Bun’d Up, a restaurant that puts a modern, Korean twist on the original Taiwanese “gua bao” with handmade buns, local produce, and sustainably raised meat from Springfield Farm, is coming to The Block in Pike & Rose. The handmade buns have been available at pop ups across the metro area, including a food truck pop up at 204 Woodmoor Dr., a pop up at the Fenwick apartments on 2nd Avenue in Silver Spring, and a pop-up in Bethesda at 5601 Durbin Rd.
The menu typically consists of various buns and bowls. Bun’d Up will be available for carry-out at The Block starting Thursday, January 14th.
Per Bun’d Up: BUN’D UP IS THE BRAINCHILD OF SCOTT CHUNG, WHO REFERS TO HIMSELF AS PART OF THE FOOD NETWORK GENERATION. HE GREW UP ENTHRALLED BY EMERIL AND IRON CHEF, BUT IT WAS A TRIP TO FAMED CHEF DAVID CHANG’S MOMOFUKU RESTAURANT IN NYC THAT BECAME CHUNG’S LIGHT BULB MOMENT. AFTER HIS MOTHER SUGGESTED ATTENDING PASTRY SCHOOL, CHUNG ENROLLED IN L’ACADEMIE DE CUISINE AND WENT ON TO APPRENTICE AS A BREAD BAKER, HELPING HIS INSTRUCTOR MAKE AND SELL PIZZAS AT FARMERS MARKETS. HE EVENTUALLY MOVED ON TO MAKING AND SELLING HIS OWN STEAMED BUNS AT THOSE SAME MARKETS. AND THUS BUN’D UP WAS BORN.
BUN’D UP IS AN EXPLORATION OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN IDENTITY THROUGH FOOD. BY COMBINING KOREAN AND AMERICAN FLAVORS WITH ORIGINAL TAIWANESE “GUA BAO”, WE STRIVE TO PUT A MODERN TWIST ON A BELOVED CLASSIC WHILE HONORING THE HISTORY BEHIND IT. BY BLENDING TRADITION WITH INNOVATION, WE AIM TO CREATE A FUN, CASUAL DINING EXPERIENCE FOR OUR DINERS THAT FEELS FAMILIAR YET ONE OF A KIND, NO MATTER WHAT THEIR BACKGROUND.
SINCE STARTING IN 2016, BUN’D UP HAS GROWN FROM BEING A ONE MAN OPERATION AT FARMERS MARKET TO A THRIVING BRAND WITH THREE LOCATIONS, ONE FOOD TRUCK, AND A FULL TEAM OF PROFESSIONALS WHO BELIEVE IN CHUNG’S VISION.