An Interview with Chef Michael of Salaryman

Thursday, October 31, 2024

Salaryman is an east side staple. The Japanese and Korean Izakaya-style restaurant has a robust menu that boasts everything from ramen and gyoza to Japanese-inspired pizza. The patio out back is the perfect place to hang out for a while and watch a game. The bar is stocked. If you haven't yet been, this is your sign to stop by soon.

We asked Chef Michael Lo, the mastermind behind Salaryman (Toco Hills), Ramen Station (Grant Park) and Suzy Siu's Baos (Krog Street Market), a few questions about Salaryman in honor of his G&G meal kit, which will be on the menu November 8th through 21st.

How and when was Salaryman first opened? What were the inspirations behind the restaurant?

Salaryman first opened in September of 2019 in East Lake/Kirkwood. The restaurant moved to the current Toco Hills location in 2022. Salaryman is inspired by all the amazing Izakayas and Pojungmachas in Japan and Korea. In the States, we would call them gastropubs; a bar with great drinking food.  

Why the name Salaryman? 

Salaryman takes its name from the term used to describe a white collar business person in Japan. It’s both an endearing term to call some a loyal hard worker but can also be a troll implying they are a corporate grunt. At Salaryman, we live by the motto of “don’t work too hard, enjoy good food and drink with friends and family”. 

Tell us about your pizzas! How did they become a fixture on your menu?  

The space we occupy was previously a Neapolitan pizza place so we thought it would be fun to add a brick oven back in and making some great pizzas using Japanese and Korean flavors. Those cultures love pizza and have some unique topping and flavor ideas. They’ve been a real hit and we get to do other cool things out of the oven including roasting pineapples and avocados. 

What is your go-to ramen order? 

My personal favorite right now is our Duck Shoyu Ramen. We confit roast the duck legs with garlic for hours and make a great Shoyu tare for the chicken broth. The chicken shoyu ramen available through G&G is inspired by this ramen.  

What other restaurants are part of the Korean Wives Hospitality Group?  

KWHG has 3 restaurants including Salaryman, Suzy Siu’s and Ramen Station. Suzy Siu’s is a staple of Krog Street market and serves amazing Asian Steam Baos with many different fillings and flavors. Ramen Station in Grant Park is a neighborhood craft ramen shop.  

Do you have any specials or events coming up?

Salaryman always does a Kids eat free night on Mondays and Wine Wednesday where bottles are half off. It’s also a great place to watch college and NFL football in the fall with our garage doors and great patio. 

What are a few of your favorite places to eat or hang out around Atlanta?  

With 4 restaurants and 3 kids (including an infant) I don’t dine out as much as I would like but our family tries to hit up a new place every Sunday when I’m off. You find us either along Buford Highway or up in Duluth/Suwanee often. If I meeting a friend or out on a date with my wife, we tend to lean towards more flavor rich or spicy foods since our kids aren’t so fond of that (yet). Sichuan at Hunan Garden, Lao at Snackboxe, and Indian at Zyka were three such recent meals. 

Order Chef Michael's Chicken Shoyu Ramen with soft-cooked eggs, spinach, and nori from our menu November 8–21. You don't want to miss this one.