Korean food is not usually something that I think of first when I’m hungry and have a craving to satisfy…and yet every time I do enjoy a Korean meal I often wonder why I don't eat it more often. The bold pungent flavours give fresh ingredients an added punch with strong hints of garlic and spice. Let's go Korean...

Kimchee, bulgogi, and ginseng chicken it all sounds good to me! However I usually like to order the paper-thin slices of meats that are barbecued on the tabletop grills and served with salty sesame oil and chilli sauce as a dip. Choose between different cuts of fresh meat or opt for the tasty lean beef marinated in bulgogi sauce. There are also chicken, seafood and veggie varieties to choose from but I’m a red meat girl.

The bulgogi here is cooked on a special dome grill where the meat is placed on top with spices and on the bottom there is a bulgogi sauce as well as oyster mushrooms and onions. While the meat is cooking on top its juices drip down into the bulgogi mixture adding flavour to it as the onions and mushrooms caramelize. The meat has a subtle sweetness and is very tender.

The highlight of any Korean meal is all the little side dishes that accompany the meats known as the banchan. What you get differs each time according to what is fresh in the kitchen. You can usually expect to get an array of kimchi, pickled vegetables, fried sticky sweet anchovies, scallion pancakes, mashed potato salad, sautéed beansprouts and more. These bites are filled with notes of sweet, sour, spicy, and creamy giving you a total sensory experience. They are also refillable as long as you are still enjoying your meats so do be sure to ask for more of the ones you enjoy.

"The rice crust is the best part!"

Do order the kimchee pancake if you’d like a different experience from the usual scallion pancake. This is served like a pizza and it’s very crispy on the edges and chewier towards the middle. You can taste the sourness of the fermented cabbage and scallions and chillies are also added into the mix. Dip it in the salty sesame oil to round the flavours out. I must warn you though, this can be quite addictive and when you break out in sweats in the middle of the night and must have your kimchee pancake fix, you can’t say I didn’t warn you.

If you are in the mood for something soupy and healthy, I would recommend the ginseng chicken soup. This is a whole chicken stuffed with sweet rice, red dates, chestnuts, a ginseng root and garlic and it is then boiled with water and flavoured with spring onions and salt and pepper. I bet this is especially good if you’re battling a cold.

Most of these dishes are appropriate for groups but if you happen to be dining solo then there are many one bowl meal options for you to choose from. We had a vegetarian friend dining with us and she enjoyed a clay bowl filled with rice, vegetables, egg, and a mix of sauces. The bowl was hot and it kept cooking the ingredients even after it was placed on the table. This resulted in crispy bits of rice with vegetables, the thought of it now is making me want to go for a Korean dinner!


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