Six stories of legacy and innovation in Asian dining
This collection of stories explores how Asian dining establishments in Kansas City blend tradition and change to serve their communities.
One story highlights a Korean barbecue spot offering marinated short ribs called galbi, while another tells of a longtime downtown restaurant transforming into a new venue serving both Chinese and Vietnamese dishes, including pho and banh mi. A successful Korean pop-up transitions into a permanent stall with rice bowls and japchae, and a Thai chef opens a new location after running restaurants in Thailand, featuring lesser-known dishes like gaeng som. Other accounts cover the reopening of an Asian fusion restaurant in a new city with its signature sushi boats and drunken noodles, and a new sushi and boba shop run by a family from Myanmar, offering drinks like taro milk tea and a variety of sushi rolls.
Read the stories below.
NO. 1: JOHNSON COUNTY KOREAN POP-UP WAS SO SUCCESSFUL, IT WILL SOON HAVE A PERMANENT SPOT
The menu will include bibimbap, japchae and rice bowls, along with some seasonal options. | Published April 19, 2023 | Read Full Story by Joyce Smith
NO. 2: YES, KANSAS CITY HAS GREAT BBQ. BUT MY FAVORITE RIBS IN TOWN ARE AT THIS KOREAN PLACE
Korean short ribs, called galbi, are a “must try” at this Johnson County restaurant: tender, sweet and smoky and oh so rich in flavor. | Published October 17, 2023 | Read Full Story by Katie Moore
NO. 3: KANSAS CITY ASIAN RESTAURANT CLOSED IN MARCH. NOW IT HAS A NEW JOHNSON COUNTY LOCATION
The Johnson County restaurant just opened, with an expansive sushi menu. | Published October 27, 2023 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson
NO. 4: SHE OWNED MULTIPLE RESTAURANTS IN THAILAND. NOW SHE OPENED ONE IN JOHNSON COUNTY
The owner of this restaurant said her menu is larger than her competitors’, packed with lesser-known Thai dishes. | Published November 28, 2023 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson
NO. 5: AFTER 30-PLUS YEARS, KANSAS CITY ASIAN RESTAURANT CLOSED. ITS REPLACEMENT IS NOW OPEN
The owner of this new restaurant spent most of 2023 renovating the space. | Published January 26, 2024 | Read Full Story by David Hudnall
NO. 6: NEW SUSHI RESTAURANT OPENS IN JOHNSON COUNTY, SERVING TRENDY FAVORITES
Sushi restaurants are popping up around KC. Here’s the newest. | Published May 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.