STRATHAM — Sue's Korean Kitchen will be serving its final dish on Sunday, at least for now.
Sue Baker (Suncha), owner of the popular restaurant at 74 Portsmouth Avenue, announced the restaurant's closure on May 10. But in a Facebook post, she hinted that this may not be the last customers will see of her.
“Stay tuned for the next chapter!” she predicted.
After six years running Sue's Korean Kitchen, Baker said she plans to take a much-needed break to explore her roots before bringing something new to the Coast community.
“I'm going to travel to Korea to get inspired and see what's new,” she said.
Baker opened Sue's Korean Kitchen in Stratham Plaza in July 2018, fulfilling a decade-long dream of owning her own restaurant.
From bulgogi (beef marinated in soy sauce and topped with onions, scallions, and carrots) to tteokbokki (a Korean street dish of rice cakes simmered in a spicy sauce with fish paste, scallions, and onions), the restaurant was known for its traditional, authentic cuisine.
“People find us mainly through word of mouth,” she says. “Most of our customers are local, but we also have some who travel from far away – sometimes I'm surprised at how far away they are – sometimes more than three hours away!”
Besides the well-known bulgogi, Baker said the most popular dishes are the dolsot bibimbap (a Korean rice bowl) and spicy pork (spicy marinated pork with onions and scallions).
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Sue's Korean Kitchen has become a Stratham staple.
Baker said he was inspired to become a restaurateur because of cherished memories of eating his grandmother's cooking, and he also enjoys seeing the joy on people's faces when they eat his food.
“Seeing people enjoying my food makes me feel happy and motivated,” she says. “Although I don't have a chance to go out and talk to customers these days (I'm busy cooking in the kitchen), seeing people's smiles always makes me happy.”
Baker said she has many special memories over the years, but she especially has had some reviews from Koreans who have visited her restaurants, who wrote that her food is “very clean and traditional.”
“Some people say it reminds them of their mom's home cooking,” she recalled, “and students from Phillips Exeter Academy and the University of New Hampshire say it tastes just like home cooking, and in some cases, even better than Korean food!”
But running a restaurant wasn't always easy, as Baker was not only the owner but also the sole chef.
“Not many people in this area knew about Korean food, so there was a lot to learn and teach,” she said of the early challenges. “For example, what is dolseo bibimbap and how to eat it the traditional way.”
She said she's pleased that the food scene on the Seacoast has become “more diverse” in recent years, with Korean-inspired dishes now being offered.
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What's next for Sue's Korean Kitchen's owner?
Baker announced the restaurant's closure on Facebook, thanking customers for their “amazing support of our small local business.”
“Thank you to everyone who has dined at Sue's Korean Kitchen over the past six years, whether you've been a longtime customer or just recently discovered,” she wrote.
The Facebook post received more than 200 likes and nearly 50 comments from customers, most of which were bittersweet, with many saddened by the news but also saying they were “supportive and excited” to see what happens next.
Baker said when she returns from Korea, she plans to start a new business venture in Stratham, whether it be a new restaurant with Sue's Table (Chef's Table) or cooking classes.
“Stratham is a special place to me because I raised my family here,” said Baker, who has lived in the town for 24 years.
