Jango Korean BBQ restaurant opens in Sunshine Coast’s Kawana Shoppingworld

A Brisbane hospitality empire is opening a Korean BBQ restaurant where diners can fry gourmet meats and seafood at their tables, in a first for the Sunshine Coast.

Jango Korean BBQ Restaurant is opening at Kawanan Shopping World. Pictured, Managers, Kihoon Nam and Aram Lee. Patrick Woods.

A Korean restaurant on the Sunshine Coast is firing up this week with a traditional dining experience where customers can fry meat and seafood in the middle of their tables.

Korean BBQ restaurant Jango in Kawana Shoppingworld is preparing to open its 157 sqm venue next week, with 112 seats, 15 staff and a unique cook-it-yourself dining option.

Jango will have 24 Korean-imported tables with charcoal grills in the centre, allowing customers to sit and sizzle gourmet meats and seafoods themselves.

Jango founder Brian Lee said the style of cuisine would be “a very first” for the Sunshine Coast.

Jango Korean BBQ Restaurant is opening at Kawana Shopping World. Pictured are managers Kihoon Nam and Aram Lee. Picture: Patrick Woods

The Korean-born Mr Lee said he wanted the restaurant, which also had roof tiles imported from Korea, to make people feel like they had stepped into his home country, giving them not only a taste of his food, but culture.

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He said he was excited to bring the concept to the area but expected an early challenge would be teaching customers about the unfamiliar dining concept.

Jango Korean BBQ Restaurant is opening at Kawana Shopping World. Picture: Patrick Woods

“Once people know what Korean BBQ is, they will come back,” he said.

Brisbane-based hospitality group Eastern Culinary Collective, of which Mr Lee was part of, also owned popular Japanese restaurant Soka on Ocean St, Maroochydore, and Brisbane Japanese venues Nonda and Uncle Don.

Jango Korean BBQ managers Kihoon Nam and Aram Lee pictured with staff members. Picture: Patrick Woods

With Jango‘s grand opening expected to be later this week, Mr Lee said he hoped it would eventually become a landmark venue in the region because of its high-quality food.

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“I want people to talk about Jango,” he said.

He said the restaurant had been in the pipeline for a year, and that he would look to duplicate it elsewhere if it was welcomed by customers.

Kawana Chamber of Commerce president Hamish Procter said it was nice to see Kawana becoming a hospitality destination following recent new venues such as Jango, Paradise Rum, and Bocca Italian.

Mr Procter said he expected Jango to take off given locals embraced new business ideas, such as its cook-it-yourself dining.

“I think there’s a craving for diversity on the Coast,” he said.

Originally published as Jango Korean BBQ restaurant opens in Sunshine Coast’s Kawana Shoppingworld