Vancouver's Sai Woo restaurant, which has been "temporarily" closed since April of this year on the heels of controversy, is officially no more.
Owners are set to debut the space at 158 E Pender St in a few days under its new identity, Kosoo Pocha, serving Korean share plates and drinks. The restaurant is under the Kosoo umbrella, which operates two Vancouver locations (832 Cardero St and 1128 Robson St) and one branch in Coquitlam (1123 Westwood St).
In August, after several attempts to contact Sai Woo's operators, V.I.A. was provided with the following information: "We are pleased to inform you that Sai Woo Restaurant is currently undergoing a comprehensive revamp of its systems and embarking on an exciting journey of transformation. With a fresh management team and an innovative approach, we are preparing to reintroduce ourselves to our valued patrons."
In the summer, Sai Woo showed numerous signs of being out of business; at that time, at what would have been the first hours of dinner service on a Thursday night, the doors to the restaurant were gated shut.
A fading notice taped to the door from a City of Vancouver fire inspector notes that they were unable to access the restaurant. Dated April 25, 2023, it seems the notice had been neglected for some time.
One website, saiwoo.ca, was up and running, however, a phone recording directed would-be guests to another website: sai-woo.ca. The problem: sai-woo.ca was a dead domain. Now the Sai Woo website reflects its new identity as a destination for "Seoulful" Korean tapas fare, and it seems the Kosoo folks are going to continue to use the Sai Woo name to some extent.
Now, on October 30, the @saiwooyvr Instagram account has a set of new images announcing that Sai Woo Chop Suey is transforming into Kosoo Pocha.
Prior to that, April was the last time Sai Woo had updated its Instagram feed. The last post was a written response to widespread scrutiny the restaurant faced at the time, in the wake of a contentious situation between management and a customer who had a bad experience with a private party reservation.
One of the party guests, a local TikTok content creator named Shirley, had shared in a series of videos various complaints and problems regarding the event, including food and service quality, the way payment was handled, and a deposit refund the restaurant was reportedly withholding. In the aftermath, customers began sharing stories of bad experiences at Sai Woo on social media and on review websites.
According to the Kosoo Instagram (@kosoo_restaurant), the new Kosoo Pocha will offer "delectable Korean-style tapas at the former Sai Woo restaurant, where culinary magic comes to life."
Sai Woo was initially opened in 2015 by Vancouver restaurateur Salli Pateman, however, in the ensuing years the business underwent several personnel and ownership changes. One of the most striking elements of the business, located in a historic Chinatown building, is its neon sign.
The building opened in 1925 and has been an eatery in some shape or form since that time. Neon signs were all the rage throughout the downtown core up until the 1970s, when they were deemed “light pollution” and removed en masse.
Sai Woo's rooster sign was absent in physical form and from memory. In 2016, Pateman’s friend found a one-second clip from an old parade video from 1958 that showed the Sai Woo at that time, complete with the sign. A four-month search began that saw Pateman contact well-known Vancouver development and business players — Bob Rennie and Jim Pattison among others — and a cash reward was offered up.
Ultimately Troy Hibbs and Surrey-based TDH Experiential Fabricators were tasked with re-creating the rooster based on a one-second video still.
The sign debuted in 2017.
More from Sai Woo/Kosoo Pocha's August email to V.I.A.: "Our focus is on embracing a more casual and comfortable concept, offering a unique and diverse menu that appeals to a wider audience. We aspire to create an environment where our customers can indulge in delicious food while feeling at ease. This transition represents a new and thrilling challenge for Sai Woo Restaurant, which has maintained its established brand for a considerable period."
Kosoo Pocha is set to open Nov. 3.
With files from John Kurucz
