Chelsea Market is cool again. For awhile, I was avoiding this Manhattan institution because it seemed to be lacking that something special. Eateries were very cliche and old hat. Now, just like Chelsea Clinton, this Chelsea has undergone a facelift and is flaunting some new assets (sorry, I couldn’t resist coughing up this corny joke).

One of the fascinating newbies is Mok Bar, a Korean ramen joint whose array of robust dishes belies its casual setting. My co-worker Michelle alerted me to this “split personality” of a ramen den. If you’re craving traditional Japanese ramen but yearn for Korean flavors, this dream place will satisfy your dueling inclinations. We met here for dinner on a bustling Sunday evening when the market was flooded with tourists galore. Mok  bar shares the same floor space as a couple of other vendors, including The Nut Box and Los Tacos…thus, there’s a buzzy vibe with all the prevalent foot traffic and customer chatter.

The set up at Mok Bar is straightforward: you just get seated at the counter where you face the kitchen staff in action as they whip up their amazing fare. We pre-gamed our wild Sunday night with a couple of plates of “anju,” Korean small dishes, tapas style. The dumpling selection here is a few sophisticated levels up than what you’ll find at other Asian eateries. Who can resist pockets of fried dough stuffed with pickled shitake and glass noodles (japchae) or bursting with ground pork mixed with zucchini and kimchi (halmoni)?  We were drawn to the kalbi dumplings, charitable mounds of dough boasting thick cuts of shortrib and sweet caramelized onions. The succulent and juicy profile just simply exploded in my mouth like fireworks. I loved how the “skin” of the dumpling was neither too thick or too thin. Next up, we plunged into the “ho cakes,” which we mainly ordered for the tongue-in-cheek name. Fortunately, the output of this dish was just as vixenous as its moniker. Savory pancakes fried to a crisp and flaky texture revealed unctuous pieces of pork belly. With a sweet and smoky kimchi sauce on the side, this makes for a hefty appetizer.

Naturally, the piece de resistance is Mok Bar’s signature dish – the ramen. Michelle dove into the classic bibimbap ramen, a red, fiery brew made with pork broth and loaded with braised pork. Surprisingly, I was hankering for something on the tamer side for once. I was spent from my 7-hour train ride. Something soothing and comforting would suit my weary spirit. The chicken ssamgyetang ramen sounded like chicken soup for the soul to me. Fragrant roasted ginger chicken broth possessed a tranquil quality. I slurped the soft tendrils of egg noodles with ease and merriment. Chunks of pulled chicken provided much-needed sustenance. Perhaps the best component of this ramen was the topping of cucumber garlic and chive kimchi, crunchy and flavorful beyond belief.

Don’t forget to down all this goodness with a round or two of Kloud, a lightweight Korean beer that goes down as effortlessly as the ramen. If you’re vacillating between ramen and kimchi, park yourself at Mok Bar to get a dose of both. There’s no stigma against a split personality here.