Found Treasure: Kong’s Burger & Cafe

January 26, 2024 – The King Kong burger, staying on brand, has a wide wingspan. 

Its seductive smells reach visitors on the sidewalk, 30 yards from the storefront. 

It draws people to Watsonville from as far off as Pebble Beach and Silicon Valley. 

And, ultimately, it hits the taste buds hard, without thumping your bottom line.

EMB had a strong suspicion there was a Found Treasure on its lips when legendary Monterey Bay painter Andrew Jackson reported he drives from his home in Castroville to the cusp of Watsonville’s downtown City Plaza (and Kong’s Burger & Cafe on East Beach Street) for its breakfast burrito with kimchi.

“His organic kimchi is the bomb,” Jackson says. “And it’s all about the homemade sauces.”

The glory of said item approaches cinematic. 

While the kimchi plays more discreet-director-of-synergy than screen-stealing star, the homemade interplay of egg, peppers, red potato, mushroom, and chopped patty sausage (my choice over bacon or extra veggies) quickly makes that comfort-food commute understandable. 

It also benefits from the similarly homemade “burrito sauce,” a slightly spicy, slightly creamy and completely complementary addition that owner Sang Soon Ahn takes pains to point out he crafts himself.

Quick note there…the only beef with Kong’s I might have would be the ramekin of burrito sauce is tiny—but that leads to a different charm: Ahn insists he would provide more if he wasn’t 1) making it fresh daily; 2) restricted to one fridge at his modestly sized spot.

He and his wife Soon Ja could appear next to the definition of heartfelt mom-and-pop in the dictionary. 

She fielded my order, then got to work sizzling up the burger and breakfast wrap. He materialized to take payment, ask about my interests and tell tales of Kong’s past life as a Santa Cruz grocery (the much missed Kong’s Market), the growing Watsonville audience and their insistence on never-frozen, “no chemical,” and price points that evoke “How is your burger so good yet so cheap?” refrains.

Ahn gets the last question a lot, and it’s understandable. The Kong burger is $6.99, the King Kong $9.99.

The King Kong comes with a choice of additional beef, chicken or spicy pork on top. On Soon Ja’s recommendation, I went with the spicy pork. 

Paired with the works—plus a basic and soft bun—it’s everything I want from a burger, and then some, a cosmic counterpoint to its hotdog equivalent a block away, Taylor Brothers’ uncomplicated, humble, secret recipe specialty.

Ahn peeked around the deli case to see if I was enjoying the burger. He cares that much. 

“Everybody says it’s the best!” he said.

A number of classic Found Treasure qualifications circle Kong’s like biplanes around a giant gorilla on the Empire State Building. 

They keep costs low for themselves and diners alike, by doing all the work themselves, and by partnering with pals on things like the bespoke Kong’s coffee beans and the fresh beef (both kept proprietary by the Ahns). 

They play the hits, including bibimbap and teriyaki plates, and focus on doing those well rather than getting too expansive.

They don’t mess around with a website, priorities being what they be. 

They hide out in a spot that’s easy to miss. 

My favorite aspect, however, ranks among the most valuable for anyone crazy enough to climb the skyscraper that is owning and operating an eatery, anywhere, let alone a blue-collar town with a palate for fresh ingredients: They care deeply. 

Kong’s Burger & Cafe is located at 15 E. Beach St. in Watsonville. More at (831) 536-5434.