Kimchi pancakes anyone? Korean restaurant opens in O’Fallon

It’s hard to find Korean food in the metro-east. (Search for it the next time you’re in the mood for seafood stew. Not a ton of options out there.)

Sure, Asian buffets come a dime a dozen, but authentic Korean dishes — the kind found on kitchen tables in South Korea — aren’t easy for foodies to find on this side of the river.

That’s why Min Sun Song and his wife, Seonghee Kim, recently opened Korean Bobsang at 108 Regency Park in O’Fallon.

“Bobsang is a Korean table,” Song said. “It’s actually the table where we serve breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

The menu features signature Korean dishes, similar to those Song’s mother makes in South Korea.

From kimchi pancakes to honey butter fried chicken, the menu is a reflection of Song’s childhood, his family said.

Seolleong Tang could become a popular at Song’s new place. The ox bone soup is packed with flavor.

Song is a vegetarian, which means the menu has plenty of items for patrons who don’t eat meat. His family recommends the Bibim-Bob. The big bowl of rice is topped with vegetables, spicy sauce and a fried egg. If you’re a carnivore, add beef.

A tranquil fountain greets customers as they enter the restaurant. The dining room is simple for now, but eventually the family wants to add a traditional Korean table similar to those sound in Song’s hometown.

Song was born in South Korea, but he isn’t stranger to the metro-east.

A master sushi chef, Song, worked for three years at the Scott Air Force Base Commissary. His culinary experience also includes 15 years at a Japanese steakhouse in Chicago.

More than a decade later, Song is returning to his roots.

Want to go? The family-owned establishment is open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday. The restaurant is open from 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Korean Bobsang is closed Monday.

This story was originally published May 22, 2017 at 6:08 PM with the headline "Kimchi pancakes anyone? Korean restaurant opens in O’Fallon."