There are no signs of restaurant owner and chef Mike Lee slowing down, and that’s okay by me. His latest spot, M Pocha, which serves a varied menu of Korean tapas, is opening this week in soft open mode and will continue to test dishes over the next month to see what really sticks. The space has a completely new vibe compared to what it was previously as The Cupcake Bar. It matches the aesthetic of Lee’s other three restaurants: small, intimate, dark colors and wood tables. One of the best aspects of this particular space is total use of the floor-to-ceiling windows with a countertop facing out onto the Five Points intersection–a perfect spot to sip a cocktail and people watch. (Be prepared for people to watch you back out of food envy.) We had a chance to taste a sampling of items from the soft opening menu. The Kimchi “Army Stew” is such an interesting combination with the spiciness of the warm kimchi in a light tomato broth along with sausages, spam, and fall-off-the-bone pork spare ribs. Malaysian fried rice with perfectly battered and seasoned shrimp on top is an appetizer I could easily imagine ordering again and again. And who doesn’t love perfectly fluffy steamed buns? These build-your-own buns can be stuffed with pieces of spicy pork belly and sweet cucumbers. The simplicity of ingredients in the brussell sprouts does not equate to a lack in flavor by any means. A combination of garlic, bacon, butter, fish sauce, and white wine vinegar make these morsels delicious. A refreshing green mango Thai style salad with fish sauce peanuts and chili is a great way to lighten up the meal in between orders of meat and dumplings.

Speaking of dumplings…I’ve had bacon gyoza! The flavor almost reminds me of a Korean style pig in a blanket–smokey and soft bacon flavor wrapped in a crisp dumpling shell. A fun shareable plate is the meat plate that comes on its own little charcoal grill. The Korean style BBQ short ribs remind me of a juicer and more flavorful version of the teriyaki stick appetizers I used to order from Chinese restaurants. The marinated Spanish Iberico pork presa (shoulder) on the bottom were delicious bites, and I will always be in awe of how perfectly Chef Lee cooks and seasons vegetables.

This is the first M restaurant that does not fall into a specific category (Lee’s other spots are clearly sushi, Korean chicken, and tempura), other than to say it is Korean tapas inspired by street food that is fun to eat while drinking. This gives Lee and his team more creative leeway and the ability to change it up over time. As they figure out what diners favorite dishes are, they will make those the mainstays while rotating out others. It also serves as a testing ground for dishes Lee plans to one day incorporate into his non-profit restaurant.

One thing I already know is that the food at M restaurants is never disappointing. My best advice is to go to M Pocha with an open mind and order different dishes to try each time until you figure out what your favorites are. There will be plenty!