Oakhurst Loses a Chinese Restaurant but Gains a Korean Tavern Tonight

Son of a Bear, the new Korean tavern and soju bar replacing Double Dragon Chinese in Oakhurst, opens tonight at 5 p.m. Both restaurants are owned by Michael Lo and chef George Yu (Taiyo Ramen, Suzy Siu’s Baos, Noona).

The Korean tavern’s menu focuses on small plates such as kimchi fried rice balls, Korean chicken wings, and country fried kalbi bites and shared items like pork bo ssam and hearty budae jjigae or army stew. For those who don’t like sharing, there’s charred bulgogi, a kalbi pork and beef meatloaf sandwich, and hangover ramyeon with pork belly and kimchi.

The food at Son of a Bear is meant to pair with the bar’s selection of mainly local and Korean beers, sojus by the bottle (fermented rice wine), and soju cocktails consisting of fresh juices or yogurts. Whiskey cocktails along with a very small list of wines — including blackberry and plum Korean wine — are also available for sipping.

Jinkuk “Jay” Lee, formerly of Breakers Korean BBQ in Duluth, serves as executive chef. Lee began his cooking career in Seoul, Korea and worked at the St. Regis hotel in Park City, Utah before moving to Atlanta.

Take a look at the menu:

Son of a Bear is named for Dangun — a legendary figure said to have founded the first Korean kingdom and was the “grandson of heaven” and the “son of a bear.”

Lo and Yu will open Ramen Station at Larkin on Memorial in Grant Park this fall.

Open Sunday - Thursday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

• Restaurant Owners Swap Out Their Chinese Restaurant for Korean [EATL]
• Taiyo Ramen Owners Will Open Double Dragon Chinese in Oakhurst This Spring [EATL]
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