In the heart of St. Paul Street, lives one of Thunder Bay’s first Korean restaurants, officially known as The Bop Shop. Their menu consists of classic Korean dishes like kimchi fried rice, japchae (stir-fry glass noodles with vegetables), and kimbap (a seaweed rice roll filled with vegetables) to name a few. The owners, Minsun Kim and Thomas Sevin, first opened their doors in the urban market Goods & Co in 2023. When asked about their experience with their first opening, the couple said, “Goods & Co was an amazing place to start. It allowed us to test our dishes, meet our first customers, and see if Thunder Bay was ready for a Korean restaurant. Spoiler alert: it was!”
In November of last year, Kim and Sevin were able to open The Bop Shop in a new location on St. Paul Street. Of course, when trying to start a business, there are always challenges that will present themselves.
“There were a lot of learning curves.” said Kim. “Navigating permits, sourcing authentic ingredients, and managing the transition from a small kiosk to a full restaurant all came with their own challenges. Each obstacle taught us something valuable, and seeing people enjoy our food makes all the hard work worth it!”
In January, a few months after their new location opened, I reached out to see how the response had been. “Honestly, we’re so grateful for the warm welcome!” said Kim. “People are curious, excited, and love trying Korean food for the first time. We often hear, ‘I didn’t know I liked Korean food until now!’ and that just makes us so happy.”
When wondering what dish you should try first, Kim recommends mandu, (Korean fried dumplings) as they are “crispy on the outside, super flavorful on the inside”. Her husband’s favourite is bibimbap, a rice bowl with seasoned veggies and your choice of protein, saying “it’s colourful, packed with flavours, and has an amazing mix of textures… especially with a perfectly runny *sunny egg* on top!” (My recommendation is the kimbap as it’s perfect for even the pickiest of eaters.)
When asked what kind of impact they would like to have on the city, Kim and Sevin said they would love for The Bop Shop to become more than “just a restaurant.” They want it to become a place for the people of Thunder Bay to gather and experience a new culture, enjoying delicious food and good company.
“If we can inspire other entrepreneurs to follow their culinary dreams, that would be an amazing bonus!” said both Kim and Sevin.
You can visit them at 16 St. Paul Street.
Kimchi Pancakes (Kimchi-jeon)
The secret? Bop Shop’s homemade kimchi!
Craving something crispy, bold, and packed with flavour? These Korean-style kimchi pancakes come together in minutes—but the real magic happens when you use Bop Shop’s house-fermented kimchi. Perfectly tangy, just the right kick, and full of deep umami.
Ingredients (Makes 2-3 pancakes):
- 1 cup (about 150g) of Bop Shop kimchi, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) kimchi juice (from the same jar – liquid gold)
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (for extra crispiness)
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 small onion, finely sliced (optional)
- Chili flakes or fresh chili (optional, for heat)
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- Oil for frying
Instructions:
- In a mixing bowl, combine the chopped kimchi, kimchi juice, cold water, flour, cornstarch, green onion, onion, chili, and soy sauce.
- Mix well until you have a thick, pancake-like batter.
- Heat oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Pour in a ladle of batter and spread it thinly into a pancake shape.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes until the bottom is golden and crispy. Flip and cook the other side for 2-3 more minutes.
- Serve hot - crispy on the outside, soft and savory inside!
Optional dipping sauce:
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Sesame seeds & chopped green onion
Pro tip:
Bop Shop kimchi is the game-changer. It turns a simple pancake into a next-level Korean comfort dish. Once you try it -you’ll never go back.