The restaurant is from the owner of Teriyaki 101, Sumo Hibachi, and other Asian-centric fast casual concepts.
When Seven Hens shuttered its Decatur doors last year, reports surfaced that a Korean street food concept would open in its place.
At the time, the details around the yet-to-be-disclosed concept were scarce.
Until now.
This restaurant’s replacement, Bullgogi, quietly opened its doors Wednesday at 2140 N Decatur Road, James Baek, the concept’s owner, Thursday confirmed in a telephone interview with What Now Atlanta.
Bullgogi is a play on the word “bulgogi,” a Korean dish that usually consists of grilled marinated beef. An extra “L” has been added to spell “bull” at the beginning in reference to the animal for which the dish is made, Baek said.
Bullgogi mimics the format of Teriyaki 101, one of the many restaurants Baek has developed alongside brands like Wings 101 and Sumo Hibachi.
Guests order bowls starting with a “base” (like steamed rice or salad), add a protein (like bulgogi or chicken teriyaki), and then choose from an array of toppings and sauces.
“I’ve always loved the Decatur area and its rich and mixed demographics,” Baek said. “I hope Bullgogi will get Korean food out there more to the general public.”
Bullgogi is “80 percent Korean” and a “gateway” to the “100 percent traditional Korean restaurants on Buford Highway,” Baek said.
For example, the spices in Bullgogi’s dishes are dialed down to better suit the “palette of the general public.”
“We use less garlic in our bulgogi to give it a sweeter taste.”
Baek has been developing restaurants for more than 10 years and grew up in and around eateries his entire life. Concepts Baek has developed outside of his own include places like Orange Coffee, Breakers Korean BBQ, Dan Moo Ji, and Thank U Chicken.
