Johnson County Korean pop-up was so successful, it will soon have a permanent spot

A year ago, Lisa Hamblen started testing her Korean food concept with regular pop-ups at the Lenexa Public Market.

The response has been so positive she’s opening Kimchi and Bap as a permanent stall.

“I wanted to get a good understanding for the demand for Korean food. And it was really something I just wanted to share with people,” she said. “The pop-ups were good and the reception, too.”

Customers have said her dishes remind them of what their parents made when they were growing up, or of trying Korean dishes while visiting or living in Korea.

“That’s the highest compliment,” she said this week. “Then there are people who have never had it before. I hope they become more open to other cultural foods.”

Her stall will be between African Dream Cuisine and Sohaila’s Kitchen.

The Kimchi and Bap menu

▪ Bibimbap: Bowl filled with rice and traditional bibimbap vegetables (zucchini, carrots, bracken, cucumbers, Korean radish, bellflower root, bean sprouts, spinach, and mushrooms) with an egg on top. Customers can add spicy bibimbap sauce (gochujang) and a choice of protein — marinated beef bulgogi, marinated spicy chicken bulgogi or crispy tofu. $16.

▪ Japchae: Sweet potato noodles mixed with spinach, orange and red peppers, mushrooms, carrots, onions and green onions. Includes rice and a choice of beef bulgogi, spicy chicken bulgogi or crispy tofu. $14.

▪ Rice bowls: White rice topped with beef bulgogi, spicy chicken bulgogi or crispy tofu. Tofu option comes with a soy garlic sauce on the side. This dish includes a side of kimchi. $12.

Hamblen also plans some seasonal dishes and what she calls “Today’s Snack,” such as dumplings or kimchi fried rice.

She was just 19 months old when she was adopted from Korea by an Arizona couple — her father was in the U.S. Army and met her mother while in South Korea. She said some of her favorite memories growing up were cooking with her mother. She also picked up new recipes over the years.

The Lenexa Public Market is operated by the city of Lenexa. The 11,000-square-foot food hall is at 8750 Penrose Lane in the Lenexa City Center area, just west of Interstate 435.