At Mirae, the Future Is Always Inspired by the Past

If first impressions count, then Mirae immediately makes an impact.

The immediate impression upon walking into Mirae is of its awesome, grand scale.

Overhead, exposed ductwork is painted charcoal black, snaking along an easily double-height dining room ceiling. The centerpiece fixture, floating above an oversized bonsai, is like an illuminated slab of swirled concrete. It matches a focal wall glowing golden from enormous imported Korean wood panels, a feature echoed in the lower ceiling and suspended dividers by the bar. Over the open kitchen, behind a long ivory banquette, is glossy dark gray tile, reflecting light the way the lofty ceiling bounces back sound.

Industrial as the color scheme and minimalist design is, the overall impact is actually of a centered calm. Owners John and Grace Lee hope that guests find that the layout offers a sense of serenity as well as warmth and welcome despite the austerity, calling out the warm tones of the woods and inlaid lighting, accents like natural plants, and the service.

“Our colors and design invoke an elevated and elegant atmosphere,” Grace Lee says of their design, which was done in-house. But moreover, its clean, unfussy look harkens back to the logo and its symbolism of a “brush stroke on a blank canvas, that slightly elevates toward the end, encompassing the idea of ‘future’ (the meaning of ‘mirae’ in Korean) … and emphasizing the start of something new.”

Mirae represents an evolution from the owners’ original sushi bar.

For the husband-and-wife team, Mirae represents the beginning of a new chapter.

The pair had met in South Korea, but their shared future didn’t truly begin until they arrived in Atlanta. “We moved around a few times but planted roots in 2015 in the Duluth/Johns Creek area; our boys call Atlanta home,” Grace says fondly.

Their popular Chamblee sushi bar Fūdo — serving as a relaxed, casual space since 2019, standing out with its retractable doors and dog-friendly patio — is beloved for their accessible “food without limits” approach. But, John says, “We’ve been thinking about the Mirae concept for a while now.”

“The last few years, we’ve been dedicated to executing the goals we had for Fūdo and are really grateful for how Fūdo has been embraced by the Chamblee community,” he continues. “But we wanted to challenge ourselves with something brand new, with an upscale feel and menu.”

The concept evolved into a theme: looking with hope into an ideal future, one that can only exist with a strong sense of the present and nods to the past.

“We believe the best way to build the future is by embracing where we are today,” John affirms.

To them, this means slowing down and appreciating “the people, the moments, and the meals we get to share with loved ones, family, and peers,” Grace says, to set up for a better tomorrow.

It also means looking back to find inspiration, and creating a menu filled with dishes that evoke their heritage, with each dish holding great personal meaning.

However, part of their past means including “a modern twist,” the Lees note — the fusion part of their flavors, which also reflects the experiences they’ve had with Atlanta’s rich multi-cultural Asian communities, from their home town to Chamblee and now Brookhaven.

Here, ‘fusion’ evokes playfulness and memory.

While Korean is the foundation upon which the tightly curated menu is built, Grace shares, “We wanted to elevate and add some creative fusion elements to more familiar dishes that are special to our team.” For instance, the braised pork belly in crispy skin wrap is a traditional dish across multiple Asian cultures, they say, but at Mirae, it’s paired with a sweet plum sauce and cucumber pickles.

Personally, “Korean beef tartare, or yukhoe, is one of John’s favorites and he loves to try it whenever he sees it at a restaurant,” Grace explains. “I think there’s an element of nostalgia in the dish since he grew up enjoying it, and Mirae’s version is slightly spicy with more of a focus on soy sauce marinade than typical beef tartare.”

The claypot chicken, on the other hand, represents them both equally, combining several elements of their favorite dishes. The crispy toasted bouillon rice is an ode to their childhoods in the South Korean countryside, and both share memories of fighting with their siblings over the crispy burnt or toasted rice bits at the end of the meal they’d all considered treats.

“The combination of bouillon rice, mushrooms, sweet peppers, and Shanghai bok choy brings together different Asian flavors for a home-y, hearty dish that encapsulates what Mirae is all about,” John says.

But for their kids, it’s the Shimp Toast Menbosha. They enjoyed it as a family on a trip to Korea when visiting different Korean-Chinese restaurants and have now made it their own with gochujang sauce and, to cut the richness of the fried dish, citrusy yuzu aioli.

Other notable dishes include bone marrow with tamarind, confit cabbage salad with black garlic gel, and crab bisque with wasabi chips. Dishes like miso-braised short ribs and aged Wagyu-don have made the jump from R&D kitchen to tables as the restaurant opened proper, along with touches of luxury in handmade pastas swathed in sauces like bafun uni and truffle, or Hokkaido scallop with wasabi cream.

Meanwhile, sophisticated bar drinks match the shape-shifting menu, adding East Asian flair to classics and originals. For example, a Shanghai Mule uses five-spice, coconut, and ginger, while spirits like Japanese gin and whiskey appear alongside mezcal and bourbon drinks. A short but thoughtful beer list includes an IPA and selections such as Makku Makgeolli and Koshihikari Echigo rice lager.

At heart, the restaurant is grounded in its surroundings.

“In Korean culture, no matter how busy each family member is, they try to gather and eat together, so it’s our love language,” the couple say.

It’s part of why they liked the Parkside on Dresden space, which was designed as a pedestrian-friendly streetscape with wide sidewalk, making it easy for folks to get there. Even better, they’re making it easy to stay, by validating parking for a luxurious three hours in the large parking deck attached, which features exclusive reserved space for retail.

It’s features like these, with mindful development for community lifestyle, that made Brookhaven the right choice for Mirae and the owners’ mirae.

“It’s such a connected and inviting neighborhood where you’ll always see families walking down the street and friends chatting,” Grace says. “The experience at Mirae is designed to reflect the same comfort of this close-knit community, and we hope our guests feel right at home at Mirae, which is intended to be a place to come together, connect, and eat great food.”