Peter Jo is a man on a mission. That mission, should you choose to accept it, is to change your perception of what Korean cuisine can be - the food here recently rocked , whose headline read: "Shik’s Korean Food Is Ahead of Its Time, and Melbourne May Be Missing It".
For the most part, Australian diners are familiar with kimchi, Korean fried chicken and even bimbimbap – those deliciously nourishing bowls of rice topped with a rainbow of veggies and grilled meat – but that’s where some folks' awareness stops.
Proud Korean, natural wine slinger, self-taught cook and now second generation restaurateur (his family are behind Sydney’s ever-popular Madang and Danjee restaurants), Pete Jo, aka. Kimchi Pete has finally realised his dream of opening his own Korean dining experience, and he’s hoping Melbourne thinks it’s the.
is the culmination of years of Korean pop-up dinners, honing Jo’s craft both front and back of house at restaurants like Momofuku Seiobo, Berta, Annam and Belle’s Hot Chicken – and of course, years of dreaming about celebrating Korean food his way. The result is an elevated take on Korean dining, set into a sleek 65 seater space on Niagara Lane in Melbourne’s CBD.
Anyone who has ever met Jo is immediately struck by his earnest and sincere love of his Korean culture and cuisine, and the menu here honours that approach. It showcases traditional techniques and recipes, though interpreted through the lens of Jo’s experiences travelling to Korea and his extensive (sometimes obsessive) research. This gives Shik a modern and very personal context, while honouring rich and delicious roots.
From lacto-fermenting, salting, drying and pickling, produce is transformed into Jo’s vision of how we should see – and eat – Korean food. There’s more familiar dishes like juicy grilled meats and seafood, pork and kimchi pancakes, and braised pork belly bossam, to less familiar pairings like persimmon kimchi; go in with an open mind and be prepared to learn about this vibrant cuisine’s culture while you eat.
Kimchi Pete says “[Shik] is an extension of me, my Korean background, my Korean-Australian identity and my story.” That story carries with it not only a considerable amount of culinary and cultural knowledge, but a love of natural wine, and diners can swill on a selection of the wine-style of the moment, as well as boozy Korean staples.
Not all restaurants fight so hard to come to life and with such a burning desire to express something, but every so often, a guy like Kimchi Pete comes along. Prepare to be immersed and fully involved in this new Korean story.
Mon - Sat 5pm - late
30 Niagara Lane, Melbourne VIC
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