This Korean hub for drinking and gathering in the Whiteaker neighborhood invites you to connect with others over Korean traditions like Soju and Kimchi

In Korean culture, tigers represent strength and protection. In Eugene, owners Preston Shin and Sunny Moon created Tiger Mama, a restaurant that is strong in their discipline of food quality and resembles the care of a mother’s cooking.

Sunny Moon met her husband and business partner at University of Oregon, where Shin majored in entrepreneurship and Moon in finance. Shin also received her Masters in business administration from UO. The couple opened Sushi Pure together, where Moon was a bartender for over five years.

Now, at Tiger Mama, Moon is stepping into a role as head chef, crafting dishes out of love.

The couple’s working relationship began at Sushi Pure, where they worked together for 17 years. Shin said they both bring strengths to Tiger Mama. Shin, having a contractor’s license, takes pride in his work on the restaurant’s concepts, designing the interior. Moon is skilled in creating recipes for the bar and kitchen.

“Everything we do, we do together,” Shin said. “We look at the same goals. She’s my wife, best friend and the best mother.”

The inspiration for the name “Tiger Mama” blends the restaurant’s style of cooking with Korean pride. Shin says the tiger represents Korea, being the mascot of the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, and that the country’s map resembles the face of a tiger.