Fast-Casual Korean Restaurant Joins Jolly Pumpkin in Royal Oak

A Korean-influenced street food restaurant called Gogi Seoul Kitchen is moving in alongside Jolly Pumpkin and Bastone Brewing in Royal Oak. The fast-casual spot from Jolly Pumpkin managing partner Jon Carlson is slated to open 4 p.m. at 109 East Fifth St. on Tuesday, June 5, per a release.

Through Jolly Pumpkin’s parent company Northern United Brewing Company, Carlson began to develop ties to South Korea three years ago during the development of Playground Brewery in the Gyeonggi-do province. Last year, members of Jolly Pumpkin’s culinary team traveled to South Korea to learn more about the country’s food.

Jolly Pumpkin originally debuted in Royal Oak last summer. Gogi will share portions of the corner building including bathrooms but will operate out of a separate kitchen. Carlson brought in Detroit-based artist to create murals for Gogi. The new artwork features “four guardians of the cardinal directions,” as a symbol of luck, artist Ngianhormua Yang says in a release.

Gogi [Official photo]

Gogi will offer some of the flavors from traditional Korean food with influences from other Asian cuisines. Diners can expect options like bibimbap and beet poke salad. Likewise, Gogi will share a bar with Jolly Pumpkin so patrons can order sour beers with their meal or choose from options like soju. Bastone, which currently operates out of the basement of the building, has also brewed two new beers in honor of Gogi — a “slightly tart” blonde ale called Gogi-Wan-Kenobi and a raspberry saison called Raspberry Kitten.

Gogi Seoul Kitchen is located at 109 East Fifth St.; open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday; and 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday.

• Look Inside Royal Oak’s New Two-in-One Brewpub [ED]
• All Openings Coverage [ED]