Korean restaurants
Apr. 21st, 2006 08:24 pmWe were in London last weekend and went to a Korean restaurant. I haven't noticed Korean restaurants in London before; I don't know whether they're a new arrival or whether I'm more inclined to notice them now that I've actually been to Korea. I suspect it's just me. Still, anyone fancying a good meal could try visiting Asadal, which is literally next to Holborn tube station.
I like Korean barbecues. After a small soup course and a starter, a waiter cooked our meat using a burner built into the table. Then we dipped a piece of meat in one sauce, popped it in a lettuce leaf with another sauce, some rice and pickled vegetables, wrapped the leaf around everything and ate it with our fingers. It was wonderfully messy and very tasty.
The staff were very friendly. Our waiter chatted to us about this and that. He was "chuffed" that he'd recently gained British residency, having lived in Newcastle, Manchester and now London for 10 years.
Along with the main dish, Koreans usually eat some variety of spiced pickled vegetables called "Kimchi". We were served two: one of chinese cabbage, which is a Korean favourite, and a courgette one, which I preferred because it was sweet as well as spicy. Our meal finished with a sweet drink spiced with cinnamon, which was good. And we drank Korean beer, which tastes pretty much the same as any other lager.
The seating was western, i.e. sitting up at a table. In Korea, most restaurants have low tables and you sit on cushions. My knees prefer the western approach!
I like Korean barbecues. After a small soup course and a starter, a waiter cooked our meat using a burner built into the table. Then we dipped a piece of meat in one sauce, popped it in a lettuce leaf with another sauce, some rice and pickled vegetables, wrapped the leaf around everything and ate it with our fingers. It was wonderfully messy and very tasty.
The staff were very friendly. Our waiter chatted to us about this and that. He was "chuffed" that he'd recently gained British residency, having lived in Newcastle, Manchester and now London for 10 years.
Along with the main dish, Koreans usually eat some variety of spiced pickled vegetables called "Kimchi". We were served two: one of chinese cabbage, which is a Korean favourite, and a courgette one, which I preferred because it was sweet as well as spicy. Our meal finished with a sweet drink spiced with cinnamon, which was good. And we drank Korean beer, which tastes pretty much the same as any other lager.
The seating was western, i.e. sitting up at a table. In Korea, most restaurants have low tables and you sit on cushions. My knees prefer the western approach!