How Carmel's Only Korean Restaurant Kicked Its Dining Scene Up a Notch
Wolff's enticing menu features her creations, such as gochujang-loaded tater tots, Korean barbecue wings, and kimchi macaroni and cheese. A fan favorite is the crispy arancini filled with kimchi fried rice and molten cheese. The fun textural contrast of arancini — an initial crunch from the exterior, the chewiness of the rice, and the gooeyness of the cheese — is enhanced by the addition of kimchi, which provides some freshness and funkiness.
While Jeju Kitchen is a relatively new restaurant, the concept for Wolff's Korean fusion restaurant has been brewing since her high school days working at her mom's coffee shop, Carmel Coffee and Cocoa Bar. Carmel didn't have many Asian restaurants at the time, so her mom started selling rice plates and noodles alongside coffee and pastries. Her mom sold the coffee shop in 2018 to retire, but she surprised Wolff shortly after with the news that she bought a restaurant, Grill on Ocean Avenue. It was a proud moment for her mother, who had been denied a job as a busser at that same restaurant years ago because she wasn't yet fluent in English. Wolff's mother added Korean short ribs, kimchi stew, and glass noodles to the menu. Wolff was initially hesitant about her mother's addition of Korean fare to an otherwise American menu. She wondered if any non-Koreans would really eat kimchi stew for breakfast. To her surprise, the dishes sold really well. The restaurant was sold a few years ago, but the experience left Wolff with the desire to open her own restaurant.
Wolff was working in marketing for food festivals and restaurants when the opportunity to take over Carmel Burger Bar presented itself. It's only a few steps away from her mother's former coffee shop. She revamped the space with sleek booths and overhauled the menu. 'I wanted to go hard on Korean,' says Wolff, 'We've learned twice that people gravitate toward it.' She knew that it would be a lot of work — especially going through the lengthy process of making kimchi from scratch. She did, however, keep a handful of burgers on the menu. 'A lot of people come here thinking that they're coming to a Korean restaurant,' says Wolff. 'I'm not a Korean restaurant, I'm Korean fusion. I really want Jeju to mirror me.'
Wolff was born in Seoul but only lived there for a year before moving to the United States. As the oldest child, she grew up helping out a lot in the kitchen and quickly learned her mother's recipes. The menu at Jeju reflects her dining table as a Korean American. The kimchi macaroni and cheese, for example, draws inspiration from the cheesy pasta dishes from her childhood and the quintessential Korean ferment. It's bright, funky, and rich. 'There's so much food that's on our menu that I got made fun of for as a kid,' says Wolff, 'My mom would pack kimchi soup for my lunch. Now, everyone thinks it's cool — everyone is eating kimchi because it's a probiotic.'
Wolff is planning on digging into her Colombian roots from her father's side in her upcoming brunch menu. She's also cooking up new dishes like a Korean smash burger that she describes as the baby of kimchi mac and cheese and a Big Mac. There are also fusion dishes on the menu inspired by other Asian cuisines — like the cloud-like, aromatic Thai tea tiramisu. Or the creamy miso cacio e pepe made with mafaldine, miso butter, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Jeju Kitchen is still in its early stages — in fact, the 'Jeju Kitchen' sign just went up this April.
Thankfully, Wolff has her mom, an experienced restaurant owner, to impart wisdom as needed. Lessons include making the most of each ingredient to eliminate waste and crafting a menu that is sincerely her own. Most of all, she models her mother's work ethic, citing how she would jump in and wash the dishes at her own restaurant when needed. Her mom helps out at Jeju Kitchen by making the kimchi and the restaurant's tropical fruit drinks like strawberry lemonade and mango pineapple punch. While running a restaurant is a lot of hard work, Wolff finds it highly rewarding. 'This is my kid,' says Wolff, 'I tell people, 'We have our two front teeth now.''
Jeju Kitchen (106 Carmel Center Place, Carmel-By-The-Sea) is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.
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