(Won Poong Won) is not your typical Hong Kong Korean restaurant. One doesn't come here for BBQ, although it is available, nor does one come here for a quick dinner for one. Instead, this is a place where friends and co-workers can luxuriate at deep wooden benches and eat some damn good Korean food, family style at long wooden tables. Upon ordering, the table is blanketed by small round plates of banchan, or Korean side dishes such as many varieties of kimchi, kong namul (bean sprouts), ggaennip (Korean sesame leaves), odeng (fish cakes), and other tasty nibbles. Of course there is still room left for the many bottles of soju and beer that should always accompany a good Korean meal.
And the a good Korean meal can be had here, for this place is Korean soul food. No, not Seoul food, rather food from Jeollado, which is the southwestern province of Korea which is known for its queer accent, negative stereotypes (usually regarding the level of intelligence and sophistication of the natives), and its fantastic food. Indeed, Jeolla province is the breadbasket of Korea, known for its hearty dishes, outstanding produce, and unrefined yet bold flavors.
(gamjatang) is a perfect example of unrefined and bold flavors to be found here. It's a hearty, spicy stew of potatoes, veggies, and herbs such as the aforementioned ggaennip. Handfuls of deulkkae garu (crushed sesame seeds) impart a nutty sturdiness that will make a hangover stop in its tracks. But the highlight of the dish is huge nubs of pork neck bone that you'll want to suck clean - certainly not a dish for the genteel. After a long boil, the bones release an obscene amount of flavor, texture, and richness to the broth. A shot or two of soju does well to cut through that opulence. And did I mention that this dish is a great hangover cure?
The other must order is the which is an assortment of jeon (pancakes). Most diners will be familiar with pajeon, which is the pa (scallion) pancake. Here the variety include saengseonjeon (cod pancake), gochujeon (pepper pancake), and my favorite, ggaennip kogi jeon (minced beef wrapped with sesame leaves). Each jeon is dipped in an eggy batter and fried until crispy, brown, and delicious. I've not had such outstanding jeon since eating in the kitchen of my Grandmother, who comes from Gwangju which is the seat of Jeollado.
Again, (Won Poong Won) is not your typical Hong Kong Korean restaurant. The food is actually semi-decent, the service is friendly in the sense that you're encouraged to linger rather than finish your meal and leave, and the portions are more fair for price paid. It may not be the ideal or atypical Korean restaurant when comparing to mature markets such as NYC or LA, but it is a lone bright spot in Hong Kong.
PS. The washroom is horrid, even for Hong Kong standards read more