NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. - American servicemembers who serve in South Korea often come back with a new-found taste for Korean dishes.
Kim's International Cafe uses that as a jumping-off point to bring those unique flavors to the rest of Western New York.
Situated right at the front gate of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station on Lockport Road, Kim's is run by Kim Rubino, an Air Force wife who ended up in the Falls long after she started cooking at the Osan Air Force Base near Seoul. And the customers she gets from the base are more than just diners to feed.
"I love to see them, because of memories of home," Rubino says.
And a look at Yelp and other review sites shows you how satisfied they and other customers are to discover this hidden gem, and try dishes they've never heard of before.
While there are some familiar American dishes on the menu, especially on the breakfast side of things (the hash browns and corned beef hash are a tasty offering), the real adventure comes in trying some of the Korean dishes like the truly excellent Beef Bulgogi: thin-sliced beef in a sweet Korean marinade served with stir-fried veggies and rice. The delicious Chop Chae combines Korean Sweet Potato noodles (clear and white, unlike American sweet potatoes) with your choice of meat, soy sauce and vegetables.
There are also some dishes that may seem more familiar like the Gate Opener Burger, a Korean favorite with cheese, a fried egg and cole slaw, and the traditional Shin Ramyun- spicy ramen noodle soup with green onions, egg and cheese. And all of this is usually cooked up by Rubino herself behind the small counter.
"I'm not a big restaurant, I'm not a big advertiser person," Rubino says. "I just do it by myself, and just really honestly happy to cook for people."
Check out more about Kim's International Cafe at the Yelp page here, and let us know where to go next on our Facebook page.
Kim's International Cafe
2028 Lockport Rd.
Niagara Falls, NY 14304
(716) 524-2253
Hours:
Every day 6am-2:30pm
