Augusta Eats: Bop on over to food truck that's your passport to Korean street cuisine

Koreans comprise just 0.57% of Augusta's total population, according to the statistical database site Zip Atlas.

But their profile is rising with the increased number of Korean groceries, restaurants and other businesses in the Augusta area.

Augusta's newest Korean restaurant is K-Bop Street Food, 3328 Washington Rd., but good luck getting in. After opening in March, it closed temporarily in late June with a sign on the door announcing a reopening the first week of September.

But finding the food truck is an easier lift. For the past few years, K-Bop's mobile operation has been a popular feature of the Augusta Market at The River, held Saturdays downtown from March to November.

Gato grande: Tacocat spelled backward is still a street-taco mecca in downtown Augusta

The "K-Bop" name actually is shared by many Korean restaurants across North America, though they're not affiliated with one another.

One of them – The Bop, a Korean restaurant in Vancouver, Canada – explains on its website the meaning and purpose behind the common restaurant name:

"The word 'bop' literally means a bowl of rice or a meal, but for Koreans, it holds a deeper meaning," according to the site. " 'Bop' goes beyond just a simple meal and becomes a way to connect and show affection toward others."

K-Bop Street Food's menu will touch the Seoul in your soul.

Bulgogi is a fair yardstick to measure Korean restaurants. The secret to the marinated, thinly sliced beef often is in the sauce, and K-Bop's version offers sweet heat with a tangy burr that can accommodate customers who otherwise look askance at spicy foods.

K-Bop's other big seller is their selection of Korean corn dogs. The spin on the original corn dog has propelled the food high on the list of growing culinary trends.

Korean corn dogs often pair melted cheese with the filling, which can be a hot dog or another meat, or even rice. It's then dipped in a rice-flour batter and coated in panko bread crumbs, diced potatoes or even crushed ramen noodles.

Korean corn dogs are topped with a sprinkling of sugar. Do not ask your server to leave the sugar off, because you'd be missing out on the sweet kick to the savory food-on-a-stick.

There are few better ways of getting in touch with your inner bop.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Augusta Eats: Bop on over to food truck that's your passport to Korean street cuisine