I was very surprised to find that this place hadn't been reviewed yet. Korea Restaurant has been running for almost 20 years, and does not seem to have changed since I first went there in 1999 - definitely not a bad thing. It was the first time I tried the cook-your-own style of service, which just further enhances the experience of Korean BBQ - and kids LOVE it. After visiting another Korean restaurant in the CBD, this one still remains my favourite in food and service.
Korean Restaurant is only open for dinner, except for Friday when it is also open for lunch. Consequently, it can get very busy, and parties will tend to stay for hours due to the popular cook-your-own menu options, so a reservation is highly recommended.
The interior is not particularly special, and despite the elaborate gate and little garden out the front, they did not opt for a traditional cultural layout and decor - it's simply geometric tables and chairs with a grill in the middle of each unit. On the walls, however, hang traditional Korean artefacts and clothing with colours that brighten the room.
With any set of the cook-your-own comes a range of sides, including the popular kim chi, and a soup appetiser. The dishes are marinated in a lovely bulgogi sauce, which gives each piece of meat, fish, or vegetable a lovely smoky flavour when you take it off the grill. Dip it into the soy sauce provided for an even lovelier taste.
Their service is good and friendly, and the man who I can only suspect is the owner, is a lovely guy who makes it one that stands out from other restaurants.
Their emphasis - if you couldn't tell by my review - is on the cook-your-own experience, so their chef-prepared dishes are limited to a simple noodle or soup dishes. You will have to find another place if you are after a greater range of Korean cuisine, but the cooking experience is a plus to the great taste. read more