Chef Bobby Shin’s Zoomak Korean Tavern in Vancouver’s Gastown delivers drool-worthy Korean food that respects tradition while allowing room for improvement. The restaurant, located at 52 Alexander Street, opened in 2020 at the onset of the pandemic, and has since become a popular spot for its bold, punchy flavours and welcoming atmosphere.
Chef Bobby Shin’s Culinary Journey
Shin, who previously owned Maru Korean Bistro in North Vancouver, brings a guileless attitude and astute approach to Korean cuisine. His passion for cooking wasn’t sparked by family meals; he admits his mother’s cooking was so poor that he cooks for her when he visits home. After culinary school, he worked in hotels and French and Japanese restaurants abroad before focusing on Korean food for his own establishments.
Signature Dishes and Techniques
Zoomak’s menu features traditional Korean dishes with modern twists. The bestselling bossam, for example, traditionally involves simmering pork belly in aromatic broth before slicing and serving as a lettuce wrap. Instead, Shin sous vides the pork, then fries the skin to audible crispness, serving it with tofu and stir-fried kimchi. He frequently uses woks, which are not traditionally Korean, to achieve a wallop of heat, caramelization, and subtle smokiness.
“A lot of immigrants miss mom’s food. My mom was so bad at it, I’m still not missing her food. So sorry to my mom but she knows it and doesn’t blame me,” Shin told the Vancouver Sun. “Whenever I go home to visit, I cook for her and she’s very, very happy.”
Fermentation at the Core
Fermented kimchi at Zoomak is made using Shin’s wife’s recipe. Shin plans to showcase Korean fermentation in a new restaurant called Baryo, expected to open by the end of the year. “I want people to know more about Korean food,” he said. “People think it’s easy compared to other cuisines but it’s very complicated and I want to show it.” Baryo will produce Korean miso, gochujang, fish sauce, pickles, and even an attempt at soy sauce.
Vancouver’s Evolving Korean Food Scene
Zoomak is part of a wave of polished Korean restaurants in Vancouver, including Jeju, Nui, and Nabi House, that are elevating K-cuisine. Shin notes that the city’s taste for Korean food is relaxing as these establishments entice with tantalizingly elevated dishes. A new outdoor summer Korean BBQ on a farm in Maple Ridge, where diners cook their own meats, is fully booked for the season.
Well-executed Korean dishes, with their bold, punchy, spicy flavours and bottomless umami, are among the most addictive, according to the review. The Korean affinity for fermented dishes provides a digestive blessing—no bloat, no heaviness.
Practical Information
Zoomak Korean Tavern is open Monday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, with Happy Hour Monday to Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. and 9 to 11 p.m. For more information, visit zoomakyvr.com.
