Kimbap

So I FINALLY made it over to Kimbap Cafe for my pre-Thanksgiving lunch and I was impressed. In its small space over at Seaboard Station you'll find a lot of style and taste in a good way.

Kimbap's menu is described as Korean-inspired but it stays true to its roots. I tried the japchae with seared pork belly along with the dumplings (comped) which were both quite good. You can tell they use quality ingredients here, the dumplings had great skins and were filled with a nice gingery meat. And the japchae was nicely prepared with slivers of carrot, mushroom ears and a bit of wilted spinach (I think).

Kimbap's space is nicely decorated and bright with full visibility into the open kitchen. So it's great to see the crew here working hard on your food including Kimbap's owner, Kim. I had met her at an earlier event and she's definitely committed to her craft. Is Kimbap traditional Korean? Probably not but it's still durn tasty and spins a bit off of traditional for the ITB crowd. So stop on by and give their modern Korean eats a whirl, you'll leave happy and full which is usually the goal when eating out!

One of my favorite ways to eat veggies is bibimbap, a Korean dish literally meaning "mixed rice." I tried Kimbap's bibimbap with tofu and liked it! Clean and healthy flavors. They pride themselves on sourcing their ingredients from local farms so you can feel good about supporting local while you nourish your body.

P.S. Don't expect low down authentic Korean! Feels more like cleaned-up for a more generic palate. More Korean-inspired. There are no banchan or table grills, etc. So adjust your expectations!

I've always loved Kimbap but recently had the pleasure of experiencing their prix fixe tasting menu for the first time. It was one of the most delicious meals I've ever had. I am a vegan and let them know when I made the reservation. There would have been options even if I didn't tell them beforehand but when I arrived my server informed me they had made a special vegan ramen not on the tasting menu. The pumpkin cake with cashew ice cream may be the best dessert I've ever had. I was a bit reluctant to go at first because of the higher price but I am so impressed I will certainly be back! The hummus salad was AMAZING.

It's so rare to come across vegetarian Korean food. I don't even know if that's a thing! But, Kimbap cafe just keeps surprising me every time I visit. This is my second time there and it definitely won me with impeccable choices of vegetarian food. It was pouring cats and dogs on Friday evening and me and my husband couldn't control our Korean cravings and ended up at Kimbap for the second time in a few months.

It was a quiet evening and we were seated right away. We opted for seats at the bar aka the chef's table. We went for the First Friday specials of half-priced fried veggie dumplings and scallion pancakes to start with along with their limited edition house sake. Since we had already tried their bibimbap bowls, we ordered more of their small plates. We also had the rice cakes with sautéed squash in their gochujang sauce. Even though it looked spicy, it was perfectly seasoned and just had the right amount of heat. We also had the beetroot salad that was not on the menu and the pickled cucumbers on the house. It was a lot of fun to watch Chef Brian in action. We just couldn't say no to the dessert after all the good food and went in for the chocolate torte and devoured every bit of it! All in all, a great evening and awesome food and we will be back here very soon.

Thanks to Chip R. for recommending Kimbap to me many moons ago, and I finally found my way here! A hidden gem in Seaboard station, located next to BREW, with an open kitchen, small dining space and nice outdoor patio seating. I will admit, I am much more familiar with Southeastern Asian good rather then Northeastern Asian food, but I am always looking for good Korean food [with much more flavor and piazza then Chinese elements]. Kimbap is definitely on the top of my Korean food list, even though it's Korean inspired rather then 100% authentic. And it's not just the delicious flavors of their food, but also their top notch service, cozy and intimate atmosphere AND the fact that you can watch your food being prepared if you sit at the bar [LOVE open kitchens!] that draws me to this restaurant.

You start with a complimentary pickled plate [ours included carrots, seaweed and beets; all pickled]. Unfortunately this part wasn't explained, so we weren't sure if we ate it immediately or waited to put it on our food. We split the pork belly lettuce wraps and the Bibimbap mixed rice bowl. Both I would order again and recommend. The pork belly was incredibly tender and all those flavors in the rice bowl mixed together perfectly: sweet, savory, salty, spicy, DELIGHTFUL! Prices are a little high, as I've found with most Korean restaurants in the area, but the portions are large and we were very satisfied after splitting only one appetizer and one entree. I can't wait to return and try ALL of their unique dishes.

My best friend (who lives in Virginia) and I have been sending each other pictures that Kimbap posts on their Instagram for nearly a year. I vowed to not try it out until she visited and I have to say it was everything we thought it would be and more.

It is rare to find people who truly appreciate kimchi (Korean-style side with fermented vegetables, usually cabbage), but she and I love it. It's a distinguished taste and what my boyfriend refers to as a disgusting smell. But Kimbap got it right! Their kimchi was used perfectly in every dish and the balance of spice was spot-on.

So, of course we had to order basically everything on the menu. They had a Korean taco special so we ordered those, of course the bibimbap (rice bowl with an egg and bulgogi), kimbap, and house made dumplings.

We ate every bite and are already planning our return trip. The flavors in every dish are unlike anywhere else. Also, the staff went out of their way to make sure we had a great visit and they were all extremely knowledgeable on the culture and food items.

This is my 3rd time at Kimbap and every time I go and I am always sooo satisfied. I ended up meeting a friend there and she enjoyed her food too.

The parking was actually pretty good; if you aren't looking for anything at the front. I parked across the street and walked. Which wasn't a bad walk at all.

When we arrived we were immediately seated in the front near a big window which provided some great natural lighting. We did notice that there was ants on the table and we think it's because of the window + the ants trying to nibble on fallen food. Our server was extremely nice and very helpful. My guest wasn't eating any meat and they had a lot of options for her to choose from.

I had the Bimibap Mixed Vegetable Bowl and I added chicken. My guest had the dumplings and I ordered my son plain white rice with a side of chicken. Everyone loved their food. I ended up paying $20 for both my son and I's meal. We also ordered their dessert which was sesame seed ice cream over pumpkin pie and it was interesting.


Overall great experience lovely staff and cool atmosphere.

Man oh man do I dream about that brisket mac and cheese! My husband and I split that dish among others and I really just wish we ordered two of those. The pasta is perfectly chewy with delicious tender brisket and all sorts of creamy cheese! A winning dish for sure! We also ordered the Korean Fried Chicken and while it was tasty, it wasn't the thick crispy skin you normally expect with Korean Fried Chicken. We also shared the Ramen and it was good, I thought the pork was a bit too smokey. If you love a solid smokey flavor than you would probably really enjoy this dish.

If you are trying to head in for dinner on a weekend I would suggested trying to get their early. We rushed over on a Friday and got there right around six and scored a spot at the bar overlooking the kitchen. Thirty minutes later all the tables were filled and they were on a huge wait due to the limited space. The takeout option did seem pretty popular once people heard how long the wait was. You could order your takeout, grab a drink next door at BREW, and then head back in to take your food home.

It's neat to see the open kitchen. Those chefs are working their butts over with constant flames all around them. I really appreciated everything I ate seeing how hard each of the kitchen staff worked to get it plated!

Oh my this truly is my new happy place. My wife and I were waiting on the burger place next door which was a one hour wait and I was too hungry. So I explored and noticed a diamond tucked between a burger joint and a nice quaint coffee shop.

Yes this amazing Korean restaurant one may argue could top some of NY's finest. Not only was that service great but the food was genuine. First of one desires dumplings do not skip out on the pork dumplings wow they were so good they left my younger dancing for joy. Next we tried a Korean style sushi which was amazing.

Now I would love to have given this place a ten but I'm sadly only allowed five stars. From service to food, from ambiance to even the clean bathroom the place is perfect for that special date night.

I know, I know, it's about time I hit up this tiny gem of a restaurant! On this Tuesday, running errands and in need of lunch, I miraculously found a parking spot (good sign), and walked in. Immediately I was asked if I would like to sit at the "bar", which overlooks the cooking...heck yeah, I would like that! This is a perfect spot for someone dining solo.

It took a few minutes before I was brought a menu, and was told that it was Taco Tuesday. Not in the mood for flour tortillas, I opted to try the pork dumplings for nine bucks and asked to substitute the greens of the day for my side (turnip greens from a local farm) for a dollar more.

Really enjoyed watching the cooking. Everyone was friendly! And the food I was presented with was quite tasty. It was very light and probably would not have filled up the average guy, but for this gal it was just right. The greens were a little tough to chew at first, but as they kept steaming in the small bowl, they got easier to eat. The dumplings were delicious.

Watching the cooking, I was very intrigued to go back soon and try more!