Work Continues on Seoul Station

I was disappointed to see the Korean hot chicken joint Mono GoGo close recently here in Belmar. Their hot wings were fabulous, and made for excellent take-out. But they're gone now. Sigh.

But Mono GoGo's owner, restaurateur J.W. Lee, isn't through with the location next to the Century Belmar Theaters. His current plan is to open one of his Korean-themed Seoul Station convenience stores in the location, which will feature grab-and-go Korean snack food and an instant ramen bar.

I recently saw workers building out the inside of the former Mono GoGo location, but Lee has operations  all over town, and getting this new Belmar location open doesn't seem to be a priority. Still, I can vouch that work is happening.

All things considered, I'd rather have seen Mono GoGo stay open, as I don't consider instant ramen a delicacy I'd go out of my way for. 

And I'm familiar with Korean street food, having lived for two years in South Korea. Saddling up to a food cart for hot, fresh twigim, mandu or hotteok is a real treat. But what makes these snacks great are their freshness. I don't fancy any of these items after they've sat for a few hours under a 7-11 style heat lamp. So we'll see.

On the other hand, if Seoul Station has kimbap (a type of Korean California-esque roll) that they made daily, that would be great. And I'd love a place in the neighborhood that sold decent kimchi.