I'm so conflicted about reviewing this place. Their BBQ is glorious, but trying their a la carte dishes gave a sense of bitter dejavu because the food was as puzzling as at Seoul Korean Restaurant that basically put me off for life. Here's the gist:
- Tangsuyuk (aka sweet and sour pork): any person calling themself Korean should know at first glance that how they present the pork and the sauce just ain't right. The lightly battered pork strips should be served on a plate, not in what reminds of Arabian Nights. The sauce gets even more puzzling. What makes tangsuyuk sauce so magical is (1) the delicate balance between the sweet and sour, (2) thick, gloomy consistency that coats the battered pork, and (3) FRESH sliced veggies that typically include cucumber, carrots, onions, woodear mushrooms, and colourful capsicum. Instead, what they served was a runny, overly tangy concoction with frozen peas and carrots (!?!?). Needless to say, we didn't even eat half of the stuff which prompted two different staff to ask if we needed a takeaway box (we said no). When we pulled up the photo of this dish on their menu and online that shows a wonderfully authentic presentation (which we fully expected to havd on our table) and showed it to staff, they had this uncomfortable body language that indicated they knew what we got on our table was an abomination, but they apologised and said what we got was what it was. I'm so baffled as to why they didn't make even the bare minimum effort to slice some fresh veggies, which I know they have available because I see them in side dishes and appetisers, for the sauce.
- Nangmyeon. A lot gets lost in translation but basically, what I expect is...well, again, what is depicted in the menu photo. What I got was a very poor, austerity version and I barely ate half of it.
The nauthenticity and poor presentation of these a la carte dishes are a direct replication of those of Seoul Korean Restaurant. What is puzzling is how awesome their BBQ is, from the marinade and soybean soup to the egg souffle, purple rice, and the side dishes. So, my star rating leans towards the BBQ experience vs a la carte, and that's my recommendation.
They have a lot going for it and they got a lot of things right, from the tasteful music selection and industrial-meets-pocha vibe to the flat screens showing endless footages of Korean goodies preparation. Staff are patient and friendly, even though it took some effort on the latest visit to get the cheque sorted due to administratively caused overcharge.
I hear they have good soon tofu and kimbap. I hope they continue to improve and get the locals on board because I'm glad they're here and I want them to thrive. read more