One of Tofino's top restaurants is opening in Vancouver this week
If you’re in Tofino and looking for a standout dining experience, many will recommend you check out Jeju: the Korean restaurant, which opened back in 2021. Now, the team is gearing up to open its first Vancouver location, bringing with it its refined dishes and deeply rooted family ties.
Previously, Jeju owners Sungeun “Sung” Kim and Yunyoung “Dylan” Kim said this new location represents a longtime dream.
“Vancouver has been home for most of my life since immigrating from Korea,” Chef Dylan told us during a sneak peek of the new restaurant.
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“While Tofino has become another home for us, opening a restaurant in Vancouver has been my dream since I was 18. In fact, before opening in Tofino, we tried to find a space in Vancouver but simply couldn’t afford it at the time.”
The restaurant, which was designed by &Daughters and constructed by Must’ART (while the brand identity was created by Glasfurd & Walker), aims to pay homage to traditional Korean heritage.
The space features elements such as large hanging light fixtures that evoke the thatched straw roofs of Jeju’s chogajip houses, polished concrete floors representing the natural gradient seen in Tofino’s Long Beach, and even a traditional three-pole gate (jeongnang) that signals that the family is at home/the restaurant is open.
Leila Kwok
On the menu, you’ll find plenty to enjoy, including Spot Prawn served with dill oil, orange vinaigrette, and garlic aioli, a seasonal fish dish featuring flavours of doenjang jjigae, and Jeju’s signature 35-day aged Galbi served with ssam and banchan.
Galbi (Leila Kwok)
Located at 540 East Broadway, Jeju Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant space will welcome guests starting Nov. 13.
With files from Hanna McLean
Jeju Vancouver
Address: 540 East Broadway, Vancouver
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