A new Korean food retailing and dining concept is slated to open in the Serramonte Center in Daly City, Calif., later this year, according to the mall’s landlord.
Regency Centers said the new store, named Jagalchi after the largest seafood market in Busan, Korea, will specialize in fresh seafood and will also feature a Korean restaurant called Pogu, developed by Tony Yoo, the Michelin-starred chef who owns the Dooreyoo restaurant in Seoul.
Yoo previously worked at Aqua in San Francisco, another Michelin-starred restaurant that closed in 2010.
The 75,000-square-foot store/restaurant will also include a Korean bakery, called Basquia, which will focus on Korean baked goods and gluten-free breads made using rice flour. The flour will be processed using an air-jet wet milling technology that enables it to mimic the texture and taste of wheat flour, Regency said in a blog post.
Basquia currently operates multiple locations inside Korean grocery chain Mega Mart, which has five locations in California and one in Atlanta, according to its website.
The new store will focus on both affordability and on providing a high-level culinary experience to appeal to a range of shoppers, Regency said.
“Jagalchi provides high-quality products and food at reasonable prices, offering a one-stop space where you can enjoy delicious food cooked in authentic Korean style, shop, and experience Korean food culture,” a spokesperson for Jagalchi said.
At the Serramonte Center, Jagalchi is replacing a former JC Penney location at the mall, according to local reports.
The new store comes as Asian supermarkets have been expanding in markets around the country, including chains such as H Mart — the largest Asian chain in the U.S. — and 99 Ranch. H Mart, which offers a large variety of Asian products but is largely focused on Korean foods, currently has three locations in the Bay Area and a fourth on the way.
Meanwhile, Canada’s largest Asian supermarket chain, T&T Supermarkets, is planning to open its first U.S. location in Bellevue, Wash., later this year.
