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2016-09-28
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Korean food in its glory, is simple- fresh quality ingredients livened up by pungent spices and sauces freshly cooked and delivered with a minimum of fuss and pretension. This place fails on every experience level and I confidently predict closure within 6 months.- or perhaps Hong Kongs diining community and myriad Undiscerning tourists will allow it to thrive. We will never return.Ambience: so pedestrian- nouveau industrial chic. Tables jammed together, the usual formulaic open kitchen(these c
We will never return.
Ambience: so pedestrian- nouveau industrial chic. Tables jammed together, the usual formulaic open kitchen(these chefs have nothing to display so why bother?). On entering, the lighting is so dim one questions whether one has suddenly developed cataracts, and the brief relief that one hasn't is then overcome by unease that the management don't really want you to see too closely what you are eating.
At 7.30 on a Wednesday night there's a European jet trash DJ thumping out generic rhythms at an already conversation killing level- why do restaurants think food needs a DJ? The only person who enjoys a DJs music during a meal is normally only the DJ himself.
Service- off hand and indifferent.
Cocktails- my colleague had a watermelon juice which was "cloying and too much added syrup". I had what I can only describe as a chemical abomination called a Jin Jube- somewhere in there bourbon was lurking, but the overall melange was undrinkable. The dissatisfaction was partially offset in that the "Seoul hour" discount meant both offerings were hkd50 each- however they were less than half consumable.
Food: we started with the kimchi plate hkd40. This was frankly embarrassing- one would expect any Korean restaurant to have this staple in abundance, and in a cornucopia of varieties- my local supermarket offers better kimchi than this!Jinjuu manage to deliver tiny portions of err 2 kinds. A woefully under fermented and underspiced white cabbage kimchi and an even worse shredded radish kimchi which was dry and lacking any seasoning. Nul points.
Fried Chicken "mixed" portion-hkd 130. We were thinking twice fried crispy and rice flour coating with a fiery sauce, but oh no- heavy batter which tasted morbidly of old oil. The flesh itself was not excessively dry but the two "crowd pleasingly cute" accompanying side bottles of a soy concoction and another chilli lacking offering were simply not up to scratch. Nul points.
I thought things couldn't get any worse but then the vegetarian pancake with tempura vegetables arrived hkd-180. JEON is normally a light batter pancake stuffed with usually al dente vegetables julienne. This monstrosity resembled a mini ice hockey puck in both design and consistency accompanied by some COLD tempura of tomato and courgettes.. To aid digestion this dish was garnished with deep fried seaweed or herbs I'm not clear which, utterly drenched in cold oil- does the chef not understand how to drain this kind of offering post cuisson? Nul points.
Carnitas fries hkd105 . I am simply lost and horribly confused by this ill conceived cross between badly made nachos and badly made french fries.
Spicy Doenjang clams hkd160 ought to have been piquant with red chilli miso in a flavorful broth. Instead they were turgid lacking in all flavour, desperately over salty the clams were accompanied by an amateurish attempt at crispy rice. Thankfully the clams were NOT overcooked. Un point.
Bibimbap hot stone cooked rice bowl hkd130. We decided to stick with vegetarian. Again poorly seasoned although one could have added as much commercially made chilli sauce from the accompanying bowl. The fried egg tossed on the top of the bowl had all the presence of a fried egg cooked several hours in advance.
I sort of understand that this place wants to offer funky Korean with a modern twist, but the only funk was the aftertaste in my mouth and the funk of depression at spending hkd919 on such poor food. Don't bother to visit- if asked I would suggest a viable alternative is to set fire to hkd800 and spend the balance hkd120 on fast food.
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