Paying homage to the rich tapestry of Korean culinary traditions, Jess’ Restaurant celebrates modern Korean cuisine in a way that’s never been done before in Vancouver. It offers an exquisite exploration of tastes in an elegant and sophisticated setting where contemporary finesse meets traditional warmth.

And indeed, Jess combines fresh, traditional Korean flavours with cultural favourites from around the world, but don’t even think about calling it “Asian-fusion”.

“We show how much we care about the ingredients and preserving the traditional and authentic way to cook,” says Head Chef SinYoung Jeong (Shawn). “Korean flavours, ingredients and sauces are flexible and perfect to enrich and mix with any types of cuisine—even Western—but this is a completely different experience form what the city knows as Asian-fusion.”

The Korean Way

Crystal lighting, modern art and an upscale ambiance backdrops a course-by-course or shared dining experience that harkens a high-profile French restaurant or elegant bar.

The menu is a delectable collection of globally inspired dishes, upscaled with Korean sauces, flavours and new takes—created using The Korean Way.

“We use Korean based ingredients, sauces and techniques to make everything fresh and in-house,” Shawn says. “Sometimes it takes a whole day to prepare one sauce.”

Global Favourites

The restaurant’s best-selling dish, Seabass, is a great example. Most foodies would recognize it as a traditional Spanish dish, but hand-crafted Korean gochujang glaze turns it into something new and invigorated.

There are almost too many must-tries to list. For starters, consider Beef Tartare—a combination of  Beef, Pear, Shallot, Chives, Pickled Radish, and Tartar Sauce, served with Rice Crackers and Grana Padano, adding a distinctive Korean twist to this classic dish.

For a main course, Coffee Braised Short-Ribs are tenderly cooked over eight hours, accompanied by Date, Chestnut Apple Purée, and Seasonal Vegetables, using coffee to enhance the braising process.

For a specialty dish, Sot Bab – Hot Stone Bowl Rice is a distinguished dish, served hot with soybean sauce, tracing back to royal cuisine in ancient Korea.

Complete any experience with Korean Honey Cookie—a traditional Korean dessert, usually enjoyed during ceremonies offering natural sweetness from honey and a distinctive chewy texture.

Modern Korean Experience

Although Modern Korean Restaurants are turning heads in prime foodie centres, like New York and Singapore, this is a first for Vancouver. Shawn embarks from Seoul’s vibrant food scene, bringing with him an expansive culinary repertoire and a vision to meld his cross-continental experiences with the city’s fresh, local ingredients.

“Our journey in creating an upscale modern Korean cuisine is a testament to our passion and hard work,” Shawn says. “We aim to offer an unparalleled dining experience, marrying the authenticity of Korean flavors with the innovation of modern culinary art.”

Discover Jess’ Restaurant at jessrestaurant.ca and reserve your intimate evening for two, family-friendly meal, or private corporate event today.

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