I posted about Kimchi Mama coming to AP in the NJ Food News thread, but today I had a chance to have lunch there… I’m really excited to have another ethnic food option here in AP! As the owner said "There is a lot of pizza here.
The two of us weren’t shy about over-ordering so we got a small order of Korean Chicken Wings w spicy sauce, the Bulgogi Hot Stone Bowl, and the regular size order of Japchae (vs. the Bop version-more on that in a minute), which are glass noodles made from sweet potatoes. I’ll start by saying this is day 3 that they’ve been open, and while I generally don’t go to places that soon, I was THAT excited to have it in the neighborhood.
The owner kindly brought us complimentary bowls of some of the tastiest Miso soup I’ve ever had, along with a serving of kimchi that still had some crunch to it (a + imo), and a small ‘salad/slaw’ that was also delicious. Great start to the meal!
The wings are FANTASTIC. Could likely have polished off the entire plate by myself if we didn’t have the rest in front of us! The next time I go I’ll ask for them to come out on their own, as you want to eat them when they’re hot without any distractions! The sauce wasn’t super spicy (not a complaint, just a surprise), but it was yummy.
The stone bowl didn’t disappoint either…the soccarat (NO clue what they call it in Korea, so that’s my reference point) formed beautifully and the bowl remained hot a lot longer than I expected. Bulgogi had great flavor.
The Japchae wasn’t a disappointment by any stretch, but it’s really difficult to eat! We were both using chopsticks but even with plastic forks, it was nearly impossible to separate the clumps of noodles - and there were a TON of them! That said, I had a 2nd serving and have the leftovers, which I may have with eggs tomorrow morning. I believe my comment was “this should be eaten at home, alone, on your couch.” There was just no ‘pretty’ way to eat it without shoveling a huge mass of it in my mouth, but I managed.! TG I was there with a friend who eats and doesn’t care about that stuff!
We got the lowdown on the Bop menu items vs. regular portions, as there is a lot of crossover on the menu between the two sections. Bop means rice, and their Bop versions come in cups. We agreed that we didn’t need potato noodles over rice, but I can see how that could be some good late-night eats! (Aside: I’ve seen it as bap, as in bibimbap and will ask the owner about the difference next time I’m there, because I’m a #wordnerd.)
This place is VERY casual, but the tables and booths are large (I’m guessing in total there are seats for 20-25 people). Street parking on Main (no meters) or one of the side streets (meters, depending on the street) was easy. Do NOT park in the parking lot next to the KM building though, or you’ll be towed.