Seoul 4 Soul has closed less than nine months after opening, but one of the owners is launching a new Korean fusion bistro in its place.
In January, Kimsimone Manning and Emily Tylman teamed up to open a restaurant in the upper level of Buzz Bomb Brewing Company at 406 E. Adams St.
Manning had previously operated a grab-and-go diner under the name Seoul 4 Soul, working out of The Barn’s space at 1501 Wabash Ave. before that restaurant closed. Tylman had also been operating out of the same space for her own business, VeggOut. The two women both had an extensive background in the Springfield-area food scene and decided to team up.
However, Seoul 4 Soul didn't reopen in August following the Illinois State Fair, where the restaurant had operated a food stand in the Village of Cultures. A message posted on the Facebook page for the business cited a need for "restructuring of our management and business model."
Tylman is no longer involved in the business, and Manning said she plans to reopen under the name A Taste of Seoul. She described it as "comfort food with a Korean twist... Italian, Mexican and soul food with a Korean flair." The restaurant will still offer numerous vegan and vegetarian options, as did the previous venture.
"I had to separate myself from my business partner, and with that I decided to change the name of the restaurant," Manning said. Other changes include the staff and the structure for the restaurant. "There's no more ordering at the counter, now you take a seat and a server will take your order," she said.
But fans of Seoul 4 Soul need not worry. "Most of the items from our previous menu are still in place, but I expanded it from there," Manning said. "I revamped our menu to include more handheld items like sandwiches, and we're adding pasta, soups and chili."
A grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, with a "boozy brunch" planned for 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and dinner from 4-9 p.m. Manning said a limited menu will be available, including some of the classic dishes but also chef specials as a preview of what's to come with the new menu.
"This will get us on track to what my vision was for opening up a brick-and-mortar," Manning said. "I wanted to make sure that my vision came alive."
Hours of operation will be 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 4-9 p.m. Saturday, and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday
