Kensington’s new Korean eatery puts a fresh spin on comfort food

A new modern Korean eatery has opened in Kensington, serving fresh kimbap, bibimbap, cupbap and Korean ramyun stew with a focus on customisable, made-to-order meals.

Located at 429 Macaulay Rd, MR Bap is the latest venture from Max Ji and Rio Yoon, who have more than 16 years’ experience serving Korean food in Australia.

The pair first met in South Korea in 1999 after graduating from high school and both moved to Australia in the early 2000s. They have remained close ever since, with Max describing Rio as “more like a brother than my family”.

Together with Ayden Jung and Jun Lee, Max and Rio previously co-founded Gami Chicken & Beer, but are now focused on building something new with MR Bap.

Max said the idea was to create “something more approachable, fresh, and community-focused for the growing Kensington and North Melbourne area”.

At MR Bap, the focus is on fresh, balanced Korean meals that are accessible to a wide range of customers.

Its build-your-own bibimbap option allows diners to create their own bowl, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available. The restaurant also serves kimbap, cupbap and warming Korean ramyun stew.

Max said the team was “not trying to create fine dining or overly complicated food”.

The restaurant opened two months ago and is currently in its soft opening phase, offering lunch service from 11am to 3pm every day except Sunday.

That is set to change in July, when MR Bap will hold its grand opening and expand into dinner trade with longer opening hours.

The team is also planning combo deals and giveaways as part of the launch.

Max said customers could also look forward to a new menu item the team had been quietly developing: a gluten-free version of its fried chicken, which he said was shaping up to be even crispier than the original.

The name MR Bap comes from Max and Rio’s initials, but it also carries a deeper meaning.

In Korean, “bap” translates directly to rice, but is also commonly used to refer to a meal.

Max said that in Korea, asking someone whether they have eaten is often another way of asking whether they are doing well and looking after themselves.

In that spirit, he said MR Bap was intended to feel like “the Korean equivalent of a good local sandwich shop or bakery” – a place serving “honest, reliable food that people can enjoy regularly”.

MR Bap is open Monday to Saturday at 429 Macaulay Rd, Kensington. •