different sides of Korean delicacies. She even desires to assist introduce people who find themselves pretty aware of Korean delicacies to new forms of banchan.

Sara Upshaw

“No matter’s in season, we’ll both pickle it or make it into kimchi,” Upshaw says. “We’re so excited to point out folks issues moreover the common Napa cabbage spicy kimchi.”

A spotlight of the area, just some blocks north of Lumen Area at 221 1st Avenue South, can be a deli case displaying about 10 banchan daily. Past rotating seasonal kimchi (assume garlic scapes in late spring and apples within the fall), there can be some standbys together with a vegan Napa cabbage kimchi.

She’ll additionally serve totally different soups, like kimchi jigae, bean sprout soup, and seaweed soup, daily. “An ordinary Korean meal is a bowl of rice, three to 5 banchan, then a bowl of soup,” she says.

The lunch menu will embrace noodle bowls with contemporary greens. And although she’s attempting to maintain the menu at the least 50 p.c vegan, there can be specials with dishes like galbijjim (braised brief ribs), bo ssam (sliced pork with contemporary herbs and greens), and stewed pork stomach. Pajeon (Korean pancake) might also be launched sooner or later, relying on kitchen capability. Upshaw says she’ll take occasional catering requests for particular dishes as effectively.

At evening, Upshaw sees the area turning into someplace folks can drink native gluten-free beer, cider, wine, and gluten-free soju, whereas she serves Korean snacks and dinner dishes.

The ethereal deli area, which was previously a Quiznos and a kebab spot, can have round 35 indoor seats, with a bar subsequent to the kitchen for individuals who wish to chat with the employees. Upshaw can also be constructing a patio space on 1st Avenue. The service can be fast-casual.

Sara Upshaw

Sara Upshaw

Upshaw says that her concentrate on vegan dishes typically make folks query the authenticity of her cooking. On the similar time, being a half-Korean girl, she says she’s been instructed all her life that “you’re actually not that Korean.” However she likes to remind folks of Korea’s vegan Buddhist culinary custom, wherein monks have been making kimchi with out shrimp or fish sauce for hundreds of years. Additionally, Korean cooking is various, and he or she says folks typically equate custom with their moms’ cooking, even when their mothers use trendy substances like Sprite to marinate their meats.

“Should you ask me, it’s Korean meals,” Upshaw says.

Whereas the meals at Ohsun Banchan can be genuine to Upshaw’s upbringing and ancestry, she’s taking care to get the kitchen licensed gluten-free, and utilizing solely gluten-free substances, as a result of she wished to create a protected area for her gluten-free mates to dine-out and luxuriate in Korean meals. “I need this to be someplace folks can come and really feel consolation,” she says — the explanation she named the enterprise after her grandmother’s first title. “Are available, ask questions, speak to us,” Upshaw says.

Whereas she works on getting the deli open, Upshaw remains to be doing Ohsun Banchan pop-ups, albeit rather less typically. Maintain up to date on Ohsun Banchan’s Instagram.