Pocha captures the essence of Korean comfort food, drinks and energy

In recent years, many Kiwis have developed a passionate fervour for all things Korean - from K-pop, K-drama and K-food.   There’s now a myriad of options for Korean cuisine - from K-BBQ, Korean Chinese cuisine to buffets.   But among the Korean restaurants that have made a name for themselves, there is one super star - and that restaurant is Pocha.   The name Pocha is a Korean word – it’s short for pojangmacha which is literally translated as ‘covered wagon’ in Korean   In New Zealand, Pocha Eatery was founded by Mike Shin and his high school best friend Sung way back in 2007.   The pair first started the business delivering home-cooked K-fried chicken, before it became a pop-up store that they rented after hours and then in 2008, opened as a proper restaurant in Chancery.   Pocha’s popularity just exploded due to its unique menu, energy, cool vibe and late night service.   After repeated requests from customers, Shin and Sung have also now finally opened their second Pocha Eatery in Albany.   “While the North Shore has many great Korean restaurants, we felt there was an opportunity to offer something unique - great food with an upbeat social atmosphere and exceptional service,” Shin said.   “We opened in June and are excited to bring this experience to the North Shore.”   Pocha Eatery is all about sharing, and Shin said the dishes are designed to bring people together. “It's a great spot for any occasion, whether you’re after a quick bite, a proper meal with the family, or celebrating a special event,” Shin said.   “Pocha is casual and fun with a lively atmosphere, and we aim to offer quality without being overly expensive.”   One of Pocha’s signature dishes is the Almond Krunch - a cornflake-crusted fried chicken with almond batter that gives both crunch and extra intensity of flavour with the nuts and cornflakes. Diners get to choose their own dipping sauce to go with the chicken.   Yangnyeom Gejang, a pretty elusive traditional Korean dish that comprises fresh raw crabs in a spicy marinade is also one of the start dishes at Pocha - subject to availability. Plump and juicy swimmer crabs are used for this and the dish is best eaten with a side of rice.   Then there’s the popular Korean pancake, which is known as jeon (煎). They come in variations, with the two most popular ones being pajeon (scallion pancake), kimchi jeon and haemul pajeon - which includes seafood like shrimp, squid and shellfish.   You’ve heard of ‘half-and-half pizzas’ but ‘half-and-half jeon’? Order the banban and you get a half-kimchi, half-seafood Korean pancake.   This quintessential Korean dish is perfect as a Anju, or a dish accompanied by drinks like soju and beer.   “While we believe all restaurants have their strengths, we focus on consistency and keeping things simple,” Shin said.   “We value our staff like family, and many of them have been with us for years. This helps us maintain a level of service and quality that stands out.”   After 17 years in the business, Shin says they still enjoy what they do. The restaurants keep him connected with his birth country and the food that shaped him.   Through Pocha, Shin takes you on a tastebud travel back to Korea with a menu full of delicious, fun yet comforting food from Korean fried chicken, spicy Korean army stew to bibimbap.   Pocha Chancery and Pocha Albany are similar, yet different. The late night eating and drinking at the city Pocha makes it perfect for the young and the young at  heart. They have also started serving lunch sets with offerings like stir fried squid, their iconic spicy army stew or kimchi fried rice. The Albany one is more family friendly.   “The best part of running Pocha is interacting with people and seeing them create lasting memories in our space. It is incredibly rewarding,” Shin said.   “Korean culture is gaining global popularity, and I hope to be contributing to this movement in our own way.”