Kim Je-eun opened the restaurant in May, driven by the belief that “food should be equal for everyone”. Her mission is to serve vegan dishes that cater to all palates, and even non-vegans.
“I wanted to break the stereotype that vegan food is tasteless. I aim to provide vegan cuisine that satisfies everyone,” Kim says. “My aim is to show that being vegetarian isn’t difficult and that it can be as addictive and enjoyable as [eating any other type of] food.”
This philosophy inspired the name of the restaurant.
We want to compete in the competitive dining industry through our flavours rather than our vegan identity
“Its name is a direct reference to Panda Express, a casual American Chinese food place. Panda Express isn’t a place you visit with grand plans; it’s a casual, go-to option for a meal. I wanted my restaurant to have similar vibes,” Kim says.
Gosari Express’ signature dish features noodles made from the young stems of bracken, commonly known as gosari in Korea.
The menu also features noodles combined with fresh mugwort pesto and Nepalese dumplings with carrot purée. Each dish is flavourful and visually appealing.
One dish that turns notions of vegan cuisine on their head is the wonton soup. The umami, meaty flavour makes it hard to believe it is animal-free.
“Our initial concept was to provide somewhere people could unwind with a bowl of noodles and a drink,” Kim says. “We want to resist letting our vegan identity define us entirely.”
Kim believes that the food has to come first in order for the restaurant to be successful.
“We want to compete in the competitive dining industry through our flavours rather than our vegan identity,” she says. “As a restaurant owner, the happiest moments are seeing satisfied customers and their empty plates.
“One time, while working on a project at my previous company, we received bracken instead of chwinamul [a wild, leafy vegetable known as aster scaber in English] because of a supplier error.
I want to [ …] make a positive impression for those trying vegetarianism for the first time
“Not wanting to waste it, I decided to create bracken oil pasta with plenty of garlic and onions. I was amazed at how bracken alone could deliver a meaty flavour. That was the start of my interest in vegan food,” she says.
Kim’s vegan sister had a big influence on her views on veganism in Korea.
Kim chose to open her restaurant near Jungang Market to challenge the traditional market scene that has historically offered limited vegan and vegetarian options.
“We don’t want vegetarianism to define us entirely, but we do take pride in being a vegetarian establishment. Many people around this neighbourhood – vendors and long-time residents alike – haven’t been exposed to vegan food.
“I want to offer them our food and make a positive impression for those trying vegetarianism for the first time,” she says.
Another advantage of the restaurant’s location near a traditional market is that seasonal vegetables can be easily sourced.
Before opening Gosari Express, Kim had already established herself as an entrepreneur through her start-up Bad Carrot, which developed bracken oil pasta sauce through South Korean crowdfunding platforms.
Her pop-up store, Gosari by Bad Carrot, in Seoul’s Mangwon-dong neighbourhood, became popular in 2023.
But transitioning to Gosari Express is merely the start for the ambitious restaurateur.
“I am now working on creating vegan cup noodles so that people can enjoy our food anywhere,” she says.
“And as of now – not many are aware of this – but there isn’t a single vegan restaurant located inside Incheon International Airport. I am striving to make my vegan restaurant the first franchise to enter the country’s main air gateway.”
Gosari Express, 12-10 Toegye-ro 85-gil, Jung District, Seoul (Tel: +82 0507-1393-3140)
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