Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House—the steward of Korean food for the city, from its table-top grills to its constant array of classics—has officially reached legacy status.
And what better way to honor that accomplishment than harkening back to a time when Sura had a weekly Taco Tuesday? That’s right: Sura’s Taco Tuesday is back for one day—Tuesday, May 19—with Sonoratown tortillas as its base.
Sura has long been a legacy establishment—even before it was formally recognized as one.
The honor, bestowed by the City of Long Beach to businesses that have had at least a decade of service, was given to owners Claire Kim and Brandon Su back in April. And the achievement has been long in the making.
Approaching twenty years of service, the space has been the city’s main teacher in Korean cuisine. Consistently adapting. Always evolving. And elevating itself—especially with the onboarding of Chef Andy Uk Chang—in a region home to one of the world’s most significant Koreatowns.
“We are incredibly honored to receive the award,” Claire said. “Since opening Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House in 2008, our mission has been to share authentic Korean cuisine while creating a warm and welcoming place for the Long Beach community to gather, celebrate, and connect.
“This recognition means so much to us because it reflects not only the resilience and dedication of our staff over the years, but also the unwavering support from our loyal guests and the city’s unwavering commitment to supporting small businesses.”
Sura’s Taco Tuesday—long before partnering with Sonoratown—was ahead of its time.
Well over a decade ago, Sura had a weekly taco Tuesday that was pumping out everything from vegan shrimp tacos to bulgogi tacos. It was, for its time, a rarity that was only shared with the rightfully loved Kogi from Chef Roy Choi. And when it came to innovations like vegan shrimp, Sura was outright a lone wolf.
Now, a beautiful, full-circle moment: Sura’s collaboration with Sonoratown isn’t just good. It’s stellar and, in a bold proclamation, surpasses Kogi in terms of being a quintessential SoCal taco creation. $4 each, four taco types. You have Sonoratown’s gorgeous, lard-laden tortillas as your base. (Sura will have corn tortillas available for vegan and gluten-sensitive patrons.)
If you’re going for meat, you have an option of beef bulgogi or spicy pork with an array of accoutrements. A kimchi slaw (made with green cabbage to honor Sonoratown rather than the traditional Napa cabbage). The savory-sweetness of Mayak sauce. Some Buldak sauce for serious heat. Cilantro. And a calamansi wedge thanks to a local patron’s backyard tree.
If you’re going vegan, you have the option of tofu or panko shrimp—the latter of which is a glorious textural wonder. Instead of Mayak, you’ll be greeted with a vegan gochuchang aioli. Either way you go, “flavor bomb” is a cheesy if not outright cringey description, but it perfectly embodies what these folded wonders are.
A heartfelt partnership: The Sura collab with Sonoratown is as much about the community as it is about themselves.
“We chose Sonoratown because we believe strongly in supporting fellow small businesses that contribute to the cultural identity, creativity, and evolving culinary excellence of Long Beach.”
These are the words of Sura co-owner Brandon—and they carry a hefty dose of Long Beach love with them. Sonoratown, in just over a year-and-a-half, has become beautifully embedded into the Long Beach culinary fabric. And to have a nearly 20-year-old business recognize that holds weight.
“As a longtime Long Beach business ourselves, we know how important community support is in building something lasting,” Brandon continued. “We wanted this collaboration to not only celebrate our legacy, but also support an emerging business that we believe has the potential to create its own legacy in the city one day.”
When Brandon says they created a “far better taco than they previously did,” he is not just selling you words. They are the embodiment of what a great collaboration can be—something that Long Beach has been harnessing recently more than any other time before. Whether that is Chef Carlos Jurado of Selva collaborating with chefs from Ojai or Chef Johnathan Benvenuti of Bar Becky collaborating with a pop-up like Loquat Oysters, these are the things that elevate our food scene.
And a heartfelt thank you…
If there is something additional that elevates our food scene, it is business owners like Brandon and Claire. Their enormous generosity—they literally saved Long Beach’s sole kombucha brand, Fine Feathers, by purchasing it—and their consistent stride toward becoming better and evolving deserve applause. Their humbleness compounds that even more.
“We are especially grateful to be recognized among the businesses that help bring a meaningful, distinctive character and cultural identity to the city and its communities,” Claire said. “As one of the original Korean restaurants in Long Beach, we are proud to have been part of the city’s story for nearly two decades.
“Thank you to everyone who has supported Sura throughout this journey. It is truly an honor to continue serving the community we love.”
Geonbae, Sura.
Sura is located at 621 Atlantic Ave.
