A Korean trio of restaurants heads to Allston, starting with Sanbada

Food News

Sanbada is now open, but two more concepts are coming soon.

Sanbada is part of a Korean trio of restaurants that is now open in Allston. The other two restaurants are coming soon. Courtesy of Sanbada

A Korean restaurant trio has popped up in Allston, with one opening down and two more to go in a bright and modern takeover of the former Tavern in the Square space.

Dean Kwak, Mark Kim, and Henry Kim — part of the team behind Sanbada, Bombbada, and Jinjee — know Allston, long considered Boston’s Koreatown. Kwak and Mark Kim also own breakfast and lunch spot Cafe Weekend on Harvard Avenue, while others on the team have worked at Bonchon, Kaju Tofu House, the now-closed Kim’s Tofu, and other local spots.

Henry Kim, a managing partner on the new project and owner of the Cap’t Loui franchise, said that despite Allston’s reputation as the city’s hub for Korean food, there’s still a need for more authenticity.

“Everything started from one question,” Kim said. “Why aren’t there any good Korean restaurants in Boston?”

He said it’s the “consensus” among Koreans in the community to feel like they have to travel to New York or New Jersey for better Korean food. With this new trio of concepts, Kim feels confident that diners no longer have to board the Acela for quality Korean cuisine.

Sanbada

Good news for eager Boston diners: One-third of the trio is open to the public, starting with Sanbada. Kim said since its Allston debut on Feb. 14, the spot has been slammed.

In Korean, “san” means mountain and “bada” means ocean — a concept reflected in the menu that’s a marriage of both.

The “mountain” side shows up in the spread of banchan, small side dishes that come to the table, like lotus root with black sesame dressing, fried eggplant, and Japchae stir-fried noodles. The space aims for natural, too, with light, minimalistic wood tones for furniture and lighting pouring in from its large windows.

But the main focus is the ocean. Whole grilled fish sets make up most of the menu, a popular dish in South Korea, according to one of the managing partners Henry Kim, one of the managing partners behind Sanbada and the two concepts to come.

“We brought in a brick oven from Italy that heats up to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, making the fish crispy on the outside and moist on the inside,” Kim said over email.

The smoky mackerel fish is their most popular dish, but the menu also includes belt fish, soy-marinated shrimp, and non-seafood options like spicy pork and bulgogi patties.

Main dishes come as a set: eight banchan to start, followed by access to an unlimited banchan bar, rice, soup of the day, and even unlimited ice cream to end on a sweet note. Prices range from $22 to $30, depending on the main dish and if it’s ordered during lunch or dinner hours.

The menu is still subject to change, with Kim estimating Sanbada’s concept is 90% complete.

Bombbada

Next up is Bombbada — “bam” translating to night in Korean — a late-night counterpart to Sanbada staying open until 2 a.m.

Once Sanbada closes, the space will transform into Bombbada, with trendier dishes and soju and beer for beverages, Kim said.

“If Sanbada provides an authentic home cooking experience, Bombbada offers trendy dishes that pair well with soju and beer — limited but trendy menu items that Boston lacks for people to hang out at night,” Kim said.

Guests will have to wait for Bombbada’s debut for a few months, likely in July.

Jinjee

Jinjee, a Korean BBQ concept, is set to open sooner in mid-April.

The name comes from “jinjee,” a polite word for meal, and the restaurant is inspired by eating at your grandmother’s home, where there’s a table full of food prepared with “heartfelt care,” Kim said.

Guests can expect tabletop grills, though menus aren’t yet available.

Sanbada is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Updates on Bombbada and Jinjee can be found on Instagram.

Sanbada (now open), Bombbada (opening July), and Jinjee (opening mid-April) are located at 165 Brighton Ave., Allston.

Katelyn Umholtz

Food and Restaurant Reporter

Katelyn Umholtz covers food and restaurants for Boston.com. Katelyn is also the author of The Dish, a weekly food newsletter.

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