Facade at Kimchi Mama Dalgona in Asbury Park(Stephanie Rizzolo | for NJ Advance Media)

Kimchi Mama Dalgona, the latest addition to Asbury Park’s already overflowing downtown foodie scene, isn’t new to New Jersey.

Owner and chef Justin Hwang decided to relocate from his takeout-only location in Fair Lawn to a much larger space at the Jersey Shore, complete with a massive dining room and takeout counter.

“We wanted to bring our Korean food to a town where it’s not so available and wanted a place where we can offer dine in,” Hwang noted.

While Asbury Park’s longstanding Korean taco favorite Mogo is more focused on handhelds and fusion dishes with American and Mexican influences, Kimchi Mama is coming in as the only other dine-in place for authentic Korean food within a 20 mile radius. The new location has been open for three months and Hwang is still adding to its menu.

“We will start serving soft-serve American and Korean-style ice cream tomorrow,” he shared last week — a somewhat idiosyncratic offering, but in a shore town, seems to make some degree of sense.

Vegetable Pancake at Kimchi Mama Dalgona in Asbury Park(Stephanie Rizzolo | for NJ Advance Media)

In a word, Kimchi Mama is multidimensional. The food here is layered with flavors, textures, temperatures and colors. The kimchi in the amuse trio started things off with a bang; tender and completely saturated in a medium-hot red sauce. The accompanying miso soup was as good as miso soup can get, served at a very drinkable temperature, just beyond tepid. The menu itself was broken down into Cupbop (Korean barbecue in a cup), Korean barbecue burrito, bibimbap, stir fried, soups, pancakes, stone bowls, and chicken wings. I ordered the vegetable pancake ($18.95), a colossal portion cut into eight thick slices, enough for four people. It was served with a small plastic cup of ginger, vinegar, soy and scallion dipping sauce.

“You can’t push it down, or it won’t get crispy. That’s the secret,” Hwang explained about the cooking process.

The man clearly knows his way around a pancake. This was the lightest, crispiest version of a Korean pancake I’ve ever had. Chock full of vegetables, it wasn’t overly greasy and the dipping sauce added some much appreciated umami.

Bulgogi Bibimbap at Kimchi Mama Dalgona in Asbury Park(Stephanie Rizzolo | for NJ Advance Media)

Next were the bulgogi bibimbap ($16.95) and the chicken hot stone bowl ($14.95). I loved the contrast of the warm rice, and tender, slightly sweet bulgogi against the crisp and colorful raw vegetables in the bibimbap. The sauce that coated the bulgogi teetered on goopy, but I didn’t mind once I mixed everything up. I was immediately directed to the red squeeze bottle waiting on the table for said bibimbap. “Put that on top,” the server instructed. Hunger got the best of me here and I went heavier than I should have on cayenne-heavy condiment reminiscent of tabasco. This stuff was hot. I could see how the heat was intended to balance the sweetness of the meat, but there should have been some sort of warning on the bottle (or I should’ve known better).

Chicken Hot Stone Bowl at Kimchi Mama Dalgona in Asbury Park(Stephanie Rizzolo | for NJ Advance Media)

Once my chicken hot stone bowl stopped sizzling, I dug my spoon down to the bottom to discover a blanket of gorgeously golden rice that cradled a pile of moderately spiced chopped chicken, shredded carrots and scallions. The rice must’ve been frying in something (later confirmed when I reached the oil-slicked bottom of the bowl), which yielded an addictive layer of crispy rice. After a couple mouth burn-inducing bites, I was able to enjoy the bowl without having to blow on it like a cautious parent feeding their child. Once cool enough to properly savor, I was able to assess the spice level, which wasn’t overly aggressive but assertive enough to evoke a secondary appreciation for the rice, which helped dial things back down.

Taro Bubble Tea at Kimchi Mama Dalgona in Asbury Park(Stephanie Rizzolo | for NJ Advance Media)

The taro bubble tea ($6.95) was creamy and sweet, a welcome flavor note after consuming copious amounts of heat. My delicious, powder-based tea was prepared with whole milk over ice, but I later found out that I could have ordered it frozen (blended) or made with almond milk or water. While I know they’re wildly popular, the bubbles were not my thing; large and offensive, interrupting my smooth sips with clunky, chewy gobs of tapioca.

Amuse Trio at Kimchi Mama Dalgona in Asbury Park(Stephanie Rizzolo | for NJ Advance Media)

The most forgettable part of my experience was part of the complimentary amuse trio. A small mixed salad topped with a mayo-heavy dressing didn’t seem cohesive or necessary against the delicious miso soup and boldly flavored kimchi that were served along side it. Energetically, the restaurant was very quiet, with employees shuffling by randomly with purpose to restock items. They also don’t seem to be 100% set up, as confirmed by the owner regarding the impending ice cream launch.

I should also mention the other culinary piece of Kimchi Mama, a seafood boil menu, printed separately with its own name, Shaken Shake Crab. A different concept housed under their roof, it felt like an afterthought, incongruent with Kimchi Mama’s core menu and what the scents coming out of the kitchen implied. Upon exiting, I noticed a small counter display containing shellfish on ice. Aside from that visible cue and the separate printed menu, I would’ve been entirely ignorant to Shaken Shake Crab. Satisfied with with how my meal shook out, I didn’t feel like I missed out in any way by not venturing the boil.

Bubble Tea Station at Kimchi Mama Dalgona in Asbury Park(Stephanie Rizzolo | for NJ Advance Media)

Walking up to Kimchi Mama Dalgona is a no-frills experience, but that quickly changes once you step through the front door. The restaurant shares an entry vestibule with a tattoo parlor, greeting guests with bold colors, alternative emblems and a slew of licensing certificates hung on the wall. Take a hard right and you’re in a large, deep space that is Kimchi Mama. They maintained the tattoo shop’s color schematic with bright red paneling that contrasts with color blocked blacks and beiges. A bubble tea and ice cream station is set up at the entry, followed by the cash register, a stainless steel kitchen and finally, the dining room. A mix of high tops, smaller tables and long, dark wood-clad, banquet-style ones are randomly placed. The seating seemed plentiful while I dined peacefully as the only table on a weekday during lunch, but I could see this joint getting packed on a weekend or during dinner service. Added bonus: they’re byob.

If you’re craving Korean food, Kimchi Mama Dalgona is a solid bet, or just roll off the beach and grab a refreshing bubble tea or one of their ice cream offerings. Don’t skip the magical crispy and fluffy pancakes, and heat-sensitive folks should steer clear of the bibimbap sauce. Definitely order one of the stone bowls, but be careful not to burn your hands or mouth. Check out their seafood boil menu at your own risk. Do not park in the adjacent lot (it’s not for customers and you will get towed).

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Stephanie Rizzolo may be reached at stephanienjdotcom@gmail.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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