First-time restaurateur Daniel Lee moved to Vancouver from Korea at four years old. The flavours his family knew and loved came with them, shaping how he understood food and cooking from the start. That foundation kept pulling at him as he worked his way through kitchens like La Quercia and the Wedgewood Hotel, where the idea gained shape and finally felt close enough to reach.

Now he’s putting that idea on the line. Nabi House will open in the next few weeks at 1889 Powell Street (formerly Aleph, El Compa), joining neighbours Andrea Gail, Angela, Niwa, and Nero Tondo. It is small, self-funded, and built around a one-person kitchen (Lee will run the stove, and probably wash dishes and run food too).

It makes sense he chose this stretch of East Vancouver. Lee grew up close by (near Dundas and Nanaimo) and the neighbourhood still feels like the start of his story. “It’s not Kits, the West End, or whatever picturesque vision most people have of Vancouver,” he says. “But a lot of my early memories are based on what’s around here.”

Lee found the space after months of looking. He had put offers on two other restaurants before this one finally landed, crediting Haitham of Aleph for helping make the transition possible. “You don’t find this kind of opportunity anywhere,” he says. “Rent, leaseholds, equipment — I am truly lucky to take over this space.” He had been watching the block change, too. “When I started to see a bunch of new restaurants open spots on this block, and then this address came available, I thought: ‘If I don’t make this leap now, I might never get a chance again.’”

Heritage rules mean the room has not changed much, but it already had what Lee wanted: height, character, and an open kitchen that keeps him in the room with the people he is feeding. It is a straightforward, welcoming space suited to a quick solo meal or a long catch-up with a friend. Even the name carries weight. In Korean, nabi means butterfly, and it also describes the light, lifted feeling you get when you see someone after a long time, a sense of ease and recognition Lee wants the restaurant to hold.

He channels that into a menu built from dishes anchored in memory and comfort. It starts with small plates like Crown Daisy Salad (crunchy apple and chrysanthemum leaf slaw with mustard dressing) and a smooth steamed egg custard set in anchovy stock and topped with Mala-style sauce and peanuts. Larger bowls include chicken stew, shrimp soondubu with silken tofu and chilli oil, mushroom bibimbap with a soft egg and umami glaze, and a Korean-style salmon hwe platter with lettuce and dipping sauce. One dish Lee is particularly excited to serve is nokdujeon, a mung bean pancake with soy-pickled jalapeños. “It is a very uncommon dish to have in Korean restaurants over here,” he says. “Nokdu is a staple, humble legume. When you are hungry and need something to eat, it gets the job done while also being deeply comforting. It is without a doubt one of my favourite things to eat.”

During a recent visit with Lee and his mother, Young Mi Jeon, who has been helping behind the scenes since the beginning, I tried perilla chicken stew. It is a slow-simmered, nourishing broth made from whole chicken and ginger, finished with perilla oil (an aromatic herb from the mint family) and tender poached daikon. The version he served was plain, but the menu version will come with sides of sauces and spices for guests to adjust as they like.

Nabi House is aiming for a mid-to late-December soft opening with a limited menu. A modest drinks list will kick in once the liquor licence is approved. Planned hours are Wednesday to Saturday from 4pm to 10pm, with Monday and Tuesday closed. Stay tuned for details about opening day by following Nabi on Instagram here.

1889 Powell St, Vancouver, BC V5L 1H8