Now Southland K-wave fans can add genuine K-cuisine to their palates thanks to restaurateurs, Jackie Lee and Joseph Hong.
The South Korean couple are the new owners of the former Canton restaurant in Dee St, and have now made it the home of their Korean Bob eatery.
They will hold a soft-opening tomorrow, to give customers a taste of their "Korean family recipes" that chef Jackie has whipped up for their special guests.
Ms Lee’s elderly mother passed on her culinary skills to her so the "home-made style" dishes on the Korean Bob menu have been crafted and enjoyed by many over a lifetime.
Korean barbecue, bulgogi, Korean pancakes, spicy pork, bibimbap, kimbap and, of course, kimchi will feature on the menu.
Chef Jackie has inherited her mother’s rich legacy and seeks to combine her knowledge with her ability to cook for hundreds of hungry punters in this new shared venture.
"I’m thankful to my mother for teaching me how to cook.
"I love cooking and I just love seeing people come together and enjoying my food," Ms Lee said.
The enthusiastic husband and wife team did not just want to open a new business but saw this as an opportunity to use "Korean Bob" as a cultural exchange, to get a better understanding of each other.
"We call Korean Bob our cultural library."
Lunch would be served from 11am-2pm and then 2pm-5pm would be "snack time", Ms Lee said.
"Anybody can come in, especially students, to buy snacks, cookies, Korean tea, or ramen while using the free internet.
"Then from 5pm-7.30pm are our dinner hours," Mr Hong said.
While chef Jackie mans the kitchen, Mr Hong will confidently manage the restaurant.
From hosting family dinners in South Korea to catering for hundreds in Southland, Korean Bob is about to slay the "K-way and K-cuisine on ‘Inver-K-gill’".
Korean Bob restaurant at 146 Dee St will be having a grand opening on October 18.
To find out more, find Korean Bob on social media.
