"This new arrival to the Convoy District focuses on Korean-style comfort food with contemporary twists and is led by owner Sun Park (dalbam translates to “moon night”). The casual, cozy 1,100-square-foot restaurant has partially enclosed booths and large tables and can seat over 30 people, and it also fills a late-night niche in Kearny Mesa by staying open until 1 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday and midnight on Sundays. Popular plates include maeun cheese dakgui (spicy stir-fried chicken with cheese), bossam (marinated boiled pork belly), and jokbal (marinated steamed pork feet), while one of Park’s relatives prepares fresh banchan each morning with items like dried tofu, mushrooms, and kimchi. A specialty is kimchi jjigae served with a rack of tender spare ribs — an idea Park says came from his father, Hyun Soo Park, who is the chef at the adjacent Grandma Tofu and Korean BBQ and taught him many kitchen secrets. The drink list (soju, flavored soju, Sapporo on draft, and bottled Korean beer) pairs well with snack- and share-friendly plates like pajeon, bulgogi fries, deep-fried chicken gizzards, and hot pots such as spicy army stew with ramen, kimchi, pork, sausages, Spam, tofu, and vegetables. Park is focused on this Convoy restaurant for now but may open another location down the line." - Helen I. Hwang