By Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor Published Nov 30, 2021 at 11:03 AM Photography: Lori Fredrich

There’s something new and delicious popping up at Zocalo Food Park, 636 S. 6th St., this weekend.

Modern Bop is the name of a new Korean fusion pop-up from Modern Maki owners Marilupe Moreno and Chef Marco Garcia, which will showcase a menu of tasty Korean-inspired items guaranteed to warm up your taste buds.

The pop-up will take place on Friday, Dec. 3 and Saturday, Dec. 4 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the full menu available for both lunch and dinner.  Greenhouses will also be available to keep you toasty warm (make a reservation in advance to ensure availability!).

Even better, if you stop by the pop-up on Saturday, you can even hang out and catch a leg of the fun, festive Santa Cycle Rampage, which will be passing Zocalo on its way through Walker’s Point.  

On the menu

The menu will include a short list of delicious items including a beef bulgogi sandwich featuring a bun filled with beef bulgogi, lettuce, mayonnaise and tomato ($8); and a Korean style spicy pork sandwich ($8). Guests can also level up their sandwiches with rajas (sauteed poblano peppers and onions) for $0.50 and/or an over-easy egg for $1. Avocado and cheese are also available for $1 each.

Prefer a Korean style bento box?  You can get either beef bulgogi or Korean spicy pork served with white rice, kimchi and gochujang, along with a three-piece California roll and gyoza (3) for $14.

There will also be warming bowls of bibimbop featuring guests’ choice of either beef bulgogi or tofu paired up with warm rice, sesame oil, spinach shiitake mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts, an over-easy egg and a side of gochujang ($12-$13). 

Kimchi soup featuring red chili broth, kimchi, bacon and spam (served alongside a bowl of rice) will also be available for $12.

As always, drinks will be available for purchase at the Zocalo Tavern, plus food from other food trucks including Anytime Arepa, Mazorca Tacos, Triciclo Peru and Modern Maki.  Hot Spell Sauna rentals are also available!

Lori Fredrich Senior Food Writer, Dining Editor

As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.

Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.

When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.