Chef brings memories of Korean home to new restaurant above Ann Arbor’s Jolly Pumpkin

Above Jolly Pumpkin Cafe and Brewery on the second floor of 311 S. Main St. in Ann Arbor, Chef James Park is eager to share his heart, soul – and Seoul. Since a Nov. 13 grand opening, he’s been welcoming diners to his first restaurant, Bori Korean Kitchen & Bar. Park describes Bori as “a love letter to Korea, to Ann Arbor, and to the feeling of home.”

Park moved from South Korea to the U.S. seven years ago. He earned his culinary degree from Grand Rapids Community College and has cooked for notable Michigan restaurants including Jolly Pumpkin and Miss Kim in Ann Arbor. Food, he believes, is a language all its own. Bold flavors, fresh food, and cultural connections to Park’s motherland are what diners can expect from Bori’s carefully curated menu. 

So far, he says diners are especially enjoying Bori’s dakgangjeong (crispy glazed chicken). 

“The Korean food [that] is the most popular in the world is Korean fried chicken,” Park says, noting that Bori offers plain, soy garlic, and spicy dakgangjeong.

Other signature dishes include kimbap (Korean sushi rolls), Korean pizzas (think marinated beef, pork belly, and kimchi), dolsot bibimbap (hot stone pot), gaeseong juak (Korean traditional donuts), and japchae. Japchae, a glass noodle dish, is what Park recommends to first-time diners in search of unforgettable Korean comfort food.

“In America, [it’s] not found. It’s a flavor and texture. A very famous, traditional food,” Park says. “We gotta make it on the special days. So birthdays, New Year’s Day, and then some events, party food. [The] texture is very specific and chewy.”

The essence of Korean culture is also expressed through Bori’s drink menu, which includes craft cocktails, beer, wine, and classic Korean favorites like soju, seju, and makgeolli. 

“I want to introduce another community to Korean food, and I try [to] keep the basic flavors, but with the opportunity to create these new, different flavors,” Park says. “Korean culture is very close, tight, … food, alcohol, and karaoke. I wanted to design this restaurant with that concept in mind.”

Since opening Bori, Park has read every review of his restaurant daily. One reviewer wrote that their Korean spouse thought that Bori had the best Korean food outside of Korea. 

“This is [a] kind review. I’m so happy. Sometimes a customer tells me, ‘so every food is wonderful’, but I don’t 100% believe that,” Park says. 

Bori features a noraebang (Korean-style karaoke room), which can be reserved for gatherings and celebrations. What’s culturally significant, and different from most American-style counterparts, is that noraebangs are private. But they’re the same in that they’re lively, fun, communal bonding spaces.

When asked if Bori guests could expect to hear him sing in the noraebang, Park confides that it’s not his forte, but anything is possible.

“Honestly, I don’t like it. [I] just listen to the music,” he says. “I’m happy to encourage others, but I just want to enjoy the atmosphere. Maybe one day.”