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2009-05-07
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Initially wanted to try out their all-you-can-eat but it was lunchtime on a weekday; AYCE is only availble at nights and weekend + public holiday lunchtimes.Since I came with my waist-conscious dad, I basically finished 2 lunch sets - we ordered the grilled beef (already cooked from the kitchen) and the bibimbab (mixed rice) without stone pot. Variety of lunch sets is commendable. Portion sizes are so-so, but for the price we paid it is what I would expect. The sauce for the beef tasted more Chi
Since I came with my waist-conscious dad, I basically finished 2 lunch sets - we ordered the grilled beef (already cooked from the kitchen) and the bibimbab (mixed rice) without stone pot.
Variety of lunch sets is commendable. Portion sizes are so-so, but for the price we paid it is what I would expect.
The sauce for the beef tasted more Chinese than Korean - it lacks the sesame oil smell and taste; I can hardly taste any garlic; the sauce is WAY too thick, it is definitely more Chinese-style than Korean.
As for the rice, I liked the sauce for the pork, it has more 'Korean' taste to it - sweeter, more pungent; but it was a bit greasy.
Banchan variety is big. I enjoyed the napa cabbage kimchi; they served celery which is definitely not what I would expect to find at a Korean restaurant. Chinese zucchini was also served.
When I asked for GOCHUJANG (Korean red pepper paste, you know the one that's slightly sweet and often served with bibimbap) and was initially given a puzzled look; when I asked again I was given Chinese XO chili paste in a dipping dish.!
And don't expect you'd get fancy rice or barley tea served at real traditional Korean eateries. Black tea was served.
Also, they have 2 types of rice - the plain rice that came with the bulgolgi beef was long-grain jasmine rice (the one served at most Chinese restaurants); the rice in the bibimbap was short-grain pearl rice (usually found in Korean and Japanese and Shanghainese restuarants). I personally prefer the latter.
The soup served looked very cloudy; it did have beef strips, egg strips and thinly sliced daikon. I wonder why it looks so cloudy though; it is supposedly a clear broth.
Love this restuarant for its 'eat-and-go' attitude and CHEAP price; but in terms of authenticity....read my other reviews.
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