Tuesday 9 June 2009

The Delights of Korean Barbecue

In the past six months, I've had some varying experiences of Korean food. The first was a nightmarish, £30+ per head for a pittance at a place in Mayfair. The second was a struggle through a huge thin soup-ish hotpot and a couple of side dishes. More recently, I've found the kind of Korean food I want to eat: barbecue.

Ran restaurant in Soho is the place to go. (I say that with the false authority of a man who knows Korean food, but it really is good here.) The mixed udon noodles are oily, seafood-filled, light and perfectly cooked. The rice is spicy (but not tongue-lacerating) and a decent side dish. The surroundings are modern and refreshing. But this is not the most important thing...

The large hotplates on the tables are constantly being replenished with meat, fish, seafood and whatever you care to order by the helpful staff. The beauty of eating like this is that you can cook food as much as you want. Some of the sliced beef you'll get is juicy as anything. The assorted seafood is usually the final part of the process, and it's always worth waiting for. I won't go into everything that comes on a barbecue platter, but I will say that you should check it out. Just don't get dessert.

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