Four months after going on the market, Gangchu has new owners who’ll reopen the Seminole Heights restaurant on Saturday.
“We signed about two weeks ago,” Josh Kang told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay last Friday, about the deal that gives him and his wife Jeanie control of the building and business.
The couple has owned and operated Brandon’s Bom Oriental Market for about four years. Josh also runs five franchise locations of Charleys Cheesesteaks between the Bay area, Georgia and Ohio. Jeanie is a lawyer by trade, and a great cook, too. The couple wanted to run an independent Korean food restaurant before opening any of the Charleys locations.
“We love to have fun, so this concept is a really perfect fit for us,” Josh added about the decision to move in.
He’s excited to use his management skills, his wife’s food knowledge, and more help from Jeanie’s brother Sam who is also a great cook, to serve customers who’re already used to having Korean food at 6618 N Nebraska Ave.
Josh said that for now, Gangchu 2.0 will run a smaller menu than the previous iteration.
He mentioned a new Yangnyeom chicken wings with four sauces (original, soy garlic, sweet and spicy, and hot with Thai chili pepper) is on that menu ($14-$19), along with beef bulgogi ($18), tteokbokki ($13) and jaeyook ($18).
A newly posted takeout menu also has kimchi fried rice ($17) and pancake ($14), boneless chicken ($12-$17), snack platters and fries ($6-$7), beef dumplings ($9) and even Korean ramen ($6).
“But as soon as we settle in the kitchen, we will keep developing more dishes,” he explained, added that he and Jeanie will also bring in a more expansive soup menu.
The bar will operate as well, and the N/A beverage list includes fruit-flavored sodas (calamansi, watermelon, mango, melon, plum)
Mostly everything on the menu can be sourced through distributors who service Bom Market, too.
Party people will be happy to know that Gangchu’s karaoke room will also stay the same.
Gangchu has its grand reopening Saturday, Aug. 10 at noon. After that, it will be closed open noon-11 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, and noon-midnight Friday-Saturday. The restaurant will be closed on Mondays.
Josh says Gangchu is hiring servers, but prefers to hire slowly as the kitchen grows.
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UPDATED: 08/08/24 7:25 p.m. Updated to make clear that the Kangs own the building and business.
“We signed about two weeks ago,” Josh Kang told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay last Friday, about the deal that gives him and his wife Jeanie control of the building and business.
The couple has owned and operated Brandon’s Bom Oriental Market for about four years. Josh also runs five franchise locations of Charleys Cheesesteaks between the Bay area, Georgia and Ohio. Jeanie is a lawyer by trade, and a great cook, too. The couple wanted to run an independent Korean food restaurant before opening any of the Charleys locations.
“We love to have fun, so this concept is a really perfect fit for us,” Josh added about the decision to move in.
He’s excited to use his management skills, his wife’s food knowledge, and more help from Jeanie’s brother Sam who is also a great cook, to serve customers who’re already used to having Korean food at 6618 N Nebraska Ave.
Josh said that for now, Gangchu 2.0 will run a smaller menu than the previous iteration.
He mentioned a new Yangnyeom chicken wings with four sauces (original, soy garlic, sweet and spicy, and hot with Thai chili pepper) is on that menu ($14-$19), along with beef bulgogi ($18), tteokbokki ($13) and jaeyook ($18).
PHoto by Ray Roa
Gangchu's new Yangnyeom chicken wings come with a choice of four sauces (original, soy garlic, sweet and spicy, and hot with Thai chili pepper).
“But as soon as we settle in the kitchen, we will keep developing more dishes,” he explained, added that he and Jeanie will also bring in a more expansive soup menu.
The bar will operate as well, and the N/A beverage list includes fruit-flavored sodas (calamansi, watermelon, mango, melon, plum)
Mostly everything on the menu can be sourced through distributors who service Bom Market, too.
Party people will be happy to know that Gangchu’s karaoke room will also stay the same.
Gangchu has its grand reopening Saturday, Aug. 10 at noon. After that, it will be closed open noon-11 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday, and noon-midnight Friday-Saturday. The restaurant will be closed on Mondays.
Josh says Gangchu is hiring servers, but prefers to hire slowly as the kitchen grows.
Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.
Follow us: Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
UPDATED: 08/08/24 7:25 p.m. Updated to make clear that the Kangs own the building and business.
