A steeple of marshmallow Choco-Pies reserved for birthday celebrants towers in the entryway of Moodaepo, a fresh arrival to Carrollton’s buzzing Korean restaurant scene. Also at the entrance is the bar, where shareable soju slushies are prepared in hollowed out watermelons, along with disarmingly named cocktails, like “tequila-little-time” and “I guavatate toward you.”
Opened Aug. 8 2022, Moodaepo is the fourth of five restaurants owner Brian Chong has brought to Carrollton since moving from Los Angeles six years ago. He’s part of a wave of other out-of-state entrepreneurs investing with Korean restaurants in a city where more than 22,000 Asian Americans reside.
Further inside Moodaepo, a zippy dining room showcases a row of ramen machines next to a toppings bar. Lighting seems designed for picture-taking and reel-making as grills set in the center of long tables hiss with 39 different proteins. In the aisles, servers shuffle alongside robots, delivering all-you-can-eat meats and seafood, along with bibimbap, endless plates of banchan, and cheesy, steamed egg soufflés that jiggle in cast iron pots. Simply stated, it’s a fun spot with as much mouth-watering food as one can tolerate.
Chong’s first Carrollton restaurant was Ddong Ggo, a wing joint opened in 2017 that he says means “chicken butt.” He’s since sold the location, but not the concept, and says his brothers are planning to open more Ddong Ggos in the Dallas area this year. Next, he opened and sold Kurobuta Ramen & Tonkatsu. Following that was Iota Brew Cafe, which he closed and recently reopened as Chicken Warriors, a fast-casual Asian fried chicken spot that aims to leave customers in “a happy food coma.”
At age 60, Chong is not slowing down: Another three concepts are in development for a city where he says he belongs and feels safe. Near the end of March, he’ll open a yakitori called Pochakaya, a Hanryu Brunch restaurant, and a Brian’s Roasted Coffee off Highway 121. He’s also concocting a Korean cooking academy, some new karaoke bars, and a couple of fast food restaurants.
Texas isn’t the Seoul native’s first restaurant rodeo. Chong’s very first restaurant was a Korean dumpling place called Apgujung, which he opened in Los Angeles’ Koreatown in 1988. After 29 years and almost countless restaurants and clubs later, he says he got tired of the threat of crime, overall muck, and the high cost of doing business. So, he says he sold everything, a total of 16 concepts, in order to move to Carrollton and represent his culture “the right way — with good food.”
“I know Texas is going to go big,” he says. “I felt the energy when I came.”
He takes credit for developing L.A.’s Koreatown and says he wants to do the same in Carrollton, emphasizing that he wants to attract non-Koreans to his restaurants, too.
“We [Koreans] love food. We love sharing. We welcome everybody,” he says, adding that the main reason people visit South Korea is for the hospitable nature of its people. “I want everybody to feel welcome to Moodaepo,” which he says means stubborn, his nickname. “I give you a lot.”
Chong is forthright that Texas is a more business-friendly state than his previous home. “Everything is reasonable: gas, labor, leasing, taxes, insurance. Everything. And it’s very safe.” He chooses Carrollton to live and open businesses over Dallas’ Old Koreatown, which has problems, he says. “I feel safe in Carrollton, and I feel loved.”
Chong takes pride in his home country he says is “going viral” now for K-pop bands like BTS, Blackpink, and Twice, along with leading technology companies like Samsung and LG. Korean barbecue is also a part of that. “Everybody wants to try Korean food,” he says. “Everybody is loving our culture.”
Moodaepo is located at 3044 Old Denton Road, Suite 133, Carrollton. moodaepotx.com. Chicken Warriors is located at 1060 W. Frankford Road, #200, Carrollton.
